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African violet

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  • Indoor Plants
African violet 'Match Mate'
Photo: Jardin botanique de Montréal
Saintpaulia 'Match Mate'
  • Saintpaulia 'Match Mate'
  • Saintpaulia sp.
  • Saintpaulia rupicola
  • Saintpaulia rupicola
  • Saintpaulia confusa

Onglets

Botany

Origin and description

The African violet is native to Tanzania and Kenya. Its common name comes from the similarity of its flowers to those of true violets (Viola genus), although the two plants are not related.

The former botanical name of the African violet was Saintpaulia ionantha. The genus Saintpaulia was named in honor of Baron Walter von Saint Paul-Illaire, who sent plant specimens to Germany in 1892 for study. The specific epithet ionantha means “having violet-colored flowers.”

Today, there is a wide variety of African violet cultivars. Most of the plants on the market are single- or double-flowered hybrids. The flowers may be bicoloured, white, blue, purple, coral, pink or even yellow. The rosette-forming leaves may be different shades of green or variegated.

Species, cultivars and related plants

Streptocarpus ionanthus subsp. grotei (syn. Saintpaulia confusa) and Streptocarpus ionanthus subsp. ionanthus var. diplotrichus (syn. Saintpaulia diplotricha) form a rosette of round, downy, slightly serrated leaves. The flowers are light mauve with purple margins.

Toxicity

As a precaution, keep this plant out of the reach of children.

Common name

African violet

Latin name (genus)

Streptocarpus ionanthus (syn. Saintpaulia ionantha)

English common name

African violet

French common name

Violette africaine

Botanical family

  • Gesneriaceae
Horticulture

Growing conditions

An African violet requires bright light in winter and filtered sunlight in summer. Place it near a south- or west-facing window in winter and an east-facing one, out of direct sunlight, in summer. These plants also thrive under artificial lighting. Ideal temperatures are 21 to 27ºC in daytime, with a difference of 5ºC between daytime and nighttime temperatures, and a minimum of 18ºC. Cultivars with variegated foliage may require slightly cooler temperatures. Avoid cold drafts and keep relative humidity high. You can set the pot on a saucer filled with gravel and water. Be careful not to get water on the leaves or flowers.

Easy to grow?

African violets are easy to grow if given high humidity and provided that the leaves are kept dry between waterings. They may bloom repeatedly if given 14 to 16 hours of sunlight a day in winter.

Watering and fertilizer

Morning is the best time to water a plant. Add enough water to thoroughly moisten the soil but avoid wetting the foliage and remove any water standing in the saucer. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. Always use room-temperature water, ideally letting it rest for 24 hours first. During the vegetative growth period, fertilize with a balanced plant food like 20-20-20, and when in bloom use a high-phosphorus fertilizer like 15-30-15. It is best to feed an African violet more frequently and at reduced strength. For instance, you can fertilize at quarter-strength with every watering or at half-strength every other week. Moisten the soil before feeding to avoid burning the roots.

Pruning and maintenance

Remove faded blooms and dead leaves. Dust the leaves with a small, soft brush. If you water the plant from the bottom, flush it from the top occasionally to wash away accumulated mineral salts. Turn the plant frequently to preserve its symmetry.

Repotting

An African violet can live for years in the same pot. The plant’s spread should be three times the width of the pot before it is repotted. When the leaves become crowded and crossed, move it into a slightly larger pot in the spring. Divide and pot up any offshoots. The potting mixture should be acidic, light and well-aerated, with good drainage. It may be soil-less and contain a large proportion of peat moss and coarse sand or perlite.

Propagation

By offset (root) division and leaf cuttings.

Pests and diseases
  • Aphididae

    Aphids

    There are thousands of species of aphids in the world. These tiny, highly prolific insects feed by sucking the sap from a wide range of ornamental and food plants. They form dense colonies on young shoots and under leaves, and also feed on plant stems, bark, roots and fruit.

  • Botrytis cinerea

    Botrytis Blight or Grey Mould

    The fungus responsible for botrytis blight or grey mould grows quickly in cool, damp weather. The infection may appear on almost all plant species, on both dead tissues and living parts. The first sign of the disease is a greyish downy substance, after which the infected parts dry out or rot.

  • Cyclamen mites
  • Root rot
Physiological disorders
Symptoms Possible causes Solutions

Brown spots on leaves

Cold water
Overcrowded conditions, promoting rot 

Use water slightly warmer than room temperature
Improve air circulation

Asymmetrical plant or leaves growing toward the light

Uneven lighting

Turn pot one-quarter turn regularly

Failure to bloom

Not enough light

Move plant into a brighter spot or under artificial lighting

Faded leaves or brown, dry spots on leaves

Direct sunlight

Move plant away from window, out of direct sunlight

Abnormally small leaves

Potbound

Repot in a larger pot