The best place I know is Marcia Belisle, who hybridizes them and also carries other gesneriads and classic African Violets. She's in Wisconsin, and may not ship this late in the year. You can google her (be sure to ask for Marcia Belisle's sinningias or they'll try to find her on the map for you.) Or you can go to the Gesneriad Society's webpage, where I think you'll find a link, plus links to other people too. (I didn't look this time!)

Hi Kathy,

Pat's Pets is also a place that sells microminiature sinningias. I will put the link down below. I don't know if they ship in the winter though. They may be done shipping for the year.

EBay is also a good place to get microminiature sinningias. I have worked with Kathystrep, exotic_violets, the bear tree, alwaysthegarden, plantsnsuch and iceberg2000. There is somebody who is selling a whole bunch of microminiature sinningias out there at the moment. I have never worked with this person so can not give a recommendation as such. Look at his or her feedback and decide for yourself.

If you are leary about buying plants on eBay all I can say is that I have had nothing but good experiences with the people I have mentioned. Microminiature sinningias are not easy to find and I think eBay is your best bet.

Good luck,

Larry

Here is a link that might be useful: Pat's pets

Check the site of David Harris. He has a good choice of micro, minis and his own hybrids mini Ozark series - to die for.

Irina

Here is a link that might be useful: Dave' s Violets

Thanks everyone for your input, it was fun scoping out the different micros, but it looks like I'm going to have to wait 'til spring as the temperatures are fluctuating to much to chance ordering now. Thanks again.

Kathy

Kathy -

Nowdays in a cold weather people put heatpacks with their plants in a parcel. Works even on Christmas.

I.

Thanks I.,
I have gotten lots of plants, including tropicals and AVs from ebay and other sources in winter (my "gotta have it" time of year), but the micros are so tiny, that I just don't want to chance losing one. I guess I'll just keep buying and bidding on the plants that I feel more confident with and use the winter to decide which micros I want in the spring.

Kathy

Kathy -

some of these micros can be grown from seeds. Sinningia pusilla is quite easy - it actually always self-seeds around mama plant. Since you are in growing gesneriads - may you would be interested to join the Gesneriad Society and take advantage of their seed fund. They have a lot of goodies there.

Cheers

irina

Just a note ges seeds can freeze and still be plenty viable. I discovered this years ago when a seed order was left in my mail box for two days at 20 deg.

Mr. Steve

It's information like that that makes these forums so useful! Thanks for posting it, Mr. Steve!

Are there any vendors who sell micro-mini Sinningia seeds? I got a couple from Lyndon Lyon recently, and one of them is putting out the most exquisite little blooms that are just too adorable. I want more! Most of the vendors mentioned in this thread don't ship till spring. Oh, I don't know if I'll survive that long! :-)

Shireen -

Most of the micro-minis are hybrids and you need to have a starter plant to have it bloom true. I think some of them are even sterile hybrids - do not produce seeds.

Sinningia pusilla and concinna are species - I think seeds are available for the Gesneriad society members from the Seed Fund.

Regards

Irina

Although some of the micro mini sinnigias don't produce seed, you can still multiply your plants fairly quickly!

You simply remove the top "green" plant from the tuber - put the top of the plant in another pot of soil, being sure that the dirt is pressed nicely against the little stem. After a few weeks, it will begin to grow it's own new tuber, while the original tuber will now be growing it's own new plant!

From one plant - you now have 2!

Many times, you can get several crowns from the top of one plant, which will help you multiply your little family even quicker!

Below is a link to some of my plant pictures. I like to turn plastic soda bottles into little "free" greenhouses, where I grow lots of micro minis at one time.

Recently, I took apart my plants (as described above), and multiplied those two little planters into over 40 new plants! I used a clear plastic candy box (after all of my Ferrero Rocher were gone ;) as my new propagation bed. Each little section made a new little cup area for each plant.

Here is a link that might be useful: Micro Mini Sinningias