Bolivian Sunset Gloxinia. This plant is usually considered a tropical but it is ground hardy in zone 8. It is a fall bloomer, much like Gloxinia 'Evita' which is also ground hardy in the Deep South. This selection is a more upright grower than 'Evita' and can get up to 2'. Also, much like 'Evita,' it is a little slow to emerge in the spring, but since it is a fall bloomer, this works out perfectly well. If one plans to grow this plant in the ground in the more northerly reaches of its outdoor hardiness, I would recommend planting it in the spring or early summer so that it would have plenty of time to become established, but elsewhere, it could be planted anytime. It does well with morning sun and afternoon shade or filtered sun in a well drained site with high organic matter. Keep uniformly moist. The only pest problems that one might encounter are mealy bugs, but only if it is grown indoors as a pot plant. Outside they are usually drowned by the rain. This is truly one of the easier and more spectacular fall flowering perennials. It spreads by underground rhizomes.
Zones 8-11
