African Violets Plant (Saintpaulia ionantha): Varieties, Benefits, and How to Care Guide
Are you fond of flowers? If so, you can bring them closer by growing an African Violet plant in your home. African Violets add splendor and color to your home. With so many varieties to choose from, you can select a plant that aligns with your personality and style. African Violets would look stunning on your coffee table, shelf, or in a hanging basket. Some varieties even produce fragrances you can enjoy while relaxing in your home. Keep reading to find out more.
What are African Violets?
African Violets are miniature flowering plants that are commonly grown indoors. These compact plants have lush foliage and produce attractive flowers. Most African Violets produce violet-colored flowers hence their name. However, other African Violets produce pink, red, blue, or white blooms. African violets are false Violets and only get their name from the color of their flowers.
These plants originate from East Africa Tanzania and are sometimes called Usambara Violets. The plants were discovered by a German officer called Walter von Saint Paul-Illaire. The plant’s genus name Saintpaulia was recently changed to Streptocarpus.
African Violets would make a perfect indoor plant addition. You can also gift the beautiful plant to your loved ones. With proper care, African Violets thrive and add color to your home. Provide adequate lighting, and water your plant regularly to keep it healthy.
Benefits of African Violets
Below are some benefits you get from growing African Violets indoors.
Improves aesthetics
African Violets produce colorful flowers that add vibrancy to your home. The plant provides a calm and relaxing ambiance that you look forward to after a long day.
Safe for pets
Some houseplants can be toxic to animals and even humans. With African Violets, you don’t have to worry about the safety of your pets or children as it is not toxic. However, you should still place your plant away from your pets to prevent them from destroying it.
African Violets varieties
There are different types of African violets you can consider growing in your home. Some African Violet varieties are variegated while others are solid-colored. Some African Violets are trailing while others form rosettes. Either way, you can get your favorite plant by searching for African Violets near me online. Below are several types of African Violets with pictures.
Summer Twilight African Violet
Summer Twilight is one of the most popular African Violet varieties. The plant has beautiful purple petals with white margins. The Summer Twilight has lush variegated foliage with dark green and cream-white hues. This plant will breathe new life into your home with its distinctive appearance.
Aroma of Summer African Violet
The Aroma of Summer African Violet has the most pleasant fragrance hence its name. The plant features bright pink petals with white variegation and lush dark green foliage. These contrasting colors make the plant appealing and unique. The Aroma of Summer will brighten up your home without trying to.
Crimson Ice African Violet
The Crimson Ice Violet is one of the most attractive African Violet varieties that adds a unique look to your home. The plant features colorful petals with white and crimson-red hues. The plant’s flowers contrast nicely with the lush green foliage.
Cherry Princess African Violet
The Cherry Princess African Violet is a one-of-a-kind miniature African Violet variety with attractive blooms and unique foliage. The plant has variegated petals with Fuschia and white hues. The Cherry Princess has dark-green leaves that add a bold look to your home.
Lonestar Snowstorm African Violet
The Lonestar Snowstorm African Violet would make an excellent indoor plant addition. The plant has showy blooms with white frilled petals. The plant’s leaves are dark-green with whitish-cream variegation.
Myakka Trail African Violet
The Myakka Trail is one of the rare African Violet varieties that would look great in a hanging basket. This trailing plant has alluring bell-shaped lavender blooms and dark-green shiny foliage. The plant’s leaves have red undersides.
Broadway Star Trail African Violet
The Broadway Star Trail is a distinctive trailing African Violet variety that brightens up any space. The plant has white star-shaped blooms scattered over the lush green foliage. The Broadway Star Trail looks great in hanging baskets.
Loyalty African Violet
The Loyalty African Violet is an eye-catching African Violet variety with unique blooms and foliage. The plant has bright pink blooms that add splendor to your home and green variegated foliage with cream striations.
Rhapsody Lucia African Violet
The Rhapsody Lucia is quite a sight to behold. This plant features white petals with dark blue hues at the edges. The plant’s flowers contrast nicely with the lush dark-green leaves. This plant will totally transform your dull-looking home into a bright and welcoming space.
Silver Romance African Violet
If you are looking for a unique and attractive houseplant, the Silver Romance African Violet would be an ideal choice. This plant has pale-pink petals with lime-green frilled margins. The plant’s blooms blends in nicely with the dark-green leaves giving your home a bright look.
How to care for African Violets
African Violets produce flowers all year round under the right conditions. You can keep your plant bright and healthy all year long with proper care. Here is how you care for African Violets.
African Violet water
African Violets require regular watering to survive. The soil should always be moist but not overly wet. If the top inch of the soil is dry, it would be the ideal time to water your plant. African violets are sensitive to chemicals found in water and you should be mindful of the type of water you use. Warm water would be best although you can also use room-temperature water.
The leaves of African Violets are susceptible to fungus and root rot. Therefore, you should always avoid pouring water on your plant’s leaves. You can water your plant at the base or from the bottom by letting it sit in water for some time.
African Violet Light
African Violets prefer indirect bright light to thrive and continue flowering. Direct light will burn the plant’s foliage while low light levels will make your plant appear stretchy and unhealthy.
Yellowing leaves indicate that your plant is getting too much light while dark green and thin leaves are a sign of inadequate lighting. You can place your African Violet near a window with adequate lighting. If you don’t have access to natural lighting, you can use fluorescent lights.
African Violet soil type
African Violets thrive in well-draining acidic soil. If you plant your African Violet in soil with poor drainage, its plants will rot and your plant will die. Well-draining soil prevents waterlogging and keeps your plant’s roots healthy.
African Violet temperature and humidity
African Violets flourish in warm and humid conditions. The ideal temperature for an African Violet is about 70 degrees. Temperatures below 60 degrees will harm your plant. To keep the humidity level up, use a humidifier or humidity tray. We don’t recommend misting your plant as the leaves might get fungal problems or rot.
African Violet fertilizer
The African Violet will thrive with proper feeding during the growing season. Feed your plant every 2 weeks during the summer and spring. Choose a fertilizer rich in phosphorous and be careful not to over-fertilize your plant. Feed your plant only when it appears unhealthy.
Repotting African Violets
African Violets are small plants that don’t need regular repotting. The plant also flowers when root-bound. Only re-pot your plant when your plant begins to look unhealthy. Some signs you can look out for include protruding roots and falling leaves.
When repotting your African Violet, use a pot that is slightly larger than the current one. Always use fresh potting soil to re-pot your plant.
Propagating African Violets
You can propagate a new African Violet plant from leaf cuttings. Here is how.
- Cut a healthy leaf from the base of your plant
- Place your plant in a potting mix and water it
- Cover the cutting with a plastic bag
- Place the cutting in indirect bright light
- Wait for plants to grow and transfer them to a pot
African Violets Pests and Diseases
African Violets are prone to common pests namely mealy bugs, cyclamen mites, and spider mites. However, you can get rid of these pests by using neem oil or a pesticide. These plants are also prone to diseases such as crown rot, botrytis blight, and root rot. You can prevent these diseases by avoiding overwatering your plant.
African Violets toxicity
African Violets are not toxic to cats, dogs, or humans. Your African Violet is completely safe for your cats to be around. However, your playful pets can destroy your plant and you should keep your African Violet away from them.
Growing an African Violet in your home is a perfect idea if you want to bring the beauty of nature close to you. The gorgeous-looking plants add color and vibrancy to your home. Different African Violet varieties like the Cherry Princess, Loyalty African Violet, and others all have distinctive characteristics. You can buy your houseplant online and enjoy its numerous benefits. For more information, reach out to us today.