Plant Database / African Violet plant care

African Violet

Saintpaulia

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Belonging to the Saintpaulia genus, African Violet has a botanical name of Saintpaulia.

A fuzzy leafed plant native to Africa bearing flowers purple, pink, white or a combination of those.

African Violets are Day Neutral, meaning that the start of flowering is not dependent on the onset of either longer or shorter days. African Violets will flower at any time of year provided the right combination of light, nutrients and water. Some varieties seem to be in continuous bloom, while other varieties will often take a small rest period between flowerings. Nonetheless, African Violets are durable plants and can often withstand some amount of neglect or lack of care as a routine.

Current Classifications of Species of Genus Saintpaulia⁷

1. S. inconspicua

2. S. pusilla

3. S. shumensis
shumensis
shumensis Mather EE
shumensis Uppsala 3048

4. S. teitensis

5. S. ionantha
5a. subspecies grandifolia
grandifolia No 237
grandifolia No 299
grandifolia Uppsala 3486
5b. subspecies grotei
amaniensis
confusa
confusa Mather Brother Paddy
confusa Mather E
confusa Uppsala 3395
difficilis
difficilis Mather No 2
difficilis Uppsala 3396
grotei
grotei Amazon
grotei Cornell G149
grotei Mather No 7
grotei Mather No 21
grotei Mather V
grotei Protzen or Uppsala 3091
grotei Silvert
grotei sport
magungensis
magungensis Uppsala 3082
magungensis Uppsala 3086
magungensis var. minima
5c. subspecies ionantha
1. variety ionantha
ionantha
ionantha Amazon
ionantha 930919
kewensis
Pangani Falls
Sigi Falls
tongwensis
tongwensis Uppsala 3097
white ionantha ou Mather No 20
2. variety diplotricha
diplotricha Parker
diplotricha Punter No 0
diplotricha Punter No 6
diplotricha Punter No 7
diplotricha Uppsala 3084
diplotricha Uppsala 3085
Kolehmainen
5d. subspecies mafiensis
5e. subspecies occidentalis
magungensis var. occidentalis
magungensis var. occidentalis Mather No 12
5f. subspecies orbicularis
orbicularis
orbicularis var. purpurea
5g. subspecies pendula
intermedia
pendula
pendula Cornell G304
pendula Uppsala 3087
pendula Uppsala 3089
pendula Uppsala 3090
pendula var. kizarae
5h. subspecies velutina
velutina
velutina Amazon
velutina lite
velutina Uppsala 3166

6. S. brevipilosa
brevipilosa Mather No 10
brevipilosa Uppsala 3044
brevipilosa Grussel or Nguru Mountain

7. S. nitida

8. S. rupicola
rupicola
rupicola Mather No 5
rupicola Uppsala 3167
Cha Simba
Kacharoni or Robertson
Macharia
Mwachi

9. S. goetzeana

-——————————————————-
Old name vs. current name⁸

Saintpaulia amaniensis = S. ionantha ssp. grotei
Saintpaulia brevipilosa = S. ionantha ssp. velutina
Saintpaulia confusa = S. ionantha ssp. grotei
Saintpaulia difficilis = S. ionantha ssp. grotei
Saintpaulia diplotricha = S. ionantha ssp. ionantha var. diplotricha
Saintpaulia grandifolia = S. ionantha ssp. grandifolia
Saintpaulia grotei = S. ionantha ssp. grotei
Saintpaulia intermedia = S. ionantha ssp. pendula
Saintpaulia magungensis = S. ionantha ssp. grotei
Saintpaulia magungensis var. minima = S. ionantha ssp. grotei
Saintpaulia magungensis var. occidentalis = S. ionantha ssp. occidentalis
Saintpaulia nitida = S. ionantha ssp. nitida
Saintpaulia orbicularis = S. ionantha ssp. orbicularis
Saintpaulia pendula = S. ionantha ssp. pendula
Saintpaulia pendula var. kizarae = S. ionantha ssp. pendula
Saintpaulia rupicola = S. ionantha ssp. rupicola
Saintpaulia tongwensis = S. ionantha ssp. ionantha var. ionantha
Saintpaulia velutina = S. ionantha ssp. velutina

It is a houseplant / ornamental and is treated mainly as a perennial, so it grows best over a period of time (3 years and greater). Normally growing to a mature height of 30.0 cm (11.7 inches), African Violet grows with a clump-forming habit.

Tanzania is believed to be where African Violet originates from.

African Violet needs a moderate amount of maintenance, so some level of previous experience comes in handy when growing this plant. Ensure that you are aware of the soil, sun, ph and water requirements for this plant and keep an eye out for pests.

This plant info is provided by the myfolia gardener's wiki. All details about African Violet have been kindly provided by our members.

How to grow African Violet

Dappled Sun
+
Medium

For best blooming, African Violets need from 10 to 12 hours of indirect sunlight or florescent light. Strong direct sunlight for any length of time may cause the leaves to burn. In their native surroundings (South Africa), these plants live in the shade of larger trees and plants.¹

Many growers fertilize their African Violets at every watering and will usually compensate by using a weaker formula, frequently half to quarter strength of what is recommended by the manufacturer.

African Violets prefer consistently damp, moist potting medium. Watering methods vary by preference, but may include: wick watering, mat watering, use of a two part pot where the plant is in the top part which fits inside a bottom well that holds the water. These methods depend on capillary action where the water is drawn into the potting medium by contact. Plants can also be top or bottom watered.

Although African Violets prefer damp potting medium, many commercial potting mixes can be too heavy, and not allow adequate drainage of water. This can cause crown rot and the plant will die. The most frequently recommended basic potting medium is a combination of peat, perlite and vermiculite in equal measures. Growers usually will adjust the ratio these ingredients to fit their own conditions and preference.

Position in a dappled sun location and remember to water moderately. Planting African Violet in potting mix soil with a ph of between 6.1 and 6.5 is ideal for as it does best in weakly acidic soil. Keep in mind when planting that African Violet is thought of as tender, so remember to ensure that temperatures are mild before moving outdoors.

Growing African Violet from seed

It takes about 4 months after pollination for seeds to be ready to harvest. Most African Violets are propagated from cuttings. ⁶ Leaf cuttings are the most popular, but bloom stalk cuttings will also provide relatively easy propagation. Many African Violet plants will grow suckers, or additional crowns. These should be removed from the main plant, and can be easily rooted as well.

Soil temperature should be kept higher than 22°C / 72°F to ensure good germination.

Transplanting African Violet

The African Violet Society of America, Inc. reccomends repotting african violets regularly.² In most cases this means every 3 to 6 months.

Harvesting African Violet

N/A

Seed Saving African Violet

African Violets can be grown from seed. Seed pods will develop from pollinated flowers, and should be left on the plant to dry completely before attempting to sow. The structure of African Violets is such that the stamen and pistol are separated to prevent random self-pollination. However, the flowers are easily hand-pollinated.

Companion plants for African Violet

These plants have been known to grow well alongside African Violet so consider planting:

N/A

African Violet loves Baby's tears

Repellent plants for African Violet

These plants will not grow well with African Violet so avoid planting these within close proximity:

N/A

Common African Violet problems

These problems, diseases and pests are known to affect African Violet plants:

Over or under watering are common problems with African violets. Water droplets left on leaves can also cause damage to leaves.³ Some varieties are also prone to Powdery Mildew.

Soil mealy bugs. Spider Mites. Cyclamen Mites. Mealy bugs. Thrips.³ ⁴

INSV

African violets are susceptible to impatiens necrotic spot virus. Thrips are...

African Violet Etymology

The plant was discovered by Europeans in 1892 by Baron Walter von Saint Paul, for whom the genus was named.¹

The common name African Violet was given to the plant because of where it was discovered along with the fact that the bloom looked very much like a violet. However, it has no botanical relationship to the real violet

African Violet Folklore & Trivia

Original studies identified 20-30 species in the genus Saintpaulia. More modern DNA studies have found that not all of these were unique species and many have been combined. At present, there are 9 recognized species under the genus Saintpaulia, with some species having numerous subspecies.⁵

Other names for African Violet

Saintpaulia

Saintpaulia Wendl, Saintpaulia ionantha

Misspellings: st paulia

Latest African Violet Reviews

31 May 2013

Andrea_B's BG001 African violets was Reviewed day 24

0 stars
05 Mar 2013

Kevalsha's African Violet was Reviewed day 58

My African Violet is doing very good. I fertilize it with African Violet fertilizer and it is by a south facing window in my dinning room. It is a pearly white color w/light pink ruffled edges.

4 stars
26 May 2011

CoulsonSquared's Purple African Violet was Reviewed day 62

This little guy is doing very well! He hasn’t gotten any new blooms recently, but there are many new leaves popping up. He ‘s a bit crowded in the pot he came in, so it’s time to repot…

4 stars

See all African Violet reviews and experiences »

African Violet care instructions

Category The lifecycle that this African Violet exhibits. Perennial Difficulty How easy is African Violet to grow? Moderate 3/5
Lifecycle The lifecycle that this African Violet exhibits. Perennial Growth Habit What shape or habit does African Violet grow into? Clump-Forming
Hardiness How frost hardy is African Violet? Tender Country of Origin Where did African Violet come from? Tanzania
Mature Height How tall does African Violet grow? 30.0 cm / 11.7 inches Mature Spread How wide does African Violet grow? Help build our wiki!
USDA Zone Range Which zones does African Violet grow best in? to pH Range The level of acidity for African Violet. 6.1 - 6.5
Water Requirements How much water does African Violet require? Medium Nitrogen Requirements How much nitrogen fertilizer does African Violet need? Medium
Soil What sort of soil should I plant African Violet in? Potting Mix Sun How much sunlight does African Violet need to grow? Dappled Sun
Can Sow Direct? Can African Violet be sown directly? No Sowing Depth How deep to plant African Violet? Help build our wiki!
Sowing Distance Apart How far apart to plant African Violet? Help build our wiki! Sowing Row Distance Apart How far apart to plant rows of African Violet? Help build our wiki!
Ideal Germination Temperature Range What temperatures does African Violet need in order to germinate? 22°C / 72°F to 22°C / 72°F Growing Temperatures What temperatures are best to grow African Violet in? 16°C / 61°F to 27°C / 81°F
Planting Distance Apart How far apart to plant African Violet seedlings. Help build our wiki! Planting Row Distance Apart How far apart to plant rows of African Violet seedlings. Help build our wiki!
Bloom Time When will African Violet bloom? Help build our wiki! Harvest Time When is African Violet ready for harvest? Help build our wiki!
Pruning Time When should I prune African Violet? Help build our wiki!

How long does African Violet take to grow?

These estimates for how long African Violet takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world. Start logging and journaling your observations to participate!

Days to Germination How long does it take African Violet to germinate? 108 days Average 108 days | Min 10 days | Max 282 days (119)
Days to Transplant How long until I can plant out African Violet? + days Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
Days to Maturity How long until African Violet is ready for harvest / bloom? + 63 days Average 63 days | Min 63 days | Max 63 days (1)
Total Growing Days How long does it take to grow African Violet? = days

Footnotes

fn1 African Violet history and links

fn2 Repotting African Violets

fn3 Diagnosis of African Violet problems

fn4 Photos of problems

fn5 History FAQ

fn6 Propagation

fn7 Classifications of species in genus Saintpaulia

fn8 Old Name vs new Name

Popular varieties of African Violet

View the complete variety list for African Violet »

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