Wondering what will look pretty in your garden as you dream of spring flowers? I found out, take a look at this article in a favorite magazine of mine, Home by Design.
African Violets Will Bloom throughout the Winter Season!
Written by Robyn Roehm Cannon
For gardeners, winter can be a terribly long and colorless season. But if you’re a plant lover who’s discovered the joys of growing African violets, just the opposite is true. Their dainty blooms, in a wide array of purple, pink, blue, white, and multicolored combinations, will appear almost constantly and brighten any gloomy January day.
This member of the same botanical family that includes gloxinias and lipstick plants has a long history, and although they’re called “violets,” they’re really not violets at all. The first plants were discovered by Baron von Saint Paul in Africa in 1892 and were given the botanical name Saintpaulia ionantha by the director of the Royal Botanical Gardens in honor of the baron. The species name, ionantha, Greek for “resembling a violet,” is in reference to the flower.
Just two years after they were discovered, a New York florist brought African violets to the United States. But in drafty homes of the late-nineteenth century, the plants often became chilled and died. They became known as finicky and hard to grow, a reputation that proved untrue after the fluorescent lightbulb was introduced in 1938. It was then that people discovered that with just a small amount of care and under lights, healthy plants would bloom for six months and rest for three before starting their cycle again.
Today, African violet hybridizers have created countless foliage types and a rainbow of flower colors by combining the parent plants Saintpaulia ionantha and Saintpaulia confusa. Some beauties to look for include plants with variegated, blotched, wavy, oak leaf, quilted, and fringed leaves, with flowers that range from single, double, star, ruffled, bicolored, and even striped. The combinations are endless!
Temperature, Soil, and Light. One thing to remember when raising African violets is that they like the same temperature as people do. If you keep your home at seventy degrees during the day and lower the thermostat to sixty at night, your plants will be happy. Any hotter or cooler, and it tends to stunt their growth.
They love soil that is loose, porous, and drains well. Look for a specific African violet potting mix, which has better drainage and more acidity than regular houseplant potting soil. If your house lacks humidity, choose a soil that is higher in organic matter, which will hold more water and not dry out as quickly. Also, consider your pot: choose plastic pots instead of clay, which lose more water through evaporation. And for the best bloom, keep your plants a bit root-bound.
A huge consideration for continuous bloom success has to do with the quality of light you provide your plants. Giving your African violets enough—but not too much—light will be your challenge. Generally speaking, a location with bright, indirect light from a south- or east-facing window is best. Turn your pots a quarter rotation weekly and they will grown evenly and retain their symmetrical rosette form. A good way to test the intensity of the light your plants are receiving is by putting your hand between the plant and the window with the back of your hand toward the light. If the light casts a shadow but your hand doesn’t feel hot, you’re headed in the right direction.
Water. One of the most important things you can do to ensure your African violets stay healthy and continue to bloom with profusion is to learn how and when to water them. Develop a timeline in which the plants are watered thoroughly and allowed to dry out a bit in between. African violets are particularly susceptible to leaf spotting caused by cold water splashed on the delicate, furry leaves, so be very careful to lift the leaves and water only the soil if you water from the top.
Watering from the bottom in a tray that allows the roots to wick the moisture is the safest method; just be sure to empty the tray so the roots will not become waterlogged. Use only tepid water and mix in a diluted solution of chemically balanced fertilizer such as 20-20-20. Once every six weeks, give your African violets a “flushing” by watering well from the top to flush the fertilizer salts from the soil.
For Additional Information Visit the African Violet Society of North America
www.avsa.org
This information is presented by:
Connie Taylor
Keller Williams
Information is deemed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed.
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