Where can you buy African violets?
Where to Buy African Violets and Plant Care Products. At SELECTIVEGARDENERYou Can Buy Optimara™ Violets, House-Plants, Fertilizer, Decorative Pots, Gifts & More! Selective Gardener specializes in plant care products made specifically for African Violets. In addition to Optimara Violets and leaf cuttings, the Selective Gardener offers the complete line of Optimara plant-care products.
How to get African violets to bloom all year round?
Method 2 Method 2 of 2: Caring for Your African Violets Download Article
- Water the plants with room temperature water to keep the soil moist. ...
- Add a phosphorous fertilizer every 2 weeks in the spring and summer. ...
- Pinch off spent blooms to encourage new ones to grow. ...
- Fit the plants tightly in their pot to keep them root-bound. ...
- Repot your African violets when they need fresh soil or room to grow. ...
Are African violets the same as a violet flower?
While Saintpaulias are commonly known as African Violets, they are not from the same botanical family as the True Violets . Unlike violets from the Viola genus, African Violets are from the Streptocarpus genus. They are common houseplants with shallow roots and fleshy leaves.
Can I Grow African violets from seed?
While most are started from cuttings, African violets can be grown from seed. Starting an African violet from seed is a little more time consuming than starting cuttings, but you’ll end up with many more plants. Keep reading to learn how to start African violets from seed.
How do you care for a trailing African violet?
However, trailing African violets should be watered whenever the top inch of soil is dry. Use room-temperature water. Top watering or bottom watering works equally well as long as you avoid getting water on the leaves.
Are there different types of African violets?
There are different African Violet flower shapes, these include single, semi-double, double, frilled, fluted, star, wasp and cup.
How do I know if my African violet is a trailer?
3:1713:57Rob's Vanilla Trail & African Violet Trailer Basics - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd if we compare it to a regular African violet we only can see one crown. On a regular violet. SoMoreAnd if we compare it to a regular African violet we only can see one crown. On a regular violet. So this is a trailing violet. And this is a regular violet.
Can you hang African violets?
The trailing species violets grow very nicely as hanging plants.
What is the most popular African violet?
Little Maya is one of the most popular African Violet variety with remarkable crimson red flowers. It was first introduced in 1997 and has been on the favorite lists of houseplant enthusiasts since then.
How many years do African violets live?
50 yearsRepotting these blooms is so important due to their long lifespan. "Remember that African violets have a very long lifespan and have been said to last up to 50 years," says Ryan McEnaney, public relations and communications specialist for Bailey Nurseries.
What pots are best for African violets?
For best results, plant African violets in African violet pots, which are small (4- to 5-inch) ceramic or plastic self-watering containers. Growing plants in these pots will provide the proper amount of continuous moisture to the plants.
How large can African violets grow?
African violets grow from 2 to 6 inches tall, and anywhere from about 3 inches around to well over a foot, depending on the type. Most of the plants display flower clusters at the center, just above the foliage, surrounded by rosette-like layers of dark green leaves.
What are miniature African violets?
Miniature African violet (Saintpaulia ionantha hybrids), look and act very much like their larger violet siblings. The big difference is the small size. Minis feature a basal leaf rosette that is only 3 to 6 inches in diameter, making them perfect for limited growing space, terrariums and other special situations.
Can you touch African violet leaves?
In looking at and caring for them, it's tempting to touch the fuzzy leaves and colorful flowers. While most plants can take this attention with no adverse results, African violets seem to be sensitive to the touch.
Do African violets like to be misted?
African violets tolerate average indoor HUMIDITY; 40-60% is best. If your house is very dry, mist your violets lightly with room temperature water on a daily basis, but never late in the day or at night.
How often should African violets be watered?
Overwatering is one of the most common mistakes made with this type of plant, so it is essential to be cautious. Generally, African violets need to be watered about once a week, although this may vary depending on the climate and the potting mix.
How do I identify my African violet?
African Violet (Saintpaulia ionantha.) Leaves can be oval to heart-shaped with smooth or ruffled margins. Flowers are borne in single or double clusters, can have five or more petals, may be ruffled around the edges of the petals, and come in different shades and color combinations.
How many African violets are there?
The African Violet Society of America, the largest group dedicated to a single plant type in the world, has more than 16,000 cultivars in their database. Some of these look virtually identical to one another, and there is much confusion on the different varieties.
What is the difference between violet and African violets?
African violets have fleshy downy leaves and produce throughout the summer, five-petalled flowers, usually with a distinct eye while true violets have large to small heart shaped leaves, sometimes smooth, sometimes with varying degrees of hairiness.
What are the different colors of African violets?
African violets are available in a wide range of colors and types. You may choose from several hundred varieties depending upon the flower color, form and plant characteristics you prefer. Flower color varies from blue to violet, lavender, pink, red-violet, blue-violet, lavender-pink and white.
How to get the most out of African violets?
Whether you're growing for show or growing for fun, occasional grooming and pruning will help you get the most from your trailing African violets.
How to encourage trailing habit?
Another way to encourage a trailing habit is to give new suckers more light for rapid growth. Removing larger, older leaves can let a lot of light down into the plant. You may be able to remove larger crowns as well, allowing several new suckers and crowns to form in the resulting gaps.
Can you cut a trailing stem?
A long, trailing stem can be chopped into several individual cuttings. For a fuller effect, combine several rooted cuttings in a pot, unless growing for show. Trailers grown for show must be single plants with a minimum of three crowns.
Do African violets need grooming?
I love the way the foliage on a trailing African violet fills and spills over the edges of its pot. For an introduction to this wonderful African violet form, see " Trailing African Violets: Flowing Foliage and Bountiful Blooms ." Although many trailing varieties will do their thing with little or no help from you, an occasional grooming session can be useful in shaping up your plant for maximum impact. As a bonus, grooming your plant generally provides leaves and cuttings for propagation.
Who is the moderator of African Violet?
by Lisa Kampel (moderator of the African Violet Trailers – a whole new ball game! on Facebook)
What is the best soil for African violets?
Soil and fertilizer requirements are the same as other African violets. A light, porous soil is best. Look for fertilizers which are low urea, and use at ¼ teaspoon to a gallon of water. Trailing violets originated in the species.
How to keep violets in pots?
One method keeps a trailing violet in a pot that is approximately one‐third the overall diameter of the plant. This allows the plant to grow out over the sides of the pot. The crowns are often pinched out to encourage secondary growth between leaves so a pretty form develops. In this method, the main stems of the trailing growth are not allowed to come in contact with the potting mix.
How to show a trailer plant?
In order for a trailer to be a show plant, it must be a single plant with no less than three crowns. Trailers are judged on form, not symmetry. The goal is to achieve a pleasing form. Try to anticipate the ultimate form of the plant and work towards that goal. Blooms should be spaced evenly around the plant from all main crowns. One crown should not have leaves noticeably different in size than the other crowns. All the crowns should be uniform in size and shape. The plant should be well groomed and in great condition, clean with no faded blooms, yellow, or marred leaves.
Is a trailer a miniature?
Trailers may be classified as micro-miniature, miniature, semiminiature or standard according to the size of the individual leaves. The overall size of a mature trailer, regardless of its size classification, can be quite large. They are floriferous and come in most of the flower types/colors of other African violets.
Do violets have a trailing crown?
Trailing is an inbred trait and should not be confused with violets that genetically should have only one crown but have been allowed to sucker. True trailers often have more space between leaves on the main stem. This space allows them to have multiple crowns that are not too tightly packed.
What color are African violets?
African violets come in most every color. (not orange or black) African violets do come in "yellow". 'Yellow' is a new color to violets and can be highly variable. Good culture and environment promote best bloom colors. Flowers and foliage can be fringed. Miniature African Violets. Less than 6" in diameter when mature.
Where do African violets grow?
Discovered in 1892 by Baron von St Paul (hence the botanical name), many species can still be found growing in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania and Kenya. Though their geography is tropical, most species reside in the mountains, at altitude, and under the cover of other plants. This makes African violets ideal for the indoor home garden or window–requiring only moderate (“room”) temperatures and light. Though many of the native Saintpaulia are now threatened by loss of habitat, millions of their modern descendants are grown throughout the world in homes of collectors and hobbyists. As you’ll see by viewing our site and catalog, modern African violet hybrids can be spectacular and very different from the simple species first discovered more than a century ago. Much information about their care and environment can be found throughout these pages.
How many rows of leaves should an African violet have?
African violets should be grown single-crowned. Most African violets look best with no more than 5 rows of leaves.
Is African violet good for indoors?
This makes African violets ideal for the indoor home garden or window–requiring only moderate (“room”) temperatures and light. Though many of the native Saintpaulia are now threatened by loss of habitat, millions of their modern descendants are grown throughout the world in homes of collectors and hobbyists.
Can African violets grow in shallow pots?
Let them grow. Trailing African violets are perhaps the easiest to grow and bloom, especially for the novice. They are naturally branching, spreading, plants that can left to do their ‘own thing’. No need to remove suckers to keep symmetry or encourage blooming. These violets freely produce extra crowns without sacrificing appearance or bloom–in fact, this increases the potential bloom! Can let spread in shallow pots, or let hang as baskets in windows–the choice is yours.
