Creeping Gloxinia is a climbing, tuberous, herbaceous perennial vine in the plantain family native to the mountains and canyons of Mexico. It is a geophyte, a plant species with underground structures that store nutrients and water. This capability makes them able to survive harsh environmental conditions. It climbs by twining, can reach a length of 7 feet or more with a 3 foot spread, and plants in the wild tend to have showy pink flowers. Creeping Gloxina does best in full sun with moist and well-drained loamy or sandy soil. It has escaped from cultivation and become naturalized in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Creeping Gloxinia is often grown as an ornamental. It is not frost hardy and, in cooler zones, will need to be grown in a container that can be moved indoors over the winter. It can survive outdoors if it is cut back to the ground and the base and roots are protected from freezing in the winter. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or insect pests.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Cascading; Climbing; Spreading
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Palmatifid
Leaf margin
Dentate
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Leaves are triangular or heart-shaped, 1 3/4 to 6 inches long by 1 3/4 to 2 inches wide, with a pointed apex and toothed edges.
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower value
Long Bloom Season
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
The flowers are singular with five petals, joined at the base to form a 2 to 3 inch tube, whitish at the base and pinkish-red to red towards the end. The free lobes at the end of the petals bend outwards. There are two prominent folds (plicae) running along the length of the base of the flower tube, bearing numerous yellow hairs.
Bloom time
Fall; Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
Symmetrical globe-shaped capsule is filled with brown seeds, each with a circular "wing" around it.
Stem detail
Long, branched stems become woody with age and develop a bulb-like structure (woody caudex) at the base of the stem.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Mexico
Distribution
Introduced to Brazil and Central America.
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Hanging Baskets; Rock Wall
Design feature
Accent
Garden tags
#non-toxic for cats #non-toxic for horses #non-toxic for dogs #climber #geophyte #herbaceous perennial #twining #flowering #container plant #spreading #evergreen perenial #not hardy #vine