Caption
African Violets are delightful houseplants and will brighten up any room with their purple, pink, or white colors.
Planting
How to Plant African Violets
- You can use an African violet–specific potting mix or an all-purpose potting mix, 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 in fresh potting mix. Being a bit pot-bound encourages African violets to bloom more, so don’t be too quick to give them more space.
- The potting mix should be loose and well-draining; 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 planted previously, and be careful not to bury the crown. African violets‘ stems can be susceptible to rot if kept too moist.
Growing
How to Care for African Violets
- According to Julie Weisenhorn, an Extension educator at the University of Minnesota, “If you are comfortable, your African violet is comfortable.” Optimal room temperature for growing African violets is between 60° and 80°F and ideally 70°F.” However, 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.
For more information on African violets, visit the website of the African Violet Society of America.
African Violet Troubleshooting Chart
| Problem | Likely Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| No flowers | Too little light; too much nitrogen; plant too cold | Move to bright, indirect light; switch to a bloom-boosting fertilizer; keep temps 65°–75°F |
| Leaves turning yellow | Overwatering; poor drainage; old leaves | Allow soil to dry slightly between waterings; use a pot with drainage; remove aging outer leaves |
| Wilting leaves | Root rot or underwatering | Check soil moisture; trim rotted roots and repot in fresh mix; water consistently |
| Mushy or collapsing crown | Crown rot from cold water or water sitting on leaves | Water from the bottom; avoid splashing leaves; keep water lukewarm |
| Brown leaf spots | Cold water; sun scorch | Use room-temperature water; keep out of direct sunlight |
| Pale or stretched leaves | Insufficient light | Move plant closer to a bright window or use grow lights |
| Curled or brittle leaves | Low humidity; cold drafts | Increase humidity with a tray or humidifier; move away from vents |
| White crust on soil | Salt buildup from fertilizer or hard water | Flush soil monthly with distilled water; fertilize lightly |
| Slow growth | Root-bound plant; nutrient deficiency | Repot every 6–12 months; fertilize regularly at low strength |
| Flowers fade quickly | Heat stress; dry air | Keep temperatures moderate; increase humidity |
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.
Artificial lighting works well, too. Use fluorescent or LED bulbs to supplement natural lighting.
Thin, dark green leaves and leggy stems tell you the plant is getting too little light; light green or bleached leaves indicate too much light.
Overfertilizing is a more common problem than underfertilizing since most potting mixes come infused with plenty of nutrients.
Types
Hundreds of varieties and hybrids exist, from miniature violets to trailing varieties! They differ mainly in the colors of their flowers, which range from white to purple, though some varieties also have variegation in their foliage and flowers.
African violets are typically classified by size, based on how wide they grow:
- Miniature: less than 8 inches across
- Standard: 8–16 inches across
- Large: more than 16 inches across
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Comments
African violets grow well under artificial light, such as in an office. Try it out!
If you are using African Violet plant food, that's a good thing; it's fertilizer that's high nitrogen content which causes leaf growth at the expense of blooms. If you have old leaves, it's OK to remove them.
The usual reason African Violets do not bloom is lack of light. They could do with 12 hours of bright light! You say your plant is getting plenty of light, however, fall is approaching and the daylight hours are lessening. If you really wanted blooms in fall/winter, you could consider inexpensive “cool white” fluorescent lights. Here are more reasons for lack of blooms:
http://www.avsa.org/faq-blooming
If your African Violet flowers turn brown, it's possible that your plant has Botrytis blight which is caused by a fungus from too much humidity and poor air circulation. Isolate the infected plant
and remove the diseased leaves and blooms. Increase air circulation by spacing plants at least 1 foot apart. You can also apply a fungicide. We would suggesting taking a sample to your local cooperative extension or garden nursery.
African violets have special needs as they are jungle natives. They tend to do better in their own pots--with special African violet soil and fertilizer (or any good potting soil with peat moss plus perlite to keep the soil porous). The pot should be small. A good rule of thumb is to choose a pot that is a third of the diameter of their leaf spread. They like more humidity so it helps to use warm water and set them on small gravel-filled saucers with enough water to keep humidity high as it evaporates. They don't like cold temperature so keep them away from A/C. Just keep soil moist, not soggy nor dry.