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.RimarachÃn
- 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.