African Violets Make a Great Addition to Houseplant Collections

When I wrote about houseplants a few weeks ago my mind seemed to be fixated on having greenery in the house in the colder months. A big mistake was not considering flowering plants (other than the Amaryllis), and there is one that does deserve your attention. That is the African violets.

Inexpensive, often at less than $10 a plant, these plants can be flowering year-round with the right lighting and warmth, and with the proper care they can last 20 to 50 years. As simple as they are to grow, though, they are just as simple to kill.

Native to East Africa, African violets (Saintpaulia), which are not violets at all, have long been a favorite houseplant, but continued breeding efforts have resulted in a group of not only stunning plants, but varieties that have also become more tolerant of our home growing conditions, with flower colors and types ranging from simple to spectacular.

There are now hundreds of varieties to choose from in dozens of colors and flower types and forms. Best of all, they can be relatively inexpensive, bloom in almost perpetuity and can be purchased in supermarkets, green grocers, garden centers, from online specialty growers and even the big box stores. Remember though, you get what you pay for.

They’re small as houseplants go, making them good specimen plants for tabletops or small nooks, and the miniature varieties grow in a thumbnail pot just an inch in diameter. They also make great gifts and make the house look great during the holidays. You may even get hooked and become a collector.

It’s indisputable that more African violets die from overwatering than from any other cause. They cannot be watered by the calendar, since different surroundings and different plants require more or less frequent waterings. These plants should be watered only when the soil begins to look or feel dry. In plastic pots, a good clue is that if the plant feels light when lifted, it probably needs water. If heavy, wait. The best time for watering is in the morning, and they can be watered either from the top or bottom. If bottom watering is your method (the best) occasionally water from the top to flush (leach) out any accumulated fertilizer salts. Water should be at room temperature, and if your water is chlorinated let it stand overnight before giving it to the plant.

Never, as in not even once, leave your plant standing in water as they resent “wet feet” more than any other plant I know of, and keep the foliage dry as wet foliage may spot and or rot.

African violets are heavy feeders, and if you want continuous blooming you must fertilize regularly. There are a number of good fertilizers specially formulated just for this plant, and they are easy to find in stores and garden centers. If fertilizing is something that you tend to forget about then you should consider investing in some time-release fertilizer that needs replenishment several times year as opposed to weekly feedings. Be careful not to overfertilize, and if you are using a liquid or dry fertilizer do not apply it to dry soil. If the soil is dry, water, then fertilize several hours later.

Since these plants will grow year-round and even flower year-round, the best feeding regime is to make a stock solution of fertilizer and use it instead of just adding water when the plant is dry. And no, you don’t need a specialty fertilizer, but you do need one that has the three basic elements in the ratio of 1 to 1 to 1 such as 3-3-3 or similar. And yes, organic is best and will leave much less fertilizer salts on the pot and soil surface.

These plants need good light, but not strong or hot sunlight. In the winter they can stand the sun with some slight shading, but in the summer be careful to shade them or they’ll easily burn. They can tolerate very early or very late sun, but otherwise they should be well shaded. African violets love artificial light, and most prize winners are grown this way, but remember that they’ll need at least eight hours of darkness every 24 hours. You’ll be amazed at how well they do under countertop fluorescent lights in the kitchen.

Remember to turn your plants regularly when growing in natural light or you’ll end up with a one-sided violet. With good light, adequate moisture and fertilizer you should end up with good blooms. If the plant refuses to bloom it’s probably because not enough light is reaching the center of the plant. Keep any developing suckers cut off, but be sure they’re suckers before you cut them because sometimes tiny buds can be mistaken for suckers.

One good clue as to whether the plant gets sufficient light is to observe the leaves and stems. If the light is weak, the stems will be long and reaching upward for the light. If the light is too strong the stems will be short and the leaves bending down around the pot. African violets will tolerate dry homes but prefer high humidity, and the air should be fresh and gently moving. They don’t like strong drafts and especially dislike cold wind blowing on them.

It’s generally felt that temperatures ranging from 60 degrees at night and up to 75 degrees during the day are ideal, but some variations should be acceptable. If your home or office is particularly dry, set the pot on a tray or saucer filled with gravel and water, but make sure that the water never comes into direct contact with the pot.

These plants can go into a dormancy in the winter months, but only if you let them or force them. However, this can be avoided with consistent air temperatures, light and fertilizer through the cooler and darker months. And yes, you can have them blooming year-round without a dormant period with consistent care.

As for pots, you only need one large enough to develop a good root system, and plants purchased in a 4-inch pot may remain in that pot for about a year. Small plants, especially the miniatures, should not go into large pots, but by the same token, they should not get pot bound. Soils should be very porous so that they can drain well and provide plenty of air movement through the soil. Never use soil from your garden, and if possible use a soil specially blended for African violets.

Once hooked on this plant you’ll soon discover that they are very easy to propagate, though practice will make your efforts perfect. All you need is a leaf with about an inch of stem intact. In a warm soil and with humid air the leaf-stem combination will result in a tiny new plant, identical to the parent in about six weeks. There are some great instructions here: tinyurl.com/7mvp7suh.

You’ll find that once you get the hang of it you can grow one or a dozen just as easily just from a leaf. Propagation of some varieties may be restricted, but the African violet police won’t put you in jail for trying.

You’ll also find many varieties and more information from The Violet Barn (violetbarn.com) which is located up in the Finger Lakes. They do ship with special care (Express mail) in the shipping process. It looks like they have over 100 varieties including their own hybrids. Need more information? Start here africanvioletsocietyofamerica.org and you’ll be even more amazed at what you can find and learn. There is also a great online key to the types of African Violet leaves, flowers and colors here: tinyurl.com/y4u7vfb9.

As I’ve noted in earlier columns my mother was a big African violet grower despite being a confirmed black thumb. She didn’t pay much attention to lighting and fertilizer, and when a plant went somewhat dormant, she had a stack of fake African violet flowers on thin wire stems that she’d add to the pot. Seems she found a store that sells imitation African violet blossoms that were unmistakable for the real thing, and from time to time I caught her sticking these fakes into the pots with the real thing. At first we thought a new plant had been developed that yielded two different color blossoms, but alas, she came clean. Keep growing.