African Violets are delightful houseplants and will brighten up any room with their purple, pink, or white colors.
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Growing African Violet Plants: Watering, Light, Repotting, and Pests
Planting
How to Plant African Violets
- You can use an actual African violet potting mix or an all-purpose potting soil, as long as it is well-draining. Here鈥檚 how to create your own mix.
- Keep African violets planted in small pots and repot every few years to mix in fresh soil. Being a bit pot-bound encourages African violets to bloom more, so don鈥檛 be too quick to give them more space.
- The soil should be loose and well-drained; high organic matter content is a plus. Learn about organic soil amendments.
- When repotting African violets, don鈥檛 plant them any deeper than they were already planted, and be careful not to bury the crown. African violets鈥 stems can be susceptible to rot if kept too moist.
Growing
How to Care for African Violets
Watering
- Keep the soil lightly moist, but be careful not to overwater, as African violets鈥 soft stems are very susceptible to rot. Learn more about proper watering and care.
- 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.
Lighting
- African violets prefer bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight and keep them at least a few feet away from bright south- or west-facing windows. An east- or north-facing window gives them the best lighting without the risk of burning their sensitive 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.
Fertilizing
- During the active growing season (spring and summer), fertilize every 2 weeks with a high-phosphorous plant food. Only start fertilizing when the plant appears to need an extra boost (slow, thin growth; pale or yellowing leaves).
- Over-fertilizing is a more common problem than under-fertilizing since most soil mixes come infused with plenty of nutrients.
General African Violet Care
- According to Julie Weisenhorn, an Extension educator at the , 鈥淚f you are comfortable, your African violet is comfortable. Optimal room temperature for growing African violets is between 60掳F and 80掳F and ideally 70掳F.鈥 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.
- Blooming issues? Check out our tips on how to make sure your African violets flower.
For more information on African violets, visit the website of the .
Catherine Boeckmann
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I have one violet that has a growth like thing in the middle of my violet. Originally the violet was full of leaves but they are turning brown at the base,getting soft and die. My violets are in a east window about 24 inches from window and gets no direct hot sun. I water mostly from base but occasionally will water from top if they appear really dry. Never had this before so don鈥檛 know what to do or what is causing the growth.
We can’t explain the 鈥済rowth like thing鈥濃攁t least sight unseen. However, wet leaves or too much water can lead to the brown-edged leaves and softness you describe. It may be that the soil is not draining. The African Violet Society (linked above) may have more detail about these specific conditions here on its 鈥101鈥 pages: http://www.avsa.org/learning
I have an african violet that is several years old and has always done well. Recently I noticed two brain like growths at the base. I haven't been able to find any information about a growth like that so I am not sure if it needs to be treated or how to treat it. The plant seems to be starting to suffer. Can you provide any information about growths like this?
I have large violets and on one violet plant, there are two stems with flowers. On a couple of the flowers are green-like pod. Are these the seeds of the flowers or what might they be? Can I repost those pods like seeds or??
Yes, it does sound like the green pods that you are seeing are actually the seedpods of the African violet. These form once the flower is fertilized and the petals fade. Pods may contain 200 to 300 seeds, or some might contain few or none. The seeds are extremely tiny. A seedpod must remain on the plant to mature, which takes about 3 to 6 months. The bright green pod will eventually dry and brown, and the stem will shrivel. Once this happens, you can harvest the pod (be sure to harvest before the pod splits open) and let it sit in a cool, dry place for a week or two before sowing the seeds or storing the pod in an airtight container. The seeds, once planted, will probably not produce the same characteristics as the parents. To sow them, open the pod and scatter the seeds on moist growing medium, such as peat moss mixed with vermiculite and perlite. Cover the growing medium with plastic wrap; place in light, such as by a window with indirect light or about 10 inches under fluorescent lights for around 10 or 12 hours. Keep warm, about 75F. Keep moist by misting with water every so often. Germination, which depends on several factors, may be between 1 and 4 weeks, or even more.
My blooms died off and I snipped them, will the new blooms sprout from those same stems, or will new ones pop up? This is my first African violet.
New flowers will not emerge from an old stem, so you may snip the flower stem back to its base once all the buds have opened and faded. This will help to encourage the plant to send up new stems with new blooms.
Here are a few more tips that might help your African violets bloom.
How do you take care of African. Violet
The tips on how to care for an African Violet are on this very page! if you have further questions, please let us know.
Where can I get an African violet exactly like the one pictured here please?
