African violets (Saintpaulia ionantha) are compact, pretty houseplants that produce clusters of jewel-like flowers on and off throughout the year. They have soft, velvety green leaves that are often burgundy on the undersides. While the flowers look like violets, they're not related to them. They're often sold by their botanical name Saintpaulia, but have recently been incorporated into the Streptocarpus genus.
African violets are low-maintenance, easy-to-grow houseplants, making them a favorite among plant enthusiasts. In 1892, Baron Walter von Saint Paul discovered the African violet, Saintpaulia ionantha, in Tanzania. The genus, Saintpaulia, was derived from this explorer’s name. The specific epithet, ionantha, refers to the violet color of the flowers. African violets belong to the family Gesneriaceae that also includes popular flowering plants such as Streptocarpus and Gloxinia.
African violets were popular houseplants in the 1960s and 1970s and therefore might be considered a little old fashioned. But they've come a long way since then, and a new generation of house plant fans are falling for them once more. Recent breeding (especially in Russia and Ukraine) has introduced lots of new flower colors, including coral, dusky red, green, ivory and yellow. There are also lots of new flower forms, including ruffled, bell-shaped, star-shaped, double or fringed blooms that may be bi-colored, multi-colored or splashed. Even the foliage has become more interesting, and you can now find pointed, scalloped, serrated, ruffled or variegated leaves. Some varieties are teacup-sized while others are larger, and some varieties have a trailing habit.
These beautiful flowering plants are no longer just violet colored. Thanks to their popularity, many hybrids and varieties are now available. The different flower colors and flower and leaf shapes come from mutations of the original plant. When a new form is discovered, growers propagate the unusual plant to form a new variety. It is not uncommon to see pink, white, mauve and bi-color blooms. In addition, African violets may have single or double blossoms that sit delicately atop their soft velvety leaves.
African violets are very good value, especially if you buy them as plug plants. They're very collectable and look good grouped together. They have a reputation for being a little tricky to grow, but with the right care and conditions they will thrive.
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African violets are native to tropical East Africa, which gives plenty of clues about their care - they need bright light, warmth and humidity. African violets are well adapted to indoor environments.
Here are some essential tips to ensure your African violets flourish:
Light Requirements
African violets like bright, indirect light. Their leaves can get hurt by direct sunlight. They do best in windows that face east or north, where they can get bright, filtered light without being directly hit by the sun's rays. African violets need plenty of bright light and need to be within 12 inches (30cm) of a bright window. Make sure they're out of direct sunshine, however, as this will scorch the leaves - a north or east facing spot can be ideal.
Many experts say that artificial light works as well as and more reliably than sunlight. The best artificial lighting is achieved with a pair of 40-watt florescent lights. Ideally one should be a cool-white and the other a warm-white daylight tube. These should be placed approximately 8-12 inches above the plants. If your plant has dark healthy leaves but no blooms, try increasing the light.
Violets receiving adequate light grow with a flat horizontal wheel of leaves. African violets prefer to be within 12 inches of a bright window. If windows aren’t available, fluorescent light or LED lights may be used to supplement. Depending on the lighting product, violets should be positioned 10-30 inches away from the light unit, and the light should be turned on for 6-12 hours a day.
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Temperature and Humidity
Optimal room temperature for growing African violets is between 60 and 80 F and ideally 70 F. African violets need warmth (no less than 15°C) and suffer in draughts. They also need humidity - stand on a saucer of moist pebbles or put in a room that gets plenty of moisture, such as a bathroom or kitchen.
They prefer a temperature between 65°F and 80°F with about 80% humidity. It is important to avoid temperature and humidity fluctuations, including sudden drafts. Because they are sensitive to sudden temperature fluctuations, keep them away from drafty windows, air conditioners, and heaters. While a small amount of temperature variation is okay, it's important to keep the plant away from any abrupt swings that can stress it or harm it. The growth of the plant may slow down if the temperature falls below 60°F (15°C), and it may cause the leaves to wilt and become brown at the edges if the temperature rises beyond 80°F (27°C).
Humidity at 40-60% will help African violets thrive. Group plants together to conserve humidity or set plants on trays of pebbles and water. Set a plant on a saucer of pebbles and water. Make sure the plant does not sit in the water but just above it.
If you want your African violet plant to stay healthy and grow well, you need to make sure that the humidity levels in its environment are just right. One way to get the right amount of humidity is to use a humidity tray. Fill a shallow tray with water and set the pot with the African violet on top, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the pot. A second tip is to mist the plant with water often, especially when the weather is hot and dry. This makes the air around the plant more humid, which keeps the leaves from drying out and becoming brittle. If you want a solution that will last longer, you might want to buy a humidifier. This device can help control the humidity in a room, which is especially helpful when it's cold and dry outside.
African violets can tolerate humidity as low as 10%, but that is so dry that tiny buds rarely survive to open as flowers. To encourage flower development, it is best to aim for 30-60%. Oddly, when a violet crown has no roots, we recommend enclosing it in a Ziploc bag or in a dome with 100% humidity for a month or two. That high level of humidity restricts evaporation from the leaves and allows excellent conditions for roots to form.
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Watering Techniques
African violets are a type of houseplant that require proper watering techniques to thrive. When watering your indoor African violet, it is important to avoid getting water on the leaves as this can cause damage or even lead to rotting. Instead, water the soil directly and allow the plant to absorb the moisture from the bottom. Use room temperature water to prevent shock to the plant's roots. Also, you shouldn't water African Violets with tap water because the chemicals in tap water can hurt the plant. Do not use softened or chlorinated water for African violets. Use room-temperature distilled water, rainwater, or reverse-osmosis water.
Keep the potting mix moist but not soggy, and never let your plant sit in water. Root rot from over watering is one of the most common reasons African violets die.
Water only when the top 2-3cm of compost has dried out. Avoid splashing water on the leaves when watering - use a small watering can and be very careful or better still, water the plant from below by standing the pot in a dish or saucer for half an hour. Use tepid water and let any excess drain away afterwards.
There are three ways to water African violets:
Water from the Top
Use a baster, syringe or bottle with a narrow spout. Carefully water just the potting mix.
Wicking System
A wick to draw up water can provide steady moisture to your African violet plant’s roots. You can add a wick made of a length of string when you repot a plant. When potting an African violet, bury a synthetic cord (natural material will rot) in the soil and fish it out through the drain hole. The soil absorbs water from the saucer through this wick. Place a layer of gravel in the saucer to keep the soil from being in direct contact with the water in the saucer. The constant water source in the saucer allows the plant to absorb water as needed.Thread a length of wet string or yarn (nylon or polyester) through a bottom hole in your empty pot. Allow about 6 inches to hang out the bottom of the pot. Fill the pot to the top with potting mix. Make a hole in the mix and insert your African violet plant. Gently push the potting mix up to the plant crown. Cut a hole into the cover of a plastic container of water and mild fertilizer (about ⅛ recommended strength) and feed the wick into a reservoir. Set the pot above the reservoir in a bright window. Replenish the water as needed and avoid letting the wick dry out.
Specialty, Self-Watering Pots
These pots consist of a glazed ceramic outer pot and a non-glazed inner pot. African violets require consistently moist but not waterlogged soil, so avoid letting the soil dry out completely between waterings. It is best to water when the top inch of soil feels slightly dry to the touch. Additionally, using a pot with drainage holes can help prevent overwatering and promote healthy root growth. Finally, be sure to use a well-draining potting mix that allows for proper air circulation and water retention.
🌺6 Tips For Caring for African Violets!🌺
Potting Mixes
African violets need soil that drains well, so it's important to pick a pot with holes in it. African violets have fine roots and require well-drained, soilless potting mixes with a pH of about 6.2 - 6.5. African violets should be grown in a mixture of equal parts peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite. Peat moss adds organic matter and helps keep the soil moist. Perlite and vermiculite help the soil breathe and drain better. To make sure the plant gets all the nutrients it needs, the pH of the soil should be between 5.5 and 6.5.
Pre-mixed commercial blends high in peat are available at most retail garden centers. Some growers recommend a blend of 50% commercial African violet potting mix and 50% perlite. Planting containers should have one or more holes in the bottom that allow excess water to drain.
Fertilizing
Fertilizers formulated for African violets can be purchased at many garden centers or online. African violets require a mild fertilizer each time they are watered. If a plant is dry, always moisten the potting mix with plain water to prevent possible root burn before fertilizing. African violets are sensitive to fertilizers, so you need to use one that is made just for them. To get your plants to bloom, choose a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer with a higher concentration of phosphorus. The ratio of 10-10-10 or 14-12-14 is often used to fertilize African violets. Apply the fertilizer every two to four weeks during the growing season. Don't let the fertilizer get on the plant's leaves or crown, as this can hurt the plant. Instead, water the soil well with the fertilizer solution that has been diluted.
The best fertilizer for you will depend on the source of the water you are using and what is or isn’t in the water as well as the pH of your water. Almost all fertilizers offer the basic three “macro-nutrients” of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium which are needed in ample supply for healthy plant growth. A few also include the “macros” of calcium and magnesium. Since these two latter “macros” are found in many city water supplies, most growers will get enough calcium and magnesium from their water. If you use rain, distilled or reverse osmosis water, be aware that you need a fertilizer that contains both, or you will need a supplement (commonly called Cal/Mag) to supply them.
In the past, many growers chose fertilizers with a high “middle number” (phosphorus) because it promoted blooming. There may be some value in boosting phosphorus briefly if you are a show grower, but be careful because too much can damage foliage and hurt the plant. Many fertilizer brands also have and list “micro-nutrients” which are needed for healthy growth, but in very small amounts. Not all brands list the “micros,” but they can be very important. Sulfur, for example, tends to lower pH in the root zone. If you have problems with high pH (over 7), a fertilizer with sulfur will help you control your problems and bring your pH into a more desirable range of 6-7. But, if your pH tends to become too acid (below 6), then sulfur will make the problem worse. If you use well water or live in mining regions where your water supply may carry high amounts of specific minerals, it is possible for your violets to show symptoms of toxic levels of a micro-nutrient. This may cause irreversible stunting of center growth which looks very much like the violet has mutated to a miniaturized version of the original.
Choosing a fertilizer according to the source of the nutrients is also wise. Fertilizers listing their source as urea nitrogen are often the cheapest and also the least desirable. If your growing area is frequently colder than 70 degrees Fahrenheit, a fertilizer made from urea is more likely to result in ammonium toxicity. It is often wise to ask others in your area which fertilizer works best for them.
Fertilizers currently (2020) being mentioned by many growers in social media (especially to use with rain, distilled or reverse osmosis water) include either DynaGro Grow 7-9-5 or Feed Me MSU fertilizer for African violets (from repotme.com). Also recommended is Better Gro Orchid Plus 20-14-13 without urea, which is also preferred by many growers of other Gesneriads. Jack’s Classic formulations generally lack sulphur and may be useful for growers with acid growing conditions.
Feed once a month with a weak high-potash feed in spring and summer to encourage flowers.
Repotting
It is recommended to re-pot African violets once a year to help deliver new nutrients to the plants and remove salt buildup. African violets prefer to be slightly rootbound. The diameter of the container should measure no more than one-third the width of the plant’s leaf span. Clay pots may accumulate fertilizer salts. When the African violet’s leaves and stems come into contact with these salts, they can burn and eventually rot. To move an African violet to a new pot, first loosen the soil and roots with your fingers. Then, gently pull the plant out of its old pot. If the roots are close together, you can use clean, sharp scissors to cut some of them away. Put a small amount of fresh potting soil that drains well in the bottom of the new pot. Place the plant in the middle of the pot. Fill in the space around the roots with more potting soil and press it down gently. After moving the plant to a new pot, give it a lot of water and put it in a bright, indirect light.
Propagation
African violets can be propagated using several methods, including leaf cuttings, division, and suckers. Leaf cuttings are the most common method and involve taking a healthy leaf from the mother plant and placing it in a pot with moist potting soil. A plastic bag is then placed over the pot to create a humid environment, and the cutting is kept in indirect sunlight until roots form. Division involves separating the plant into smaller clumps and repotting them in fresh soil. Suckers are small shoots that emerge from the base of the plant and can be removed and potted on their own.
The easiest way to propagate African violets is by leaf cuttings in spring - either in small, individual pots or in a seed tray. Remove a mature leaf from the plant, with the stalk attached. With a knife, slice the stalk at a 45° angle. Make a hole in the compost with a dibber or pencil and insert the leaf stalk so that the base of the leaf just touches the compost Water in well, allowing any excess water to drain away. Cover with a clear plastic bag and place in a warm, bright spot, out of direct sun After a month or so, you should see tiny new plants at the base of the leaf. Remove the cover, and when the plants have increased in size a little, pot up into individual small pots.
Pruning and Grooming
African violets don't need much pruning, but sometimes their stems can get too long or their leaves can die. If you pinch off the growing tips of young plants, they will branch out and become more compact. You can also cut the flower stems when the flowers are done blooming. If the leaves turn a different color or get hurt, cut them off at the base of the stem with a clean, sharp pair of scissors. When you take off the leaves, make sure to cut them off where they meet the base of the plant.
Pruning in African violets is not done in the same way, generally, as it is for other plants. It is more common that violet growers groom plants by removing any individual flowers as they fade and entire blossom stems when the last flower is fading. Grooming also includes removing leaves which are damaged and any that are fading on the lower rows. Pruning techniques would include removing secondary crowns (suckers) either to propagate or to discard. If a secondary crown has been allowed to grow to a mature size, then the plant needs to be divided by cutting between the two crowns and potting each into its own pot. Pruning also occurs when shaping trailers to achieve a beautiful form.
Trim off the individual flowers as they fade, and when the entire cluster is gone, remove the flower stem by rocking it from side to side until it comes loose from the main stem.
If it is only a tiny bit of debris, it may be removed by blowing. For more general cleaning, many growers brush debris away with soft brushes such as those used for makeup or painting. Violets may also be washed at the faucet using a gentle flow of mildly warm (tepid) water. If residue is stubborn, some growers spray mist the leaves with a solution of 1-2 drops of water in a quart bottle of warm water. After all leaves have been rinsed, you should blot excess water off the leaves (especially any in the center) with a soft sponge, paper towel or cloth. Persistent cat hair or drywall dust may be more difficult to remove. Several growers in social media have reported using lint-remover rollers with replaceable sticky paper. They gently roll across the leaf from stem toward the tip.
Problem Solving
Here's a table summarizing common problems and their solutions:
| Problem | Possible Causes | Solutions |
|---|---|---|
| No flowers | Lack of light, too large a pot, incorrect temperature, improper feeding | Ensure adequate light, use a smaller pot, maintain warmth, feed correctly |
| Yellow leaves | Dry air, too much sun, incorrect watering or feeding | Check and adjust care regime |
| Wilting | Over or underwatering, root rot | Adjust watering, allow soil to dry, check for root rot |
| Grey fluff on leaves | Grey mold (botrytis) due to cool, crowded, or damp conditions | Remove affected areas, treat with fungicide |
| White powder on leaves | Powdery mildew caused by humid conditions and poor airflow | Treat with fungicide, increase space around plants |
| White fluffy spots | Mealybugs | Remove affected leaves, spray with organic spray |
| Brown patches on leaves | Sunburn | Move plant out of direct sunlight |
| Soft outside leaves | Overwatering | Allow the violet to dry out while sitting on an absorbent towel or pile of paper |
| Stunted growth | Disease, pest, or cultural condition | Check for INSV or cyclamen mite |
Low humidity can be a factor. African violets thrive on 40-60% humidity, and when the air around the African violet is dryer than that, the buds can fail. Similarly buds may collapse if the African violet potting mix gets too dry. If you have been allowing the self-watering pots to go dry, this could be the problem. Once potting mix goes dry, it can be difficult to get it moist again because peat moss tends to shed water. In self-watering pots, especially the kind that have no drainage, it can be especially hard to restore the balance in the soil moisture.
Powdery mildew is a fungal disease and looks like white powder. It can appear on many parts of the plant. If it should happen to grow on bud stems, it could cause the buds to fail. Cyclamen mites are a pest that feeds on the newest growth of the plant, which includes bud stems.
Powdery mildew thrives in humid conditions, especially where daytime and nighttime temperatures vary by more than 15 degrees. Plants which are too close together may block air movement and increase problems with humid pockets of air. Many growers find it helps to run a fan on low 24 hours a day.
Stunt is actually just a symptom of a disease, pest, or cultural condition which has stopped the growth of the crown at its center. The most common disease causing stunt is INSV. The most common pest causing stunt is cyclamen mite.
Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus is inoculated into plants by a vector-most commonly Western Flower Thrips. When they are carrying the disease, they transmit the disease by scraping the plant surface with their mouth part. Individual cells in small areas of the plant are infected first and then spread. The classic symptom is a target shaped mark with one or more yellow circles on a leaf. Growers have also reported odd growth or puckers, stunted centers, and a general lack of vitality.
Some African violets become vegetative, meaning they are so comfortable that they only grow leaves. To convert them to being reproductive, you must give them a little scare. Repotting is one method. It also works to tap the pot firmly on a hard surface or squeeze the pot to create a minor earthquake. Some varieties are shy bloomers.
Chimera hybrids contain two separate sets of DNA, which makes them an unusual type of African violet which may only be reproduced by suckers or by blossom-stem propagation. Chimera African violets are prone to sport which means that they mutate easily back to a hybrid with only one of the sets of DNA. Stress factors such as uneven cultural conditions, age, or even electrical currents seem to result in sporting. Occasionally, just a single leaf on the chimera plant will sport and throw a solid blossom, while other leaves will continue to bloom true. When that happens, it is wise to take a blossom stem to propagate so that you can keep the original chimera traits.
