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African-violet (Saintpaulia ionantha)

Saintpaulia ionantha is an evergreen tropical herbaceous plant with rosette growth; wild forms range from rosette-forming to creeping and stem-forming, while cultivated forms are mainly rosette-forming or trailing. It is an evergreen perennial herb.

LightProvide bright filtered light or partial shade and avoid strong direct sunlight; indoors it can be placed by an east- or west-facing window.
WaterKeep the growing medium moist but well drained, allowing the surface to dry between waterings, and water more sparingly in winter. Water can be supplied from the bottom of the pot, while prolonged wetting of the leaves s
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African-violet illustration

Overview

Saintpaulia ionantha is an evergreen tropical herbaceous plant with rosette growth; wild forms range from rosette-forming to creeping and stem-forming, while cultivated forms are mainly rosette-forming or trailing. It is an evergreen perennial herb.

Origin and habitat

Sources differ in their accounts of its native range in Tanzania, Africa, describing eastern and southwestern Tanzania and specifically recording the Usambara Mountains as native habitat; it is widely cultivated worldwide. Wild plants are reported to grow in the shaded herb layer of forests or in moist rocky habitats. It occurs in tropical conditions, does not tolerate frost, and is suited to protected, warm environments.

Characteristics

Sources differ on mature height, placing it at about 10–20 cm, while mature spread is 10–50 cm. Leaves are generally arranged in a basal rosette and borne on petioles; they range from fleshy to very thin, from ovate or elliptic to nearly round, with a heart-shaped base and varying degrees of hairiness, while cultivated plants are often described as having nearly round, fleshy, hairy green leaves whose undersides may be reddish green. The flowers are bisexual and bilaterally symmetrical, with a tubular, upper-and-lower-lipped corolla; wild forms have fertile stamens with bright yellow anthers, while cultivated forms include red, purple, blue, white, and pink flowers as well as single, semi-double, double, ruffled, star-shaped, bee-shaped, cup-shaped, and bell-shaped forms. Under suitable cultivation it can flower throughout the year, and the fruit is reported to be a capsule ranging from broadly ovate to narrowly cylindrical, with seeds bearing wart-like structures and longitudinal ridges.

Light

Provide bright filtered light or partial shade and avoid strong direct sunlight; indoors it can be placed by an east- or west-facing window.

Watering

Keep the growing medium moist but well drained, allowing the surface to dry between waterings, and water more sparingly in winter. Water can be supplied from the bottom of the pot, while prolonged wetting of the leaves should be avoided; standing water and overwatering can cause rot.

Growing medium and mounting

Use a fertile, fast-draining growing medium; a mixture based on sphagnum peat, vermiculite, and perlite is described, while RHS also lists loamy, moist but well-drained, acidic to neutral conditions.

Feeding

A highly fertile growing medium is needed for continued reblooming, and a high-potassium fertilizer can be applied during the growing season.

Propagation

It is reported to be propagated from leaf cuttings in summer.

Common problems

Reported pests include mealybugs, thrips, weevils, cyclamen or tarsonemid mites, and greenhouse leafhoppers. Crown and root rots and grey mould may occur, and RHS also lists a risk of powdery mildew. Overwatering is a major cultivation problem and can cause the plant to rot, while water remaining on the leaves can leave spots or ring marks. It does not tolerate frost, dry air, or very cold irrigation water; sources also indicate that sufficiently low night temperatures can suppress growth and lead to a longer recovery period.

Identification

Hairy leaves form a basal rosette from the center of the plant, and flowers are commonly in blue-purple to red hues; typical flowers have a tubular, bilaterally symmetrical corolla and conspicuous bright yellow anthers.

Photos

Saintpaulia ionantha
📷 Wildfeuer · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Sources