You can simply root the leaves by covering a water-filled jar with cling film or foil then poke holes in that covering with a pencil, and insert the stems of the leaves through the holes. They are one of the most popular cultivated houseplants in the world today and are particularly well suited to the home environment. Dispose of affected plants in the dustbin. Increase the humidity by standing the plants on a tray of damp pebbles; do not over-pot, as too large a pot encourages rampant leaf growth at the expense of flowers; deadhead, by cutting the flower stalks off at the base, to prevent seedpods forming; encourage plants to have a short winter rest by reducing watering. African Violet Care: Basic Summary Light: Moderate to bright, indirect, indoor light. You’ll know some of them are the popular houseplants, African Violets, Cape Primroses or Streptocarpus and Gloxinia plus maybe the Flame Violet (Episcia), Goldfish plants (Columnea and Nematanthus), Hot Water plant (Achimenes), and Lipstick plant (Aeschynanthes), which are availble from specialist growers. The fleshy leaves of African Violets or Saintpaulia are slightly heart-shaped, hairy and attached to 5-10cm stalks that sprout from soil level, forming a neat rosette. They are small and compact which makes them perfect as potted houseplants. The regular African violets you see in the supermarket have been hybridized largely from Saintpaulia ionantha.Trailing AVs get their habit from Saintpaulia pendula, a plant that clings to hillsides and rocky outcrops in Tanzania. During my time on the magazine, I also visited Dibleys in North Wales (www.dibleys.com) who are specialist growers of Streptocarpus, Begonias, Saintpaulias and other Gesneriads. This method of propagation is very rare among flowers and is one of the more unique aspects of growing this particular flower. The hairy leaves tend to gather dust, so it’s a good idea and especially for bathroom plants that get coated with talcum powder, to regularly sweep them clean using a dry, soft-bristle paintbrush. Your email address will not be published. 3,540 species in the Old World (most Cyrtandroideae) and New World (Gesnerioideae) tropics and subtropics, with a very small number extending to temperate areas.Many species have colorful and showy flowers and are cultivated as ornamental plants. The violet symbolizes loyalty, devotion, and faithfulness. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Violets (Viola)—though unrelated to African violets—are one of the February birth flowers, so a potted African violet can make a bright gift for a February birthday. This large family consists of tropical herbs and shrubs comprising around 150 genera and over 3400 species. Simply put a plant in a glazed pot to colour-match the lamp base, and give them “extra light” per day to encourage flowering during the winter months or plant up a glass jar and get a professional electrician to add a light fitting to create an illuminated bottle garden. Many are of economic importance as horticultural ornamentals. I’ve also been successful with mini-Sinningias, S. pusilla, which, because they need very high humidity, I’ve grown in a terrarium. If you want to please your favorite family members or friends who love African Violets, give them the Vencer Self-Watering Hanging Flower Pot. Their feeding causes leaves to pale and pucker. Native to higher elevations in tropical eastern Africa, African violets are widely grown horticulturally, especially S. ionantha. African Violet Family Aloe Family Alstroemeria Family Amaryllis Family Arums Asparagus Family Begonia Family Borage Family Brazil-nut Family Bromeliads Buttercups Cacti Calceolariaceae Coffee Family Costus Family Daisy Family Dogbane Family Evening Primrose Family Flame Lily Family Geraniums Heath Family Honeysuckle Family Hydrangea Family Iceplants Iris Family Legume Family Lily Family Magnolias Mallow Family Mints Morning Glory Family Orchids Pink Family Plantain Family … Knowing the geographical distribution of a plant species helps in understanding their care. This is a lovely variation that has a bright pinkish, purple petal that is edged with what looks like white lace. The wooded ravines and valleys of Africa and Madagascar are home to Cape primroses. From spring through to mid-autumn, it’s important to keep the compost moderately moist at all times, but never sodden. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/plant/Gesneriaceae. Find the perfect african violet stock photo. Plants require very little feeding – a half strength dose of a high potash liquid fertilizer once a month during the growing season is plenty. Remove spent flowers and leaves as soon as you notice them, pulling them cleanly from the base of the crown, as any snags left behind will encourage rots. They tend to congregate in the crotches of the crown of African Violets. Huge collection, amazing choice, 100+ million high quality, affordable RF and RM images. Along with the rest of the students in my year we landscaped the display houses, one of which was to house the vast collection of Gesneriads. Touch the compost – if it feels dry in the top few centimetres then it’s time to water. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Always try to avoid wetting the ‘hairy’ leaves as they will become spotted and stained and may even rot if temperatures are cool. The number of species expanded to 20 at one time but has now been reduced to approximately 6. Watering: Keep soil moist to dry, and allow soil around roots to dry out before watering to encourage blooming.Water from the bottom with room temperature water by placing the plastic grower's pot in water, and allowing the plant to absorb the water ( not more than 30 minutes ). That is unless it is mushy or discolored from getting too much water. The violet-like flowers may be single, petal-packed or fully double, frilled, bi- and multi-coloured and with petal edging piped with white or with flowers that start one colour and fade to another – the choice is endless and there are hundreds of named varieties, making them very collectable. It belongs to the family Gesneriaceae. African violets originally come from Tanzania, in East Africa. African violet is the common name for Saintpaulia, a genus of herbaceous flowering plants from the Usambara Mountains in Tanzania and Kenya. Immediately after flowering allow the plants to rest for about 4-6 weeks by giving them only enough water to prevent the leaves from sulking, after which normal watering should be resumed. They reliably bloom several times a year when cared for properly. Cape primroses are tolerant to most conditions but thrive in a well-lit room with a temperature of about 15F where it will flower for long periods throughout the spring and summer and possibly twice a year. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Plants require just enough water to keep the soil moist and the leaves will develop brown spots if they get too wet and if they are allowed to dry out, they go dormant! Some experts recommend surrounding them with moist peat but I think that this can lead to a problem with fungus gnats. If a plant suddenly wilts, check out the roots for soil pests such as vine weevil larvae – a creamy-white, C-shaped grub with a brown head, as they will chomp through roots and cut off plants’ access to water. They are relatively easy to care for, liking bright light but not direct sunlight and the same living room temperatures as yourself. Overwatering is a common misstep for many houseplant gardeners. Stressed plants have droopy leaves, which can be caused by dry soil, cold temperatures and overwatering. The fuzzy, fleshy green leaves are 1½ inches long. Key Words: Slightly irregular pansy-like flowers. I’ve also grown them from seed in a heated propagator, however in this case, I would probably have been better off buying tubers as they took a long time to get going. The deep purple lines on the throat and between the two colours define the colour contrast. This is a variation of the African violet that has white blooms, but to make them stand out, the edges of each petal is violet. Gloxinias are now bred to quickly produce a large number of blooms with brightly coloured trumpet-shaped flowers in rich crimson, deep red, violet and white to various colour combinations. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. African Violet is one of the most beautiful houseplants that you can keep in your home. Your email address will not be published. African violets are one of the easiest plants to propagate. With foliage houseplants, you can remove them with a cotton bud soaked in methylated spirits but as African Violets are sensitive to this treatment, it’s best to always throw away affected plants. If the plant looks like it is shrinking under the glare, then it is getting too much light. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. African violets are a species of herbaceous (no persistent woody stem above ground) perennial flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae and the species Saintpaulia. Though their geography is tropical, most species reside in the mountains, at altitude, and under the cover of other plants. Among these are the African violets (Saintpaulia) and gloxinias (Sinningia speciosa). The leaves are saucer-shaped and velvety, borne in short stems (3-4 inches). African violet, (genus Saintpaulia ), any of the six species of flowering plants in the genus Saintpaulia (family Gesneriaceae ). Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. Chempak Fertiliser Feed African Violet High Phosphate Water Soluble House Plant Food with Trace Elements 12 x 200g Packs by Thompson and Morgan £49.99 £ 49 . No need to register, buy now! Like most Gesneriads, African Violets don’t like direct sunlight, which you might have already discovered if you have ever tried growing them on a sunny windowsill. Get used to knowing the difference in the weight of pots when they’re wet and dry. If all your sills are sunny, you can just add a sheer net curtain between the glass and your plants but they will perform better if moved to a warm, north-facing windowsill. Required fields are marked *, Adrienne Wild Newer hybrids offer flowers in different shades from deep purple, soft mauve to white and there are also pink and red varieties plus ones that have attractive darker throat stripes and even spots. African Violets, which originally come from East Africa where they grow in wind-swept, rocky crevices have many admirers around the world and through extensive breeding now come in an impressive range of varieties that have plain or variegated leaves, which sometimes have attractive serrated, crinkled or rolled edges. 99 FREE Delivery Buy Plant African Violet House Plants and get the best deals at the lowest prices on eBay! From the centre of the crown short fleshy stems topped with clusters of 2.5-5cm flowers with five petals or more emerge in shades of intense purple, mauve, pink and white – with yellow centres. Harlequin Blue was named RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year in 2010 and RHS Chelsea plant of the decade in May 2013. If you find white woolly-coated pests, these are mealy bugs, which are sap-sucking pests. Years later when I became technical writer on Practical Gardening magazine, I was given role of houseplant expert, by the then editor Geoff Hamilton, which he said, was also due to the fact that I’d also looked after tropical and temperature collections when I was a propagator at the Rochdale parks department and not because I was the only girl on the team! adrienne@wildaboutgardening.co.uk, Problem displaying Facebook posts.Click to show errorfunction cffShowError() { document.getElementById("cff-error-reason").style.display = "block"; document.getElementById("cff-show-error").style.display = "none"; }. False African violet(Streptocarpella)is from East Africa. Leaf Propagation The most common way for African Violets to be propagated is via the leaf. Plants that are kept too hot will drop their flower buds and when conditions are too cold or draughty the leaves will droop. The members of Saintpaulia are small perennial herbs with thick, hairy, ovate leaves. I wrote a regular monthly column on the subject in the magazine and during that time interviewed many experts including the Reverend Tony Clements, who was a renowned expert of African Violets and had won many medals for his plants at the Chelsea Flower Show. Have a magnifying glass handy, as pests such as red spider mite are so tiny that they’re difficult to see with the naked eye. African violets are from the plant family Gesneriaceae while the true violets (Viola) are from Violaceae. Avoid those with torn or blemished foliage and any that are being sold from outdoor market stalls, as they may have got a chill. Worldwide, there are 16 genera and 850 species. Happy, healthy houseplants are less vulnerable to pests and diseases but it’s always worth keeping your eyes peeled for symptoms, as they’re easy to ‘import’ when you buy new varieties to add to your collection. Use ‘open’, well-draining compost and maybe add a pinch of charcoal to absorb impurities. These hybrid Gloxinias reliably produce an outstanding display continuously for about two months, but once the flowers fade, the plant rarely comes back because it invests all its energy into flowers rather than sturdy roots. Wild species can have violet, purple, pale blue, or white flowers. The African Violet Society of America warns that the potting mix most commercially sold violets are grown in, which consists primarily of peat moss, can easily drown your plant in water. Omissions? Cape Primrose or Streptocarpus prefers slightly cooler temperatures than most Gesneriads and will even thrive in a south-facing porch provided they are kept frost free and not allowed to bake on hot summer days. Modern Gloxinias are hybrids of the Brazilian species, Sinningia speciosa. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The variety Constant Nymph is a long-established hybrid that produces a profusion of delicate blue-mauve flowers throughout the spring and summer months. Find out more about these dainty flowers here. … Native to Eastern Africa, these popular houseplants are in the same family (Gesneriaceae) as gloxinia and primrose. As good light is essential for African Violets to flower, they can be induced to bloom at any time under artificial light. Amazon.co.uk Today's Deals Warehouse Deals Outlet Subscribe & Save Vouchers Amazon Family Amazon Prime Prime Video Prime Student Mobile Apps Amazon Pickup Locations Amazon Assistant 1-16 of 39 results for "african violet compost" The family is characterized by bilaterally symmetrical, bisexual flowers, each of which has a two-lipped corolla of five fused petals; five-lobed calyx (sepals); two or four, rarely five, anthers that are joined lightly together or in pairs; and a superior or partly inferior ovary (i.e., positioned above the attachment point of the other flower parts, or slightly below them) with a single chamber in which numerous small seeds are produced on the walls of the ovary (parietal placentation). Get to know your houseplants – observe and feel them regularly…even talk to them! This leaf should be taken from the middle ranks, as the flowers far from the center are too ol… When I was a student at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh (RBGE) during the late 70s, one of my responsibilities was to look after the Gesneriad collection, which are plants belonging to the African Violet or Saintpaulia family. African Violets are perfect for both modern and period interiors and one of the most effective ways to display them is to mass plants of one colour, or in various shades of the same colour, in a shallow bowl on a low table. Nitrogen-rich fertilisers that are used for feeding foliage houseplants will encourage lush leaves at the expense of flowers. You’ll know some of them are the popular houseplants, African Violets, Cape Primroses or Streptocarpus and Gloxinia plus maybe the Flame Violet (Episcia), Goldfish plants (Columnea and Nematanthus), Hot Water plant (Achimenes), and Lipstick plant (Aeschynanthes), which are availble from specialist growers. 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