Kohleria are herbacious perennial plants in the gesneriad family native to tropical America. Kohleria ‘Ruby’ The flowers are small and cherry red. The throat is white, overlain with red dotted lines. The attractive foliage is very dark green suffused with chocolate above and a rich purple beneath.

Kohlerias are characterized by soft, ovate scalloped leaves and tubular flowers that are covered with soft fuzz. Related to African violets, the leaves are often suffused with purple or brown. The tubes, which are an inch or two long are inflated and flare out into five spotted lobes. In the right conditions (indoors) kohlerias grow quickly and will need to be pinched back after flowering. They do well in sunlight from a south-facing window or bright artificial lights.