270 Species in Genus Calceolaria

The Curious Case of Calceolaria: A Floral Fascination

As a plant enthusiast, I, Ferb Vu, am always captivated by the sheer diversity and ingenuity of the natural world. One genus that has particularly piqued my interest is Calceolaria, more affectionately known as the “slipper flower” or “pocketbook plant.” This charming genus, belonging to the Calceolariaceae family, boasts a unique morphology that sets it apart in the floral kingdom.

A Pouch Full of Wonders

The defining characteristic of Calceolaria is its pouch-like flower, reminiscent of a tiny slipper or purse. This unusual shape is a result of the flower’s inflated lower lip, which often contrasts in color with the upper lip and is adorned with intriguing spots or markings. This striking appearance has made Calceolaria a popular ornamental plant, gracing gardens and homes with its vibrant hues.

Diverse Denizens of the Americas

Calceolaria is a predominantly South American genus, with its distribution center in the Andean region. However, its range extends from Patagonia in the south to central Mexico in the north, encompassing a variety of habitats and altitudes. This geographical diversity has resulted in a remarkable array of species, each with its own unique adaptations and characteristics.

A Species Showcase

The genus Calceolaria comprises over 270 recognized species, showcasing an impressive range of forms and colors. Here are:

Calceolaria aconcaguina Phil.
Calceolaria adenanthera Molau
Calceolaria adenocalyx Molau
Calceolaria aiseniana C.Ehrh.
Calceolaria ajugoides Kraenzl.
Calceolaria alata (Pennell) Pennell
Calceolaria alba Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria albotomentosa Pennell
Calceolaria amicora S.Leiva, E.Rodr. & Rimarachin
Calceolaria amoena Molau
Calceolaria andina Benth.
Calceolaria angustiflora Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria angustifolia (Lindl.) Sweet
Calceolaria anisanthera Pennell
Calceolaria annua Edwin
Calceolaria aperta Edwin
Calceolaria aquatica A.Braun & C.D.Bouché
Calceolaria arachnoidea Graham
Calceolaria arbuscula Molau
Calceolaria argentea Kunth
Calceolaria ascendens Lindl.
Calceolaria asperula Phil.
Calceolaria atahualpae Kraenzl.
Calceolaria auriculata Phil.
Calceolaria australis (Molau) Molau
Calceolaria ballotifolia Kraenzl.
Calceolaria barbata Molau
Calceolaria bartsiifolia Wedd.
Calceolaria belophora Pennell
Calceolaria bentae Molau
Calceolaria bicolor Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria bicrenata Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria biflora Lam.
Calceolaria bogotensis (Pennell) Pennell
Calceolaria boliviana (Britton ex Rusby) Pennell
Calceolaria brachiata Kraenzl.
Calceolaria brunellifolia Phil.
Calceolaria buchtieniana Kraenzl.
Calceolaria bullata Molau
Calceolaria caespitosa Molau
Calceolaria cajabambae Kraenzl.
Calceolaria caleuana Muñoz-Schick & A.Moreira
Calceolaria calycina Benth.
Calceolaria campanae Phil.
Calceolaria cana Cav.
Calceolaria cataractarum Molau
Calceolaria cavanillesii Phil.
Calceolaria chaetostemon Pennell
Calceolaria chelidonioides Kunth
Calceolaria chibulensis C.Romero, Bussmann & Puppo
Calceolaria chrysosphaera Pennell
Calceolaria collina Phil.
Calceolaria colombiana Pennell
Calceolaria colquepatana Pennell
Calceolaria commutata Molau
Calceolaria comosa Pennell
Calceolaria comulcana C.Romero, Bussmann & Puppo
Calceolaria concava Molau
Calceolaria connatifolia Pennell
Calceolaria conocarpa Pennell
Calceolaria cordifolia Molau
Calceolaria cordiformis Edwin ex Moldau
Calceolaria corymbosa Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria crassa Molau
Calceolaria crenata Lam.
Calceolaria crenatiflora Cav.
Calceolaria cumbemayensis Molau
Calceolaria cuneiformis Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria cypripediiflora Kraenzl.
Calceolaria deflexa Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria densiflora Molau
Calceolaria densifolia Phil.
Calceolaria dentata Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria dentifolia Edwin
Calceolaria dichotoma Lam.
Calceolaria dilatata Benth.
Calceolaria discotheca Molau
Calceolaria divaricata Kunth
Calceolaria elatior Griseb.
Calceolaria engleriana Kraenzl.
Calceolaria ericoides Juss. ex Vahl
Calceolaria extensa Benth.
Calceolaria ferruginea Cav.
Calceolaria filicaulis Clos
Calceolaria flavida Lavandero & Santilli
Calceolaria flavovirens C.Ehrh.
Calceolaria flexuosa Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria flosparva Edwin
Calceolaria fothergillii Aiton
Calceolaria frondosa Molau
Calceolaria fulva Witasek
Calceolaria fusca Pennell
Calceolaria gaultherioides Molau
Calceolaria georgiana Phil.
Calceolaria germainii Witasek
Calceolaria glacialis Wedd.
Calceolaria glandulosa Poepp. ex Benth.
Calceolaria glauca Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria gossypina Benth.
Calceolaria grandiflora Pennell
Calceolaria harlingii Molau
Calceolaria helianthemoides Kunth
Calceolaria heterophylla Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria hirtiflora Pennell
Calceolaria hispida Benth.
Calceolaria hypericina Poepp. ex Benth.
Calceolaria hypoleuca Meyen
Calceolaria hyssopifolia Kunth
Calceolaria inamoena Kraenzl.
Calceolaria inaudita Kraenzl.
Calceolaria incachacensis Kraenzl.
Calceolaria incarum Kraenzl.
Calceolaria inflexa Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria integrifolia L.
Calceolaria involuta Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria irazuensis Donn.Sm.
Calceolaria jujuyensis Botta
Calceolaria juncalensis Kraenzl.
Calceolaria kraenzliniae Kraenzl.
Calceolaria laevis Molau
Calceolaria lagunae-blancae Kraenzl.
Calceolaria lamiifolia Kunth
Calceolaria lanata Kunth
Calceolaria lanigera Phil.
Calceolaria lasiocalyx Pennell
Calceolaria latifolia Benth.
Calceolaria lavandulifolia Kunth
Calceolaria lehmanniana Kraenzl.
Calceolaria lepida Phil.
Calceolaria lepidota Kraenzl.
Calceolaria leptantha Pennell
Calceolaria leucanthera Pennell
Calceolaria linearis Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria llamaensis (Edwin) Molau
Calceolaria lobata Cav.
Calceolaria lojensis Pennell
Calceolaria ludens Kraenzl.
Calceolaria luteocalyx Edwin
Calceolaria maculata Edwin
Calceolaria martinezii Kraenzl.
Calceolaria melissifolia Benth.
Calceolaria mexicana Benth.
Calceolaria meyeniana Phil.
Calceolaria micans Molau
Calceolaria microbefaria Kraenzl.
Calceolaria molaui Puppo
Calceolaria mollissima Walp.
Calceolaria monantha Kraenzl.
Calceolaria morisii Walp.
Calceolaria moyobambae Kraenzl.
Calceolaria myriophylla Kraenzl.
Calceolaria neglecta Molau
Calceolaria nevadensis (Pennell) Standl.
Calceolaria nitida Colla
Calceolaria nivalis Kunth
Calceolaria nudicaulis Benth.
Calceolaria obliqua Molau
Calceolaria oblonga Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria obtusa Molau
Calceolaria odontophylla Molau
Calceolaria olivacea Molau
Calceolaria oreophila Molau
Calceolaria oxapampensis Puppo
Calceolaria oxyphylla Molau
Calceolaria pallida Phil.
Calceolaria paposana Phil.
Calceolaria paralia Cav.
Calceolaria parviflora Gillies ex Benth.
Calceolaria parvifolia Wedd.
Calceolaria pavonii Benth.
Calceolaria pedunculata Molau
Calceolaria penlandii Pennell
Calceolaria pennellii Descole & Borsini
Calceolaria percaespitosa Wooden
Calceolaria perfoliata L.f.
Calceolaria petioalaris Cav.
Calceolaria phaceliifolia Edwin
Calceolaria phaeotricha Molau
Calceolaria philippii Eyzag.
Calceolaria picta Phil.
Calceolaria pilosa Molau
Calceolaria pinifolia Cav.
Calceolaria pinnata L.
Calceolaria pisacomensis Meyen ex Walp.
Calceolaria platyzyga Diels
Calceolaria plectranthifolia Walp.
Calceolaria poikilanthes Sandwith
Calceolaria polifolia Hook.
Calceolaria polyclada Kraenzl.
Calceolaria polyrhiza Cav.
Calceolaria procera Pennell
Calceolaria psammophila Skottsb.
Calceolaria pulverulenta Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria pumila Edwin
Calceolaria punicea Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria puppoae Molinari
Calceolaria purpurascens (Sodiro) Molau
Calceolaria purpurea Graham
Calceolaria quitoensis Pennell
Calceolaria ramosa Molau
Calceolaria rariflora Molau
Calceolaria reichlinii Edwin
Calceolaria revoluta Pennell
Calceolaria rhacodes Kraenzl.
Calceolaria rhododendroides Kraenzl.
Calceolaria rhombifolia Molau
Calceolaria rinconada C.Ehrh.
Calceolaria rivularis Kraenzl.
Calceolaria rosmarinifolia Lam.
Calceolaria rotundifolia Kunth
Calceolaria rubiginosa C.Ehrh.
Calceolaria rufescens Molau
Calceolaria rugulosa Edwin
Calceolaria ruiz-lealii Descole & Borsini
Calceolaria rupestris Molau
Calceolaria salicifolia Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria salpoana S.Leiva, E.Rodr. & V.Rimarachín
Calceolaria santolinoides Kraenzl.
Calceolaria scabra Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria scapiflora (Ruiz & Pav.) Benth.
Calceolaria schickendantziana Kraenzl.
Calceolaria sclerophylla Molau
Calceolaria segethii Phil.
Calceolaria semiconnata Pennell
Calceolaria sericea Pennell
Calceolaria serrata Lam.
Calceolaria sessilis Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria sibthorpioides Kunth
Calceolaria sonchensis Pennell ex Edwin
Calceolaria soratensis Kraenzl.
Calceolaria sotarensis Pennell
Calceolaria sparsiflora Kunze
Calceolaria spathulata Witasek
Calceolaria speciosa Pennell
Calceolaria spruceana Kraenzl.
Calceolaria stellariifolia Phil.
Calceolaria stricta Kunth
Calceolaria talcana J.Grau & C.Ehrh.
Calceolaria tenella Poepp.
Calceolaria tenuis Benth.
Calceolaria tetragona Benth.
Calceolaria teucrioides Griseb.
Calceolaria thyrsiflora Graham
Calceolaria tomentosa Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria triandra (Cav.) Vahl
Calceolaria trichanthera Molau
Calceolaria triloba Edwin
Calceolaria trilobata Hemsl.
Calceolaria tripartita Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria tucumana Descole
Calceolaria umbellata Wedd.
Calceolaria undulata Benth.
Calceolaria uniflora Lam.
Calceolaria urticifolia Molau
Calceolaria utricularioides Hook. ex Benth.
Calceolaria vaccinioides Kraenzl.
Calceolaria valdiviana Phil.
Calceolaria variifolia Edwin
Calceolaria velutina Pennell
Calceolaria velutinoides Edwin
Calceolaria verbascifolia Bertero ex Phil.
Calceolaria virgata Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria viscosa Ruiz & Pav.
Calceolaria viscosissima (Hook.) Lindl.
Calceolaria volckmannii Phil.
Calceolaria vulpina Kraenzl.
Calceolaria weberbaueriana Kraenzl.
Calceolaria × wettsteiniana Witasek
Calceolaria williamsii Phil.
Calceolaria zamorana Molau

How to deadhead calceolaria?

Deadheading calceolaria is a simple task that helps keep the plant looking neat and encourages more blooms. I use a pair of sharp scissors or pruning shears to snip off the spent flowers just above the next set of leaves or buds. Regular deadheading throughout the blooming season keeps the plant vibrant and prevents it from putting energy into seed production.

Are calceolaria poisonous to cats?

Regarding the toxicity of calceolaria to cats, I’ve learned that they are not listed as toxic by the ASPCA. However, since many plants can cause mild digestive upset if ingested by pets, I always keep a close eye on my curious cat to ensure she doesn’t nibble on my calceolaria plants.

How to care for calceolaria?

Caring for calceolaria involves providing the right balance of light, water, and temperature. I keep mine in a spot with bright, indirect sunlight and ensure the soil stays consistently moist but not waterlogged. They thrive in cooler temperatures, so I avoid placing them in hot, direct sunlight. Regular feeding with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer keeps them healthy and blooming.

How to grow calceolaria from seed?

Growing calceolaria from seed requires patience and attention to detail. I start by sowing the seeds on the surface of a moist, seed-starting mix, gently pressing them down without covering them, as they need light to germinate. I keep the tray in a warm, bright area, and the seeds usually sprout within two to three weeks. Once the seedlings are large enough to handle, I transplant them into individual pots.

Is calceolaria a perennial?

Calceolaria is generally considered an annual, meaning it completes its life cycle in one growing season. In some climates, or with excellent care, they might behave like short-lived perennials, but I usually treat them as annuals and replant them each year.

Is calceolaria poisonous to dogs?

As for dogs, calceolaria is not listed as toxic by the ASPCA, so it should be safe around them. However, just like with my cats, I always monitor my pets to make sure they don’t chew on any plants, as different animals can have different sensitivities.

Can calceolaria bloom again?

Calceolaria can bloom again if it’s properly cared for. After the initial flush of blooms, I deadhead the spent flowers and give the plant a little boost with some fertilizer. With the right conditions, I’ve been able to enjoy a second round of blooms later in the season.

Can calceolaria uniflora be kept in a home?

Calceolaria uniflora can be kept in a home, though it might require a bit more attention compared to some other houseplants. I provide it with bright, indirect light and keep the soil consistently moist. They prefer cooler temperatures, so I avoid placing them near heating vents or in direct sun.

Can i keep calceolaria inside?

I do keep calceolaria inside, especially during the cooler months or if I want to enjoy their bright, cheerful flowers as a houseplant. They add a lovely splash of color to my indoor spaces and do well with the same care regimen as when grown outside.

Does calceolaria bloom all summer?

Calceolaria does not typically bloom all summer. They usually have a peak blooming period in spring to early summer. However, with diligent care and proper conditions, I’ve managed to extend their blooming period somewhat by keeping them cool and well-watered.

How to get calceolaria to bloom?

To get calceolaria to bloom, I make sure they’re receiving plenty of bright, indirect light and are in the right temperature range, ideally between 60-70°F. Regular feeding with a balanced fertilizer and consistent moisture also help encourage blooming.

How to propagate calceolaria?

Propagating calceolaria can be done from seed or cuttings. I find growing from seed to be more common, but for cuttings, I take a healthy, non-flowering stem and root it in moist soil or water. Keeping the cutting in a humid environment until it establishes roots increases the chances of success.

How to prune calceolaria?

Pruning calceolaria involves removing any dead or damaged leaves and spent flowers. I use sharp scissors to trim back any leggy growth to maintain a compact shape. This also helps improve air circulation around the plant, which is crucial for preventing diseases.

Is calynopsis a cross of calceolaria?

Calynopsis is a hybrid plant, often believed to be a cross between calceolaria and another genus. While it shares some similarities with calceolaria, it’s a distinct plant with its own care requirements. I’ve seen them marketed as unique, colorful additions to gardens and homes.

Where to buy calceolaria?

When looking to buy calceolaria, I usually check local nurseries and garden centers in the spring. They are also available online through various plant retailers. If I’m looking for seeds, many online seed companies carry them, offering a range of varieties to choose from.