The African Violet plant, scientifically named Saintpaulia, belongs to the Gesneriaceae family. It is a flower of the tropical and warm climates, having been discovered in Tanzania by Scottish botanist Dr. John Scott in 1893
African Violets are not native of Africa but are named after their continent due to the violet-like colors of their flowers. They are perennial plants that require little care, but at the same time they like receiving some attention and love from their owners
African violet, also known as Saintpaulia is the flowering plant that is typically a common household indoor plant. This flower can also be an outdoor plant.
It grows from 6-15 cm tall, and leaves are rounded to oval with a 2-10 cm stalk, finely hairy, fleshy texture, and violet, purple, pale blue, or white flowers of 2-3 cm diameter, with a five-lobed velvety corolla. It is highly sensitive to temperature changes. The leaves and flowers consist of vitamin C, beta-carotene, salicylates, essential oil, tastes bitter, and sweet.
How to Grow African Violet?
The most common way to grow African violet is to propagate from the leaves of existing plants. To reproduce, you need a sterilized cutting tool, a thin-necked bottle, and a plastic bag.
- Select a large and healthy leaf along with a 2 cm stem and place it in a container with lukewarm water facing the stem of the leaf into the neck of the bottle.
- Now, cover the leaf and top of the bottle loosely with plastic to keep humidity, place in a warm area where the plant can receive filtered light and water properly.
- After several weeks, baby African violets are seen.
Alternatively, you can plant the cutting directly into the soil. For this, you need a healthy leaf along with 2 inches of stem, potting soil, and a small pot of clear plastic.
- Now, fill the pot with loose potting soil, press the cut stem into the soil and cover the top of the container with plastic. Also, place the container in a warm place and water the plant infrequently. You can also grow the plant with seeds, but this method is not conventional.
- Now, for transplantation, you need to observe whether the baby plant is ready or not. If the plant has reached eight to ten weeks or if the leaves are roughly the size of a dime.
- After this, choose the right soil for plantation and separate the baby plant from a single parent, as there may be more baby plants. While planting the cutting, remove the soil with your finger to reveal the cut stem and all the babies and trim each one and gently place the plant into the soil, loosely cover the roots as well as water the plant, and place the pot in a warm place.
How do you get African violets to bloom?
African violets go through two main stages in their life cycle: the rhizome stage and the vegetative stage. The rhizome stage is when the plant grows new roots and leaves and it is also when it needs to be cared for.
During this stage, fertilize your African violet flower every two weeks with an all-purpose liquid fertilizer at half strength.
This will promote vigor and growth When an African violet bloom begins to die, cut off its yellow leaves carefully leaving only two or three green leaves on it.
Cut off any flowers that are already dead or dying. This will encourage the plant to go back into a rhizome stage and form more flowers The vegetative stage is when the African violet goes dormant, meaning it stops growing new leaves and roots.
During the vegetative stage, care for it as you would during the rhizome stage. This is also a good time to repot your African violet plant into a larger size pot At least once every month, drench the African violet with water until it drains through the bottom of its pot. This will ensure that the soil remains moist.
How long do African violets live?
African violets live anywhere from one to five years depending on how well you take care of them, but they can also last up to seven years if you care for them properly.
The African violet plant goes through a spring-flowering stage and usually will bloom early in the spring after having been repotted into a larger pot What is the purpose of an African violet plant?
African violets are grown mainly as ornamental plants and houseplants. They are popular indoors because they are easy to grow, durable, and beautiful. They also make a great gift and can be used as expressions of love They offer a source of relaxation for people who have jobs that keep them tied down inside all day long.
How often do you water an African violet?
African violets need to be watered once every seven to ten days. The soil should be thoroughly soaked, but make sure that you do not get the leaves wet.
Do this by covering the base of the plant with your finger and pouring in water slowly. If the African violet is a bloom, then avoid over-watering because it will promote root rot which can kill your plant. After watering, place the pot in bright sunlight for at least four hours or until any excess water evaporates.
The African violet should always be placed in a spot that receives diffused light or indirect light. The African violet plant will not survive being placed in a location that receives direct sunlight.
When you see the bottom leaves of the plant turn yellow and wither, it is an indication that the plant has outgrown its pot.
You can either trim off some of the top leaves to increase airflow or repot the plant into a larger size pot The ideal time to repot your African Violet is during spring and summer when it is actively growing. Prior to transplanting, make sure you let it dry out a little bit.
Can African violets go outside?
Absolutely! African violets grow best in greenhouses, but they can also be planted in flower beds and gardens as long as you keep them watered African violet plants are the favorite houseplant of most interior designers because they bring life and color into living spaces.
They come in a variety of colors and can be used to decorate interior walls as well as outdoor walkways They also help purify indoor air. Experts have discovered that African violets emit negative ions into the atmosphere.
Do African violets need direct sunlight?
African violet plants like the sunlight, however, they must never be placed in direct sunlight. They thrive best in indirect light. This allows the plant to absorb the amount of sunlight it needs to stay blooming and grow. If you let an African violet plant sit in direct sunlight for too long, the sun rays will burn its leaves and cause them to dry out. This can lead to the death of your beloved plant.
How to remove dead leaves from African violets?
African violets often go through a stage when they shed their old leaves in order to get new ones. Once this occurs, remove the old leaves by gently pulling them off What if your African violet has white spots on its leaves?
This could be due to several reasons. The first thing you should do is identify the cause of the problem. If your African violet has white spots on its leaves because of dryness, the problem can be easily resolved by watering it.
The white spots are caused by the lack of moisture. Watering it will remove these white spots If the African violet has brown or black spots on its leaves, this could be due to iron deficiency.
Add a flower fertilizer to your watering schedule to add more iron to the soil You can also put an aspirin into a quart of warm water and use this mix to water your plant once every two weeks.
Available sizes of African Violet
- Micro: less than 3 inches
- Supermini: 3 to 4 inches
- Mini: between 4 and 6 inches
- Semi-mini: between six and eight-10 inches
- Standard: between eight-ten to 12-16 inches
- Large/giant: over 12-16 inches.
How to take care of African Violet?
- The very first way to care for this plant is watering. Whenever the soil feels dry, you need to water them.
- You need to provide plenty of light but not directly.
- These plants need many nutrients; that is why fertilizer is a must. A right combination of fertilizer (equal amount of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium) is required.
- The best temperature for this plant is 18 to 24 Degree Celsius. Therefore, you need to observe whether the temperature is maintained or not. Below 10 Degree Celsius may kill the plant.
- The level of humidity for this plant is between 40-60%. Hence, you need to monitor temperature as well for steady growth in flower as low humidity causes slower growth.
- It is crucial to change the pot to keep up with the growth of the plant.
African violets are tough and resilient plants. They can grow in low light conditions and in small spaces. They are also very easy to care for, making them an ideal plant for people who don’t want to spend much time on plant care In order to ensure that your African violet lives a long life, you should follow these steps:
Add drainage holes to the bottom of the empty pot using a drill or other instrument that will make holes. Make sure that the holes are large enough for water to flow freely into them.
Use an organic potting mix. Let the soil dry out completely between waterings. Make sure that all moisture has been removed from the soil. Use a watering wand to water the plant instead of pouring water into the pot.
The reason for this is because African violets do not like too much water at once African violets have thick veins that branch outward to form “petals”. They typically have three leaves per stem, each one being a different shade of green or purple and arranged in a triangular shape.
How to propagate African Violets
The propagation process of African violets is simple. All you have to do is divide the plant using a sharp knife to cut through the center of the plant. After that, you separate each half and plant them in separate pots
TIP: The best time to propagate your African violet is during the growing season or in late winter/early spring. If you want large plants, wait until the tops are at least three inches tall before slicing into it.
If you use a similar potting soil that you originally used for your current plant, it will work just fine. You can also mix with new potting soil if desired. African violets are susceptible to a variety of issues, especially if they are abused.
Black spots can be caused by lack of humidity, cold draft, or fungus, or bacteria infection. If the leaves drop off too early before flowering, this could mean that the African violet is dying or it may have been exposed to extremely cold temperatures.
In this case, the plant should be treated with warm water and fertilizer to give it some nutrients and help it recover from its shock. If there is no improvement after one week then the plant should be disposed of. If the leaves start to curl up and change colors this could mean that they are getting too much sunlight which is drying them out.
Where can I buy an African Violet plant?
You can find African Violet plants for sale in near nurseries and florists. You can also buy the plant from online stores like Amazon, Etsy.