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Purple patch on window sill

The African Violet is a very popular flowering houseplant

PRETTY VIOLETS African violets are a charming treat for the eyes

African violets are native to tropical rain forests of Kenya and Tanzania of East Africa. In Latin, the plant is named Saintpaulia after its discoverer Baron Walter Von Saint-Paul, who also brought it to Europe. The African violet; a member of Gesneriaceae plant family, is an excellent flowering house plant which will grow and flower under low light intensities found in the average home.

It is a low, compact plant with fleshy nature and attractive dark green, thick, hairy leaves. The violet-like flowers are borne in clusters just above the foliage. Besides various shades of blue-violet, there are also pink, purple, coral and white varieties. The leaf margins are sometimes finely serrated, ruffled or lobed. Because of its small size, the ease with which it blooms in the home and the wide variety of cultivars and hybrids available, the African violet has long been one of the most popular flowering houseplants.

The most common method of propagation is by leaf cutting. Any healthy, firm, mature leaf will do. The key to the propagation of African violets is to keep the leaf surfaces dry during the rooting stage.

African Violets may also be propagated by suckers. Suckers are baby plants that are produced on the main stem of the mother plant. Simply remove each sucker from the mother plant so that the baby plant removed has its portion of the root system. Plant it in a pot filled with a garden mixture used for planting leaf cuttings. Leave the pot in shade and away from direct light until new leaves appear.

Partly sun exposed corner of a house or a sheltered verandah is well suited to grow African violets. A pot mixture comprising 8 parts coarse river sand, 2 parts soaked cocopeat and 1 part vermicompost, which is well drained, is suited for growing African violets. Plastic or earthen pots of 7-inch size are enough for growing young individual plants. The base of the pot should be filled with pebbles to cover the drainage holes so that excess water can escape with relative freedom. The pot mixture has to be filled only up to three-fourth of the pot and while planting, sufficient soil is placed in the container to cover the roots of the plant to the point where they join the body. Keep the pots on plant racks made for this purpose.

Too much water will leave the African violets susceptible to Root Rot and Crown Rot diseases. African violets do best when they get a lot of indirect sunlight. N.P.K 17:17:17 (2gms in one litre of water) applied fortnightly to the base of the plant without touching the leaves is a good fertilizer for vegetative growth as well as to induce flower buds. Pinch off spent blossoms and blossom stems to encourage development of new blooms. Plants should be repotted once in a year.

JACOB VARGHESE
(JACOBKUNTHARA@SANCHARNET.IN)

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