African Violets

[twirly]

When mature, miniatures grow to less than 6" in diameter, semiminis to less than 8". With proper culture, actual plant size can be much smaller in practice. Because these are small-growing plants and have small root systems, never use a pot bigger than 2 1/2" in diameter.

[twirly]

They have a naturally crawling or spreading habit. They produce branches or "runners" which then often grow along the soil surface, rooting and branching as they grow. They can be grown either as ground-covers or as hanging plants. Though their leaf size will remain constant, the size of the plant is limited only by the grower. Care is identical to that of other violets.

[twirly]

Standard African violets are those varieties that, when mature, will exceed 8" in diameter. In practice, most grow to about 10-12". When grown for exhibition, they can exceed 18-24" across.

Chimeras are plants for which propagation by leaf cuttings will not produce plantlets identical to the original plant. These are typically the "pinwheel" blossomed varieties that show broad center and side stripes of different colors. These are quite unusual, genetically more rare, and can be propagated only by suckers. Care is identical to that of other violets

[Tawny]

I have a bunch of african violets that I bought for my plant stand. They live outdoors but are well covered.
We live in FL so they get humidity.
How wet do violets like to be?

[orchidaddict789]

AVs like to be watered regularly. Don't let the soil become bone dry, but don't let it be extremely soaking wet either. I water when the soil feels a bit dry.

I just love the kinds with the variegated leaves. But I never see any in stores. I was lucky enough to come across some mini-AVs one time when I visited a garden center.

[Tawny]

Originally Posted by orchidaddict789

AVs like to be watered regularly. Don't let the soil become bone dry, but don't let it be extremely soaking wet either. I water when the soil feels a bit dry.

I just love the kinds with the variegated leaves. But I never see any in stores. I was lucky enough to come across some mini-AVs one time when I visited a garden center.

Thanks so much for your help
I actually have some of the verigated varieties, some with white mottled leaves and others with pink mottled leaves.
I would be happy to send you some leaf clippings if you would like.
I just LOVE sharing the collection I have. I have been very lucky to have a place here that specializes in the more unusual types of violets.

[lunaticvulpine]

just out of curiosity ... are gloxinias related to african violets? because i just bought one and i dont want to trash it any time soon.
thanx
Gaston

[shalene]

I just got a leaf cutting from a white varigated violet. How should I get it to grow?

Gloxinias are gesneriads, in the same family as African Violets, and are treated similarly.

[janet_a]

Originally Posted by shalene

I just got a leaf cutting from a white varigated violet. How should I get it to grow?

how long is the stem on the leaf? if it's long enough, "plant" it in a small shallow container in good potting soil (NOT AV soil), wet it down, then put the whole shebang in a plastic baggie in medium light (eastern exposure is good) and ignore it.

i put mine in sawed off yogurt cups with holes punched in the bottom. time to babies can be anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks; time to bloom can be anywhere from 9 months to a year after laying the leaves down. i had an optimara go from nonexistent to blooming in nine months; i have a variegated foliage NOID that is just now blooming a little less than a year after the mama leaf was laid down.

there's a site called rachel's reflections that has lots of good pictures.

[shalene]

Thanks for the info. I have planted mine and have it in with the orchids. Do I need the plastic bag when the humidity stays between 50 and 70%? I also just bought a dark purple/blue standard to add to the lavender mini that I already had. I would love to have a red also but I haven't seen one of those around here. I could trade leaf cuttings from either or a NBS basal keiki of Dor. pulcherrima ('July 25' x 'Kadoma Blue') if someone has a red violet that they would take cuttings from.
Thanks again,
Shalene

[janet_a]

yes, you want to put it in the plastic baggie for at least several weeks at the leaf itself has no roots and may dry out. i did mine last march-may when my humidity was up towards 70% and kept them in baggies anyway; turned out alright.

where are you located? i have a pretty good garnet red NOID at home you can have a leaf from, if it's feasible.

oh duh, MO. well, maybe not feasible yet.

Trim the stem of the leaf to one inch. The shorter the stem the quicker the babies will come. Then put it some damp vermiculite in the corner of a zipper sandwich bag and tuck the leaf in. (The deeper the leaf is buried the longer it will take). Then clip it to a curtain with a clothespin. Put it in good bright light or early morning sun but not afternoon sun or it will cook in the bag. When the babies come the mother leaf will feed them for a while. When the babies are between a half and one inch high they can be transplanted into a light AV soil and a baggie put over the pot until the babies get bigger and stronger.

[shalene]

Thanks again for all the help. I'll go to the grow room and add a baggie over the pot I have them started in.
Shalene

[janet_a]

so do anyone else's AV's bloom funky colors when it's cold? i have a rhapsodie cora clone which bloomed the right colors a few months ago, and is now blooming white; i bought a gaughin a few months ago that i could have sworn was pink and white in the store, then it started blooming lavender and white, and now it's blooming pretty much white. the only thing that's different is that it's freakin' freezing--think this is a reaction to the temps? (they're on a windowsill that gets down to below 60.)

Is your water more acid or more limey in the winter? Or has your soil gotten more acid? I know the ph changes the color of hydrangeas. Perhaps it changes the color of African Violets. Just a suggestion.

[janet_a]

hmm, now there's a thought; *I* haven't done anything different but maybe WSSC did......