Native to Tanzania, African violets now inhabit US homes

By Lillian Quaranta

OSU Ext. master gardener volunteer

I’ve had a lot of questions about the beautiful African violet since our Q&A a few weeks ago.

Having success with the blooms on my plants, I wanted to know more: their origin, history, propagation techniques, pests and more.

No, I don’t plan on becoming an expert, but I do want to maintain and increase the success I’ve already had with them.

They were discovered in East Africa, in the tropical, humid environment of the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania and Kenya. And today they are grown on the kitchen shelves of homes all over the world.

First of all, they’re not really violets, but get their common name “violet” from the Greek word ionantha for violet-like.

Their scientific name (Saintpaulia Ionantha) honors a governor of a northeastern province of Tanzania, who “officially” discovered it in 1892. He sent seeds to his father (an amateur botanist) in Germany who shared them with family, friends and nurseries in Europe.

In 1925, thousands of seeds were ordered by a Los Angeles nursery and were commercially grown for the first time.

From the original parent plant came Blue Boy, next a red mutation, a double blue, a pink, miniatures and thousands of varieties with fluted edges, bicolored leaves and flowers from white to a deep, almost black-purple.

Propagating is not difficult. The easiest way is to cut a leaf close to the crown of the plant with at least an inch of stalk (petiole) to firmly plant in the potting mix (they appreciate a tight soil mix). Water them without touching the leaf; then cover with clear plastic, creating a humid environment, and place the tray in a warm spot in bright light. Wait two weeks.

You will see shoots from new growth forming at the base of the stalk; when two to three leaves appear, transplant into a pot.

Some growers cut the leaf from the mother plant and set it in a small glass of water for roots to grow, then transplant.

Water from the top or bottom modestly and use liquid fertilizer mixed in water once a month.

You might want to rotate the pot periodically for a rounded, fuller plant.

Trim bottom leaves when they look limp, again for appearance.

Common diseases or pests of African violets are few, but watch out for crown and root rot – a soft and mushy crown, drooping older leaves, and stunted younger leaves in the center of the plant. Watering too much, poor drainage, or planting too deeply are the causes.

To prevent root problems, water sparingly and use sterilized pots and potting mixes.

Pinch off and discard misshapen leaves and flowers immediately and do not plant deeply.

Mealy bugs are another problem. They include the citrus mealybug (Planococcus citri) and the Comstock mealybug (Pseudococcus comstocki). They’re about º-inch in length, have soft bodies and are covered with a white waxy material that makes them look cottony. They are found on leaves, stems and in leaf-crotches.

Inspecting all new plants brought into the house is smart. A light infestation can be handled with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol. Lightly swab to remove them.

For growing tips, go to http://go.osu.edu/growviolets .