Discovering African Violets

When tending my African violet collection, I often think about the discovery of this colorful plant. The year was 1892 and the location was a small country in east Africa known at the time as Tanganyika. Amateur botanist Baron von Saint Paul, who served as imperial district governor of the country, discovered two of the plants we now call African violets.

Was Saint Paul on a plant expedition when he set out the day of the discovery? And when he spied the plants tucked in a protected spot among some rocks, did his heart skip a beat? Or maybe he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him? I can visualize him kneeling and gingerly prying the botanical jewels from the earth as their striking blue flowers shimmered in the sun. He most likely wrapped them in a remnant of moistened fabric to protect them on his trip back.

Did the Baron have any idea how popular those African discoveries would one day become when he sent flowers and seeds to his father in Germany?  The elder Baron Ulrich was so taken with their delicate beauty that he took them to his friend Hermann Wendland, director of the Royal Botanic Garden. The famed botanist determined the plant was in the Gesneriaceae family and gave it the botanical name Saintpaulia ionantha after the Baron who discovered them (Saintpaulia) and the Greek word ionantha, which means “resembling a violet.”

Today, African violets are one of the most popular flowering houseplants. These easy-to-grow favorites come in a wide array of bloom colors, including blue, white, purple, pink, mauve, lavender, cranberry, and coral, as well as variegated blooms—some even containing stripes. There are single flowers, as well as semi-double, double, and even fringed or ruffled. The leaves are generally fuzzy and tend to be oval-shaped.

In order to enjoy their blooms throughout the year, give African violets the following growing conditions.

Indirect, bright light. Sunlight from an unobstructed northern exposure window is ideal. Or place the plants under full-spectrum lighting for eight to 12 hours a day. Avoid putting plants in a southern or western window, as they tend to be too bright, and the sun’s rays burn foliage. The plants also require a minimum of eight hours of darkness every 24 hours.

Water to keep the soil moist but not soggy. African violets prefer being watered from below, because this keeps their leaves dry. Consistently wet foliage leads to foliar fungal diseases. Fill a container that is just slightly larger than the African violet pot with warm water. Submerge the violet and let it soak up the water until it stops bubbling. Or use wick irrigation, which consists of using a wick made of synthetic material like acrylic yarn that is threaded through the soil and into a water reservoir below. As the plant requires water, it pulls water up through the wick and into the soil.

Fertilize African violets monthly with a water-soluble food designed for blooming plants. Use an organic fertilizer or a one-quarter-strength solution of a chemical fertilizer. If you use a wick system, pour the fertilizer water into the water reservoir.

Humidity. If you live in a dry climate or use heating or air-conditioning, for best growth you should humidify your African violets. Wick water system reservoirs provide some humidity, as the water evaporates and humidifies the surrounding air. Or create a humidity tray. Layer gravel, pebbles, or marbles in a waterproof saucer, fill to just below the media with water, and place the pot on top. Grouping plants also increases humidity among plants.

Pinch off yellowed leaves regularly. This will create balanced looking plants and encourage new growth.

Check for mealybugs, which are fuzzy white pests resembling cotton. Spray with isopropyl alcohol to kill the insects and then brush their dried carcasses off with a soft paintbrush.

Repot every six months to a year in fresh potting soil consisting of equal parts perlite and peat moss with 1/16 part horticultural charcoal and 1/8 part worm compost.

Julie Bawden-Davis is a garden writer and master gardener, who since 1985 has written for publications such as Organic Gardening, Wildflower, Better Homes and Gardens and The Los Angeles Times. She is the author of five books, including Fairy Gardening, The Strawberry Story, and Indoor Gardening the Organic Way, and is the founder of HealthyHouseplants.com.