The color range for these flowers starts with white or cream colored petals and can be found throughout East Africa, especially on mountainsides where they grow at heights between 1-4 meters above ground level.
The common name comes from the primary flower color – violet. The botanical name “Saintpaulia” honors Baron Walter von Saint Paul who first discovered them and brought this versatile plant back to Europe in 1893; it adapts almost perfectly to indoor life as a houseplant, with an amazing ability of bloom continuously!
This low-growing, hairy leafed plant with dark green leaves is often oval in shape. A wide variety of Saintpaulia species exist today and each one has different flower colors ranging from pink or mauve to blue violet.
The flowers produced can be up to an inch, but there are also smaller varieties as well for those who don’t have room on their windowsill!
How To Care For African Violets Indoors
Although African violets are among the easiest plants to grow, their care still requires some attention. They need a temperature of 70° – 75 degrees Fahrenheit during daylight hours and 60 degree-nighttime lows that don’t drop below this range or they will suffer from root fungus problems.
They prefer a high humidity environment so low moisture levels can cause the plant some issues.
During winter if temperatures get down much below 60° move plants away from windows for the night time and close any window open at night to keep them warm and accumulate humidity inside your house or office space.
In nature, they live in moist African jungles, so if you want to recreate this environment for them, set them in an inch-deep pan or saucer filled with water and pile stones on top.
How To Water African Violets
One of the most important parts in caring for African Violets, is watering. One “best practice” many follow when it comes to caring for their violets and strengthening roots includes using self-watering pots that allow you water from below!
One of the major troubles that home gardeners run into with Saintpaulia is white spots forming on their leaves. In order to prevent this issue, it’s important to water from below so as not to splash your leaves, and also make sure you don’t over-wet them either by leaving pots sitting in a soak all day or giving too much water all at once.
The white leaf spots usually come from cold water splashing on the leaves. To prevent this, always use room temperature or warmer when watering your plants and a wick system will work too!
What Is The Best Light For African Violets Care
A south or west window is best, although many beautiful plants grow well in a northern exposure and can tolerate colder weather. Keep leaves free of dust by removing them before they have time to dry out – use soft brush on them for easy removal!
African Violet Soil Requirements
African violets are one of the most popular houseplants in North America. These plants have striking leaves and flowers, but many people find it difficult to grow them at home due their high requirements for soil care – they need special potting mixes that can be purchased from garden centers or online retailers.
Luckily, you can make your own potting mix that will work just as well!
For best results use equal parts peat moss or humus-based organic compost with vermiculite and perlite!
African violets are a delicate species that thrive in the right conditions. When potting or transplanting, it is important not to pack your soil too tightly as they like well- aerated moist soils and enjoy more roomy pots!
African Violet Fertilizer
Just like soil mixes created specifically for African violets, special plant food is made by suppliers to help them grow well and be healthy. Some of these include: Miracle-gro, Schultz, Dyna-gro, etc. Apply African violet fertilizer according to the labels.
Propagating African Violets
One of the most common ways to propagate African violets is from leaf cuttings.
The best time for this technique would be in spring, before any new plants grow and flower at their full potential (a successful new plant usually takes 6 months to grow) – that’s why you should start your propagation process early!
African Violets Pests and Diseases
African Violets are subject to attacks of mealy bugs and red spider mites. If you have an epidemic, use only insecticides labeled for these pests – we like the organic Neem oil, or natural soap. Mix with water in a pest-control sprayer bottle and spray on your plants.
Leaf Edges Yellowing and Scorching
It is important to protect your plants from the sun during warmer months.
If you notice that their leaves are getting scorched and turning yellow, move them into a shadier location or filter out direct light with something like curtains for example so they aren’t overexposed!
Yellowing Foliage
Several reasons can cause yellow foliage on your African Violets such as:
- To avoid yellowing leaves and soluble salt build-up, cut back on fertilizer application.
- Avoid overwatering or underwatering, by giving your plants a drink only when the top soil is dry to touch, and after you see all water is evaporated from the drainage holes.
- To avoid soluble salt buildup in clay pots you should flush out your potting soil thoroughly before resuming fertilizing with it.
Crown Rot And Root Rot
Allowing water to collect in the crown of a plant may also turn leaves brown. Be sure not get it on fuzzy leafs, as this causes root systems and die due to over-watering which kills off feeder roots.
Always apply fertilizer when watering well so you don’t burn them out too fast because then they won’t grow properly next season!
Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew is the most common foliar fungal disease of plants. Powdery Mildews forms on humid, high humidity areas and blocks light to leaves resulting in their shriveling up or curling under themselves as well. To combat this you can provide good ventilation for your houseplants so that they don’t get too hot during summer months. It is also advisable to remove the already affected leaves.
How To Care For An African Violet & Get It To Bloom
African violets are among the most beautiful plants in any garden. But if you’re not getting good blooms from yours, try these suggestions: move your plant to a bright area of light and see if that helps; or provide filtered sunlight through curtains.
Or, try this method:
Mix 1/2 teaspoon of a good all purpose plant food in one-half gallon of water – rainwater when possible or use distilled.
Cut a piece of plastic or wax paper larger than the top of its pot.
Cut out an opening in this layer so you can see what’s going on inside; then put it overtop leaves and around stem before tamping down soil again.
Using a large bowl with the water and plant food mixture, dip the leaves in it. Wash them thoroughly before dousing them on all sides to coat each side evenly in this nutrient rich solution which will help keep your plants healthy!
Setting the plants in a shady spot to dry will produce better-looking flowers. Repeat once weekly for three or four weeks, and you’ll be rewarded with an earlier blooming season!
Miniature African Violets Little Plants With Huge Appeal
African violets in the hobby can be broken down into two categories: miniatures and semi-miniatures.
A miniature must measure less than six inches across, but if it grows larger to eight inches then that plant is classified as a “semi.” Culturally they are treated as one group.
Good Blooming Miniatures
A miniature is a smaller version of regular-sized flowers. It has been said that they grow more quickly and can take over an entire shelf, rather than just one small pot!
Some colors include royal purples, or deep blues while others have shades as rosy pink pinks pastel lavenders – making these plants even more eye catching than the regular African Violets.
Miniature Blooms
Miniature flowers are fascinating for their diversity. You can find miniatures that look like any of the following: pure white gardenias with plump petals and sweet fragrance, purple-blue orchid blooms in various shades such as lavender and moss green.
Some even show hints off reds, oranges yellow colors to make them eye catching on a field full these gorgeous miniaturized plants!
What types of miniatures are easiest to grow?
Miniatures grow as easily as the larger kinds, but smaller pots and tools are required. Plants need less water than their large relatives do; in fact they use exactly same soil!
It’s not just the plants that need love; miniatures also require plenty of light. They prefer a sunnier environment and sunlight will make better growth.
The best way to grow plants is by giving them the proper lighting, water and soil. They need at least four hours of sun per day for their leaves or flowers with indirect light being sufficient in wintertime when there’s less sun available outside.
Watering Miniature African Violets
African violet plants are often small and delicate, so it’s important to know how much water you’ll need for them. Remember that smaller pots require less but should still get wet more frequently than larger ones do!
Try different methods while keeping an eye on how your soil looks dry or soggy– any amount is fine as longs as its moist enough.
The size of your pots is important. Most people prefer to start planting young plants in 2 1/4″ – inch and then shift to 2 1/2″, but some say that 3 inches is the ideal volume for mature plants because they require more soil space as their root systems grow larger over time.
Growing A Mini African Violet From Leaves
African violet cultivation is no different for the “mini” types, but sometimes toothpicks are required to support and hold up a leaf until root growth begins.
With so many options available in this category it’s time you make your decision!