African violet: basic care so that it grows beautiful

The African violet (hybrids of saintpaulia ionantha) are not related to the well-known violets (Viola). They only have in common the color of the flowers. The African violet belongs to the Gesneriaceae family, which is descended from the wild African violet, native to the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania. Today’s hybrids are slightly larger than the original wild variety.

What are the leaves and flowers of the African violet like?

African violets grow horizontally, rather than vertically (not more than 15 cm tall), robust and persistent.

The leaves, hairy, fleshy and evergreen, are round or oval. and up to 8 cm long. The flowers are 2 to 3 cm in diameter, with a velvety corolla of five smooth or wavy petals depending on the variety. They arise grouped on thin stems (peduncles). Flower color in wild species can be violet, purple, light blue, or white.

The great production of flowers throughout the year, even in winter, makes the African violet a very popular houseplant. In flower shops they find white, pink or purple flowers, which can be single, double, monochrome or multicolored. The bright yellow anthers in the center of the flower are always showy.

light and temperature

african violets they prefer room temperatures between 18 and 24 °C. Even in the cold season, the room temperature should not drop below 18 °C.

The location must be very bright throughout the year, but in such a way that they do not receive direct sunlight. Window sills in the kitchen and bathroom are ideal, as there is usually more moisture there. Putting a container of water next to the plants on the windowsill can help make them comfortable with the humidity level.

Never spray African violets directly with water, or put them in places where there is a draft.

Irrigation

African violets like evenly moist soil. Use low-cal irrigation water at room temperature and only water when the top layer of soil has dried out slightly.

When watering, the leaves should not be wet, as they easily stain and rot. Therefore, do not water from above; it is better that you place the pot on a plate filled with water.

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Dilute in liquid compost water every 2-3 weeks throughout the year. It is important for plants to flourish permanently. If the leaves are dusty, carefully clean them with a brush, but do not wash them.

Transplant

Because African violets don’t grow very large, they don’t need to be repotted very often. They do quite well in small pots. Only when the roots have taken over the entire pot is it time to transplant them into a slightly larger container.

The sign that the roots need more space is that leaves become very small or narrow.Transplanting is best done in spring, and normal potting soil mixed with sand and clay granules is best suited as a substrate.

Place the plant 2 cm below the edge of the pot so that the rosette of leaves rests on the edge and not on the ground. This will prevent the leaves from getting soggy and rotting.

pruning and propagation

Pruning African violets is not necessary. Pluck off damaged or rotten leaves with a gentle tug, don’t cut them.

African violets are easily propagated by leaf cuttings in April and May. For it tear off the leaf stalks about three centimeters long from the mother plant, cut them straight and put them in a mixture of peat and poor nutrient sand up to the edge of the blade. After about six weeks, several new leaflets appear at the base of the petiole. These are eventually separated and used individually.

It is also possible to root cuttings in a glass of water, but the leaf surfaces should not be submerged. After two to three weeks, the first roots will appear and the seedlings can be planted in pots.

diseases and pests

Leaves with yellow spots or yellow edges are usually due to direct sunlight.

Too much water will rot the roots and can kill the entire plant. Moist substrate also attracts fungus gnats.

The scarcity of moisture on the ground or in the air manifests itself in withered and yellowed leaves.

If flowers rarely form, the cause is the lack of nutrients or what the location is too dark.

Spider mites, aphids, and mealybugs can infest plants. It is better not to apply synthetic pesticides, but rather preparations in sticks or powders to be applied to the soil and suitable for organic farming.

In the case of a nematode infestation, the plant should be disposed of as soon as possible.