When I was growing up, my mother always had a three-tiered stand filled with African violets in the dining room. It was like having a year-round garden right inside our house; something was always in bloom. My mother, a good gardener, took great joy in propagating the violets and sharing them with friends.

Believe it or not, African violets actually do come from Africa! It isn’t really a violet, but belongs to the family Gesneriaceae, which includes Florist Gloxinias, Lipstick Plant, and Cape Primrose (one of my personal favorites). The name, African violet, comes from the country of origin and the color of the flower.

The common name, African violet, comes from its original location, Africa, the flower color of the native, and its similarity to the violet’s form.

Baron Walter von Saint Paul, the German Governor of a northeast province of what is now Tanzania, was the first to send samples to Europe. The genus name Saintpaulia comes from his name.

Over the years, hybridizers have developed African violets in numerous sizes, growth habits, and colors. There are now over 100 varieties ranging in size from miniatures (6 inches or less in diameter) to large (over 18 inches across). Flowers come in blue, purple, lavender, pink, red, and white as well as bicolored and multicolored forms. The flower shapes can vary from single, star-shaped blooms to double, semi-double, fringed and even ruffled. No wonder there are so many African violet collectors!

Caring for African violets is easier than you might think. They adapt easily to typical growing conditions indoors and are small enough for homes with limited space.

As with all plants, proper light is important for good growth and bloom. A north or east facing window is usually best. To ensure even growth, it’s advisable to turn the plant occasionally so the same side isn’t always facing the sun. I turn mine ¼ turn every time I water them.

Fluorescent lights are preferred by many growers to improve bloom. If you want to use lights, the wide spectrum tubes work best. African violets require about 600 foot-candles of light for 15 hours per day. The lights should be suspended 12 to 15 inches above the plants.

African violets grow best at 65 to 70 degrees. To prevent plants on windowsills from getting too cold at night, it’s best to remove plants from the window or put a layer of paper between the plant and the window each night. This seems quite tedious to me so finding a better spot would be much easier.

Since African violets are tropical plants, they need sufficient humidity. If you have a humidifier, that should be helpful. Individual plants can be placed on a pebble tray consisting of a tray lined with pebbles, gravel, pearlite or an inverted pot tray in which water can be added. The rock lining is necessary to keep the bottom of the plant from touching the water and causing rot. It will evaporate and provide the necessary humidity. This technique is actually beneficial to most house plants.

You can purchase potting soil specific to African violets or make your own with one part each of potting soil, sphagnum peat, and perlite. African violets prefer a loose soil.

Almost any type of container can be used as long as it has drainage.

Watering is very important. Too much is just as bad as too little. One of the keys is to keep water off the leaves and crown of the plant. If watering from the bottom, put the plant in a dish or container of water until it soaks up enough water to make the plant moist. Make sure to drain off any excess water. When watering from the top, be careful not to get any water on the leaves. When the water drips through the bottom of the pot, it indicates sufficient water. Whatever method you use, never let the plant sit in standing water. This will rot the roots and eventually kill the plant.

Fertilizing is helpful for good blooming. Fertilizers specific for African violets are good or you can use one formulated for blooming houseplants. It’s best not to fertilize in the winter unless the plants are grown under artificial light.

African violets are fairly easy to propagate. The easiest way is by rooting a leaf. Separate a mature, but not old, leaf from the mother plant. Leave 1 to 1/12 inch of the leaf stem intact. Dip the end of the stem in a rooting compound and plant it in a rooting medium of coarse sand, vermiculite, or half sand and half vermiculite. Cuttings work best at 65-75 degrees with high humidity. Putting a loose plastic bag over the cutting helps retrain humidity. Roots should grow in 4 to 6 weeks. You can tell if the roots have grown by gently pulling on the leaf. If the stem resists, roots have grown and you can remove the plastic bag.

This article barely scratches the surface of information on African violets. One indication of how popular these plants are is the number of books on the subject. Many are available at your local library. If you would like more information on African violets you can contact The African Violet Society of America (http://www.avsa.org).

Give this plant a try!