African Violets are delightful houseplants and will brighten up any room with their purple, pink, or white colors.
How to Care for African Violets
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How to Plant African Violets
- You can use an actual African violet potting mix or an all-purpose potting soil, as long as it is well-draining. Here’s how to create your own mix.
- Keep African violets planted in small pots and repot every few years to mix in fresh soil. Being a bit pot-bound encourages African violets to bloom more, so don’t be too quick to give them more space.
- The soil should be loose and well-drained, and high organic matter content is a plus. Learn about organic soil amendments.
- When repotting African violets, don’t plant them any deeper than they were already planted, and be careful not to bury the crown of the plant. African violets’ stems can be susceptible to rot if kept too moist.
How to Care for African Violets
Watering
- Keep the soil lightly moist, but be careful not to overwater, as African violets’ soft stems are very susceptible to rot.
- Use room-temperature water, as chilled water can leave marks on the leaves.
- Leaves are susceptible to rot and fungal spots if kept in high humidity, so water African violets from the bottom to avoid getting excess water on the foliage.
Lighting
- African violets prefer bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight and keep them at least a few feet away from bright south- or west-facing windows. An east- or north-facing window gives them the best lighting without the risk of burning their sensitive foliage.
- Artificial lighting works well, too. Use fluorescent or LED bulbs to supplement natural lighting.
- Thin, dark green leaves and leggy stems tell you that the plant is getting too little light; light green or bleached leaves indicate too much light.
Fertilizing
- During the active growing season (spring and summer), fertilize every 2 weeks with a high phosphorous plant food. Only start to fertilize when the plant appears to need an extra boost (slow, thin growth; pale or yellowing leaves).
- Over-fertilizing is a more common problem than under-fertilizing, since most soil mixes come infused with plenty of nutrients.
General Care
- Many varieties prefer warm conditions (65°F/18°C or warmer) though some are more tolerant of cooler conditions. In any case, keep them away from drafty windows in winter.
- Plants should be shifted to larger pots as they grow, but keeping African violets slightly root-bound can encourage them to bloom. One sign that your violet needs repotting is wilted leaves.
- The fuzzy leaves have a tendency to collect dust and dirt. Brush them off gently with a small, soft-bristled paintbrush.
- Blooming issues? Check out our tips on how to make sure your African violets flower.
For more information on African violets, visit the website for the African Violet Society of America at www.avsa.org.
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Is there anything I can use the beautiful flowers for? A craft or soap coloring perhaps? I've read that they are not edible but they are so cute!
Interesting question, Andrea.
We are not aware of ways to use the flowers of African violets. It would be interesting in soap; we don’t know it is too delicate, but try it!
I have 5 African violets in a long pot. They were growing great for 10 years and now they are growing these big long roots. I am going to put them in their own pots and water them from the bottom. But what do I do with this long root which looks like a vegetable? Can I cut it off? Will that harm it? Thank you.
Hi, Doris. It sounds like your African violet has developed a “neck.” The African Violet Society of America has a step by step guide for how to repot an African violet with a neck. See here: https://africanvioletsocietyofamerica.org/learn/violets-101/repotting-a-violet-with-a-neck/
My cat knocked the top of my African violet off. Can I save the plant?
Is there any way to save an overwatered african violet?
It depends on how far gone it seems to be. If the stem is fully rotted through, then it’s unlikely that it can recover. However, if only some of the roots have “root rot” due to moisture, you can trim off those bits and repot in fresh soil.
HELP!
I was given a beautiful Africian Violet plant and it was left in the car overnight, it looks very sad and the leaves are no longer a pretty color.
How can I save this plant?
Repot the plant in clean african viloet potting mix; water ; put in indirect sunlight;
My plant is almost 50 years old. From the original plant that I received from a friend, two off-shoots have grown in the same pot. It is a bit crowded, but they all seem healthy and bloom almost constantly. I have also started a couple of new plants from the "cut-leaf" system.
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