house plant gift

small orange flowers in bunches leaves sort of like oak leaf shaped except the are smaller and succulent what is the name of a plant like this. I think it is a calselaria or something like that.


Drought Smart Plants reply:
With no picture to go by, I can only assume you're talking about Calceolaria. Here's what the Sunset Western Garden Book has to say about it:

"Scropulariacaea. Perennial. Native to Mexico and Chile. Loose clusters of small pouchlike or slipperlike flowers, usually yellow; sometimes red bronze or spotted with red or orange brown. Blooms in spring and summer. Plants much branched, often woody stemmed and shrubby, 8 inches to 6 ft high, with dark green crinkly leaves."

There are several species that are seen in grocery stores and florists:

Calceolaria crenatiflora which has many small yellow to red velvety flowers, and is generally grown as an annual, and discarded after the summer bloom has finished.

C. integrifolia can range in height from 18 inches to 6 feet high, with 3" long leaves,and clusters of yellow to red brown unspotted flowers. This one loves heat, and blooms best when over crowded in its pot.

C. "John Innes" is a bedding and rock garden plant that only reaches about 8" tall, with large yellow blooms adorned with purple spots. This variety needs some shade, so if grown out doors provide shelter from direct sun.

Hopefully this will give you somewhere to start with identifying your plant.

Happy Houseplant Growing!
Jacki