Success with African Violets

The African violet, known botanically as Saintpaulia, is one of the most popular flowering houseplants. African violets are easy to grow for the beginning gardener, yet offer a wide range of cultivars to satisfy the serious grower. African violets adapt well to typical growing conditions found in the home. Because of their small stature, they also adapt well to limited space gardens such as those in apartments with just a few windowsills. 

Many cultivars of African violets are available, ranging from miniatures (plants 6 inches or less in diameter) to large (over 16 inches in diameter). Flowers come in blue, purple, lavender, pink, red, and white as well as bicolored and multi-colored forms. Flower shapes also vary from single, star-shaped blooms to double, semidouble, fringed, and ruffled. Even the leaves come in different types, including ruffled, scalloped, quilted, and variegated.   

I often have questions about common problems regarding growing African violets.  Take a look at this comprehensive list for answers to some of the problems associated with African violet culture:

1) Spotted leaves - this occurs if you allow cool water to contact the leaves. Use only room temperature water.

2) Small plants with pale yellow leaves - often caused by too much light and inadequate fertilization.

3) Leaves curled downward - may be a result of too low temperatures (below 60 degrees).

4) Long leaf stalks and a few or small blooms - often results when plants don't get enough light.

5) Buds dry up - this might happen if there is not enough moisture in the air or soil and if temperatures are too high.

6) Plants wilt quickly and crown rots - likely they are getting watered too frequently and/or the drainage may be poor (due to potting mix or lack of container holes) or the plants were set too deep into the soil.

7) Leaf stalks rot where they rub against pot edge - high salt concentrations on the sides of the pot and near the soil surface damage the leaf stalks allowing the Botrytis disease organism to enter. You can protect the stalks by putting a strip of aluminum foil, paraffin, or a cardboard cover around the rim of the container.

8) No flowers - may be due to one or more of the following: temperature too low, soil is overfertilized, too much light or too much shade, too much or not enough water, or air contains stove gas. 

Excerpts taken from K-State Horticulture Newsletter by Ward Upham and the Purdue African Violet Care publication written by B. Rosie Lerner and Michael N. Dana