African violets must be THE most popular houseplant and with more than 6000 different varieties the indoor gardener would never run out of specimens to collect. Their popularity rests in the fact that they are so easy to care for yet provide enough challenges for a gardener to master.
The African violet actually originates in Africa and was found there in 1892 by Baron Walter von Saint Paul, the German governor of a northeastern province in Tanganyika (now Tanzania). It was first grown in Germany by von Saint Paul’s father and didn’t make it to North America until 1926.
There are only 20 wild species of African violet but hybridisation has created thousands more.
They have become one of the most popular houseplants because they grow well indoors and are more suited to an indoor environment than attempting to grow African violets outdoors.
Pot African Violet Plants
To grow African violets they need to be grown in a pot of some description. Unless you have climatic conditions similar to the rocky ledges of Tanzania do not plant them outdoors in your garden. They grow perfectly well indoors with a few specific conditions adhered to.
The best soil for African violet pots is a mixture of pine bark and coarse river sand. You can buy this already mixed from your local nursery or soil centre but it’s just as easy to mix it yourself and probably even cheaper. As you can tell by the soil ingredients it is a fast draining growing mix with very little substance to it and while most plants would die in this, African violets will thrive.
Growing African Violets
African violets require a good light source, either through a kitchen window sill or via artificial means. They don’t like to live in the dark, and won’t – they’ll just shrivel and die. While you won’t require grow lights you will need to keep them out in the open to absorb any light that is available.
A big tip for growing African violets is to monitor their watering. Don’t overhead water as their leaves will spoil but instead water via their roots. Add water to a tray that the African violet pot will reside in and leave for about 30 mins. Pour off the residual water and then leave the pot to dry out over the next day or two and repeat the process. If your water is high in chlorine levels you may want to stand the water overnight to allow the chlorine to evaporate.
Fertilise your African violets regularly with a recommended liquid fertiliser.
African Violet Propagation
There are a number of ways to propagate African Violets but one of the easiest and most successful is through leaf cuttings. This propagation method will create numerous African violet plants so you shouldn’t need to try too many.
Another African violet propagation method is to remove a leaf from the plant’s stem with the petiole intact and planting this directly into some propagating mix. This is just as successful as the leaf cutting method but won’t reward you with as many plants.
African Violet care
Caring for African violets isn’t a hard proposition but it can be fraught with failure should you not care for them in the areas of watering, potting, fertilising and creating appropriate lighting conditions.
I love them and have had them over the years but don’t have any at the moment. My mum used to have good luck with them (in Oz). But then, she had good luck with just about all plants!
I must get one!