HOW I LOVE A VIBRANT VIOLET
WITH THEIR HEART-SHAPED LEAVES AND VELVET SOFT BLOOMS, THERE’S NOTHING QUITE SO LOVELY AS AN AFRICAN VIOLET
It’s fun to grow African violets, and they look amazing potted in quirky pots – expensive china pots from shops, cracked pots thrown away, reassigned containers bound for waste, or Nanna’s old pots that have seen a better day.
African violets (saintpaulia) are native to the rainforests of Tanzania where clumps of these little plants grow in the understorey of the rainforest. In recent years land use pressures of logging and farming mean that the species now risks extinction in its native habitat.
Although not a saintpaulia, there is a native violet which grows on rock crevices in the Wet Tropics and in moist areas of gallery rainforests along the Queensland coast. This beautiful little plant is called Boea hygroscopica and can be found clinging to basalt rocks on steep basalt cliff faces. Though protected in the World Heritage Rainforest, Boeas are now threatened in their natural habitat by illegal collectors.
Hybrid African violet flowers vary in shape and colour. To really appreciate these plants it helps to know the new cultivars that breeders have developed. The flower types can be: single, with five petals; semi-double, up to 10 petals; and double, with more than 10 petals.
The shape of the flower petals vary – they can have a frilled edge along the petal’s boarder, have fluted petals which have a curved indentation at the tip of the petal, or star shapes which have five petals of equal size, wasp have narrow petals where the top two petals are smaller, and finally the cup shape has all the petals joined to form a central cup.
African violets are the quintessential indoor plants, they can flower all year and are tolerant of a ‘”little” neglect. Few other house plants are able to provide a more spectacular bowl of flowers every day of the year.
To keep African violets flowering they require morning light, close to a window, but not direct sunlight. If you can make a strong shadow with your hand then you will know there’s sufficient.
If a well-lit window space is not available then grow lights are a good alternative and are readily available locally or online. Grow lights left on for 12 hours a day will result in many more flowers emerging and the plant flowering continuously.
Fresh air with good air flow is essential for healthy, happy plants. They enjoy a slight breeze on a hot day but avoid cold wind in winter.
Do not overwater African violets. Water once a week in winter increasing to three times a week in summer. In the tropical summer months it is all right to top water African violets, in fact their leaves benefit from a weekly bath. Always water plants early in the morning, never water in the afternoon, wet plants at night will rot. On cold, damp days withhold water altogether as it may cause crown rot if the plants are wet and cold, especially at night. Never allow African violets to sit in a saucer of water. If you are concerned about water run-off, place an old plastic tea tray or tub lid on a low table and half fill it with course sand. Group the African violets on the tray, with the small pots sitting in the sand. When the violets are watered the sand will collect the overflow, remain damp and moderate the temperature.
When repotting do not overpot African violets, choose a pot that fits the root ball with no more than five centimetres space at the sides. Use a potting mix that is high in organic matter – either store bought violet mix or sterilised homemade compost which has been placed in a plastic bag and left in the sun for a day. Never allow worms or beetles in the potting mix as they will eat the roots of the violets. Water the plants deeply once potting has been completed.
Fertilise the plants with a mixture of 1 part superphosphate and 1/8 sulfate of potash. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the fertilise mixture around the edge of the pot, without coming into contact with the leaves. Do this every two months.
African violets do have a few pest problems, cyclamen mite can be a problem and will cause distorted leaves and bud drop. Spray the plants with an insecticidal soap, if suspected. If the infestation is widespread use a wettable sulphur spray. Mealy bugs suck sap from plant leaves and stems and if the infestation is widespread can kill a plant. Regularly check under leaves for any signs of disease. Spray mealy bugs with an insecticidal soap spray or neem oil. If the problem is persistent use a pyrethrin insecticide, however, be mindful the pyrethrin will damage the flowers.