My Top Ten and Keeper Lists
They are available online at: http://photobucket.com/MyFavoriteViolets
Sharing my African violet adventure, and some of my favorite violet things!
"Limit Your Collection!'
As The African Violet Story Unfolded..... (Sections quoted from The Colourful World of African Violets by A.G.W. Simpson) "Walter von Saint Paul sent a collection of African Violets to his father, the Baron von Saint Paul, who owned estates on German Upper Silesia. We must assume that the baron had glasshouses, as that German province is one of the coldest parts of Germany. Baron von Saint Paul was intriqued by the plants and sent part of his collection to Herr Herman Wendland, at that time director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Herrenhausen." |
"....giving the generic name of Saintpaulia meant that Herr Wendland also had to give it a specie name as well, and when he studied the plant he saw that the most characteristic part was its violet blue flower. Thus he called it ionantha. "Ion" is Greek for violet and "antha" means flowering. Thus we have the descriptive name of "Violet-flowering Saintpaulis", or Saintpaulia ionantha."
"The original African violet found growing in Tanganyika was Saintpaulia ionantha. Saintpaulia confusa, another specie, was also found. Once the specie S. ionantha was crossed with the specie S. confusa a range of plants was produced which are known as "varieties", or more correctly, "cultivars". Varieties are bred by nature in the wild, whereas cultivars are bred by man. Modern cultivars are Blue Boy, Amethyst, Sweetheart Blue and many more."
"...We are told that von Saint Paul sent more than one species of African Violet to his father. Two species for sure were S. ionantha and S. confusa. therefore from those humble beginnings Suttons and Ernst Benary developed their various cultivars."
"Armcost and Royston, a famous Californian grower, imported hybrid seed from Suttons (UK) and Ernst Benary (Germany) and bred them on. and from more than 1000 seedlings, they could select only 10 good cultivatars. They were Admiral, Amethyst, Blue boy, Commodore, Mermaid, Neptune, Norseman, Sailor Boy, Viking, and No. 32. ...."
"In 1939 a gentleman named Ed Wangbickler was sorting through a batch of African Violets he had grown, when, clustered in a group of Blue Boy, he saw a strange mutation. It was a beautiful double blue...."
"...In 1940 the famous nursery of Holton and Hunkel was sorting through a batch of Blue Boy, and there, standing like a beacon in a blue night, was the first recorded single clear pink...."
"We are still in the '40's. Peter Ruggeri discovered and grew a white culivar, which he named White Lady."
"....The Fischeer Greenhouses produced a ruffled flower known as the Fringette Series. The DuPont strain with its begonia-like leaves appeared. The Fantasy types with their "splashed" petals made a great impact. And the Rhapsodies, with their elegant habit and extravagant floral abundance, took the African Violet world by storm."
"In 1954 a gentleman named Lyndon Lyon exhibited four African Violets at the National African Violet Show in Saint Louis. It triggered off great excitement. Why? The plants were the first elusive double pinks. And one in particular which caused quite a stir was Ohio Beautiful."
(The following is adapted from an AVM article in the Jan/Feb 2003 issue written by Dr. Jeff Smith, entitled 'Thank Goodness for Sports'. Includes photos and info regarding Janet Stromborg's recent series of sports. Please read it, it is interesting!)
Table 2. Important Sports or Mutations in African Violets
Double Flowers 1939 Mutant of 'Blue Boy'
Pink Flowers 1940 Mutant of 'Blue Boy'
Girl Foliage 1941 Mutant of 'Blue Boy'
Fantasy Flowers 1949
Geneva Edges 1950
Star-Shaped Flowers 1952
Fringed Flowers 1953
Bustled Foliage 1957
"Tommie Lou" 1959 Found as a sport of 'White Pride'
"Lillian Jarrett" or 1961 Found in a sport of 'Lilian Jarrett'
Coral Pigments 1963
Yellow Flowers 1989
Trail of Progress
At the sight of each new cultivar we express surprise and admiration and cannot help but wonder what is coming next or where the path of this plant's fascinating development will lead us. In our ecstasy, we are apt to forget that this has been going on for quite a long time and that once upon a time there was an humble and uncertain beginning for this Cinderella.
To pick up the thread of history of our favorite plant, we must go back to the year 1892, when a young German nature lover and colonial official in the service of his country, found the first African violet plants. He did so while walking through the beautiful primeval forests of the Usambara Mountains and the shaded Coastal Plains near Tanga in Tanganyika, German East Africa. Plants were found in both localities. His name was Baron Walter von Saint Paul-Illaire. He was the Imperial District Captain of Usambara, a province of East Tanganyika, Territory of East Africa. Knowing that his father, Hofsmarsehal Baron Ulrich von Saint Paul-Illaire, of Fisehbach in Silesia, Germany would be interested in his discovery, he sent him some of the plants or seeds. There seems to be some disagreement as to whether the plants were sent in a dry state as botanical specimens or whether an attempt was made to deliver them in living condition. The boat trip required several weeks and it seems doubtful that proper care could have been given them to survive the long trip as live plants.
Be that as it may, there undoubtedly were some seed pods sent along with the plants to the father. Specimens of these plants were sent to the Hofsmarschal's good friend Herman Wendland, a noted botanist of his day and at that time, Director of the Royal Botanical Gardens of Herrenhausen (Hanover), Germany. Wendland grew the plants he received. A year later he identified and named the genus Saintpaulia, in honor of the Saint Paul family, and because of its violet-like flowers he gave it the species name lonantha. In 1393 they were exhibited at the Ghent Quinquennial Exhibition, held from April 16 to 23, 1893, where they created much interest. The firm of Ernst Benary, Erfurt, Germany was assigned the commercial rights for distribution of seeds.
It is not known just how much progress was made in the propagation and selective breeding of Saintpaulias during the next number of years, in either England or Germany. Plants were brought to America about 1894 by a New York florist George Stumpp who purchased then. in Germany. Two plants of this shipment were sold to a Philadelphia florist William K. Harris, who probably grew some and sold them to his customers.
There was quite a gap in the trail of events before we again pick it up about 1927, when Walter Armacost of Armacost and Royston, Inc. Los Angeles, California obtained seeds from both England and Germany. His first attempt to grow them produced about a thousand plants. He noticed considerable variation in the lot selected and saved about a hundred of the most likely ones for further propagation and breeding.
Several years later, he made his final selection of plants and in 1936 issued a price list offering them to growers across the country. Of course, among them was the old pioneer, Blue Boy. Others were Admiral, Amethyst, Sailor Boy. Commodore. Neptune, Norseman. Mermaid, Viking and No. 32. Popularity of the plants spread rapidly and they were soon grown in considerable numbers.
About this time Mrs. William K. duPont of Wilmington, Delaware purchased seeds from Suttons of London, England. Among the seedlings raised was one with outstanding heavy foliage. Through hybridizing and selection Mrs. dupont developed the duPont strain of Saintpaulias from this plant.
On May 5, 1942 plant patent No. 514 was granted to Frank Brockner, assignor to Holton & Hunkle Company, Milwaukee, Wis., for Pink Beauty a mutant of Blue Boy. Pink Beauty was the first clear true pink. The inevitable soon happened and Nature asserted itself in a greenhouse bench of a mid-west grower by producing the first break or mutant to the girl type foliage from Blue Boy. Thus Blue Girl was born. The Ulery Greenhouses, Springfield, Ohio was granted a plant patent No. 535 on July 28, 1942 on Blue Girl. Another mutation, resulting from the hybridizing efforts of Peter Ruggeri, Silver Terrace Nursery, produced a pure white African violet White Lady. Mr. Ruggeri applied for the patent and assigned the rights to the Fred C. Gloeckner & Company, Inc., New York, N.Y. who were granted plant patent No. 597, August 3, 1943.
Events followed in rapid succession with the appearance of Red Head and the many. many intermediate shades of reds, orchids and blues. It was an exciting and enchanting time in the Saintpaulia world.
In 1948 we received another even greater surprise with the introduction of the first doubles Duchess and Double Neptune. A number of various color shades on double flowers were soon available and the clamor for the first double pink was on. . . . Rumors were flying hard and fast but strangely enough, it was not until 1954 when not one but at least five double pinks were announced simultaneously.
There may be some significance in this, because a short time previously we were told, by a noted mid-west geneticist, how to proceed to obtain double pinks with the plants we already had on hand by applying the principles of Mendel's Laws of Inheritance. Many growers heeded his advice and got the desired results promptly
The writer knows of one instance, however, where this was not necessarily so. A beautiful double pink, as fine as any, appeared among a few seedlings of a local amateur grower, from seeds purchased of a commercial producer. Here the correct cross may have been made accidentally, or it may possibly have been another mutation.
After the flurry of double pinks subsided somewhat, it appeared, for a time, that we were entering a period of monotony and stagnation of interest because hundreds of new cultivars were being introduced with practically no variation of flower or leaf from older plants. The larger growers, no doubt sensed this and set out to correct the situation, at least to some extent, by striving toward more floriferous plants, larger blooms and variegated or multicolored foliage.
Results from such radical attempts as chemical treatment and radiation, so far as is generally known, have been disappointing but who can tell what the future will bring to a house plant with such universal popularity? And to think that it all probably started with a few little shriveled seed pods long ago!
What Happened to My Plants
Providing good nutrition for our African violet plants involves more than purchasing a fertilizer product and applying it to the plants. We need a basic knowledge of what a plant needs and how a specific nutrient effects a plant under a given set of conditions. If we understand how to use specific fertilizer elements we may use them to obtain a desired response from our plants. A familiar example of this is seen when we reduce the use of nitrogen in our fertilization program in an effort to enhance variegation in certain cultivars.
There are 16 chemical elements which are essential for plant growth. Often we see them grouped into two groups, the non- mineral elements and the mineral elements.
The 3 non-mineral elements are Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), and Oxygen (0). These elements are obtained from water and from the air. They are utilized in the form of H20, water and C02, Carbon dioxide, in the process of photosynthesis. A deficiency of carbon dioxide, water or light can result in reduced growth but may produce no other visible symptoms.
The 13 mineral elements essential for normal plant growth are absorbed from the soil (potting media). These elements are divided into 3 groups; the primary nutrients, the secondary nutrients and the micronutrient.
Primary Nutrients are often called the fertilizer nutrients. They consist of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K). The percentages reported on many commercial fertilizer containers refer to these nutrients. For example, 5-10-5 refers to the percent of N, P & K respectively in the product.
Secondary Nutrients are often deficient in soils but not nearly so often as the primary nutrients. These nutrients are: Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg) & Sulfur (5). These nutrients are utilized in many processes which takes place in the plant and deficiencies seriously effect plant health.
Micronutrient are often called minor elements or trace elements. Many commercial products have one or more of these elements added. Micronutrient included; Mn - Manganese, Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Boron (B), Molybdenum (Mo) and Chlorine (Cl).
Although essential in trace amounts these micronutrient in excess amounts can be toxic to plants, resulting in damage to the plants which is as serious or more serious than if they occurred in deficient amounts.
The availability and utilization of all plant nutrients are affected by water, temperature, light and pH.
In general water which is often called the universal solvent is necessary for dissolution and transport of nutrients throughout the plant system and for the completion of many of the continuous processes which go on within a plant. Temperature, within its tolerant range regulates the speed of reactions within a plant; initiating some reactions, speeding up reactions, slowing reaction and stopping some reactions. Light acts as a power source, also effecting reactions.
These 3 factors have been discussed in detail in a previous article in the AVSA Magazine (Vol. 50, No. 6, pp 12-14).
SOIL pH
The pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a substance; soil, water, etc. It is measured on a scale of from 0 -14. A pH of 7 is neutral. A pH above 7 is alkaline, like ammonia and a pH below 7 is acid, like vinegar.
When soil particles are saturated with ions of calcium, magnesium, potassium or sodium it has a high pH and is said to be basic or alkaline. These soils are often referred to as 'sweet' soils. When these ions are replaced with hydrogen ions the soil has a low pH and is said to be acid. These soils are often referred to as 'sour' soils. Leaching is a common cause of sour soils, as the ions creating a high pH are leached out and are replaced with H ions.
The pH of the media in which plants are grown can greatly affect their health. The pH plays an important role in determining which nutrients are available and in what amounts.
This is especially true in the case of K, C, Mg and S. Nutrients can either be tied up and unviable or released in toxic amounts, depending upon the pH.
The most favorable pH for nutrient uptake by plants ranges from 6.3 - 6.7. However, certain plants prefer more acid conditions while others thrive in higher alkaline conditions. African violets prefer a pH of 6.5-6.7.
PLANT NUTRITION
It is extremely difficult to induce nutrient deficiency symptoms in the African Violet. Research has shown that you may grow AV's in sterile soil for 18-24 mos. and still show no symptoms and a specific nutrient deficiency.
The African violet stores nutrients in its stems, petioles and leaves. This makes the plant a very well buffered system which is capable of 'borrowing' nutrients from one part of the plant to feed another part. This movement of nutrients and 'food' from one part of the plant to another is known as translocation. Seldom do symptoms of nutrient deficiencies appear in AV's while the deficiency occurs, however symptoms may occur much later, sometimes even after the problem has been corrected.
PLANT FOOD
When we fertilize African violets we put nutrients into the soil not plant food. African violets, like other plants, manufacture their own food. Nutrients are taken up by the roots and transported to the leaves. Here in the presence of light, using chlorophyll as a catalyst the nutrients are, through the process of photosynthesis, manufactured into amino acids, proteins, starches, sugar, carbohydrates and other products that plants use as food for plant growth and development. The products of photosynthesis, plant food, is then translocated to other areas of the plant where they are used by the plant or stored for future use.
FERTILIZATION
The soil or potting media in which plants grow serves as a pantry to accumulate and store nutrients for use by plants.
Of all of the essential nutrient elements only Nitrogen moves freely through the soil in the form of nitrates. Nitrogen is readily water soluble and can travel anywhere water can go. The other nutrients move little to none and are available only where plant roots reach them. The availability of nutrients in the soil is effected by temperature and soil pH.
PRIMARY NUTRIENTS
Nitrogen is abundantly available in nature but not in a form available to plants. Plants take up N in the form of nitrate salts and ammonium salts. These are converted into amino acids. Amino acids are combined to form proteins. Proteins are used to build plant tissues.
Nitrogen is often referred to as the 'foliage' nutrient. Fertilizing a plant deficient in N often results in a quick spurt of plant growth and an intensification of the green color as N is found in the chlorophyll molecule which gives a plant its green color.
A deficiency in N produces a condition called chlorosis. This is manifest in a loss of green color and the plants appear 'yellowed' or faded in color. The older leaves of a plant are the first affected because nitrogen, is translocated from older tissue to the younger actively growing tissue in the crown of a plant, leaving the older leaves deficient in the element.
Phosphorus is necessary for the utilization of energy in plant metabolism. It is necessary for the photosynthetic reaction which transforms the energy of light into carbohydrates. Phosphorus is essential for proper cell division. A deficiency in P results in reduced growth, thin stalks, small leaves and in severe deficiencies a stunned growth.
A deficiency in P often results in a reddish, purplish or brown color developing in plant leaves, especially along the leaf veins. Phosphorus is often referred to as the 'root' nutrient and is often applied to give the root system of young plants a boost.
Potassium is needed for protein and carbohydrate formulation. Potassium activates specific enzymes in a plant and regulates a number of chemical reactions necessary for
metabolism and growth. Potassium enhances the plant's ability to resist disease, cold temperature and other adverse conditions.
Plants deficient in K may show a dark green or blue- green color. Necrotic (dead) spots may occur on leaves or along the leaf margin. Plant growth is slowed under severe conditions. Blossom and seed formulation can be affected.
Symptoms will appear on the older leaves first as K is translocated from the older to the younger leaves.
Potassium is often referred to as the blossom or seed nutrient.
SECONDARY NUTRIENTS
Calcium is a component of the cell wall. It is necessary for cell division and elongation. Calcium acts as a cement to hold cell walls together and to hold one cell to another, building tissue.
As Ca is not translocated in appreciable amounts, symptoms are found first and most severely in the youngest leaves or crown of a plant. In severe deficiencies the growing part of plants may die. Plants deficient in Ca may have very poor root growth and damaged roots making them very susceptible to infection by bacteria and fungi.
A delicate balance in Ca is necessary in plants. A deficiency may create a toxicity of aluminum, boron, magnesium or potassium.
Magnesium is the key element in the chlorophyll molecule. It is often called the 'companion for phosphorous' as the two combine, facilitating their movement to their proper site in a plant for utilization. Magnesium is necessary for amino acid and fat synthesis. It also affects the viability of seeds.
Magnesium is readily translocated so symptoms will be found in the oldest leaves first. Deficient plants may show marginal chlorosis or chlorosis may appear as yellowish blotches on a leaf. Damaged leaves often show a yellow, orange or red pigmentation.
Sulfur is needed for the formation of new cells and chlorophyll. Sulfur is a component of certain amino acids which are found in most protein molecules.
Symptoms of S deficiency appear much like those of N. deficiency. Plants are chlorotic, spindly and grown poorly.
MICRONUTRIENT
Iron, although needed in very small amounts, is most essential to the health of plants. Iron functions as a catalyst in the formation of chlorophyll. It also acts as an oxygen carrier within the plant. In acid conditions iron is readily available but under alkaline conditions iron is held in a form not available to most plants.
Deficient plants show symptoms in the youngest tissue first, as iron is not readily translocated within the plant.
The first signs of a deficiency appears as a pale green color of the tissue between the leaf veins while the veins themselves remain green. Under severe deficiency entire leaves or even an entire plant will become yellow to almost white and the leaves may begin to die from the tip back.
Manganese activates enzymes involved in chlorophyll formation. Symptoms appear in the youngest leaves first and look much like iron deficiency with yellowing between the leaf veins. Sometimes brownish or blackish spots may occur along a leaf. The tissue in the spots may eventually die causing dead spots or streaks between leaf veins.
Zinc deficiency may cause conditions called 'little leaf' and 'rosette'. These conditions are the result of abnormal tissue growth. Leaves may become twisted and may have necrotic spots within the leaf.
Copper deficient plants often have leaves which are dark green in color and have their margins rolled up. Flowering and fruiting are curtailed.
Boron deficiency may be seen as damaged plant terminals. Tissue may appear hard, dry and brittle. Leaves may become distorted and the stems may be rough and cracked: Corky ridges or spots may appear on the plant stem.
Molybdenum deficiency will appear as a chlorosis between leaf veins. Leaves often appear mottled and their margins tend to curl or roll up.
Chlorine deficiencies apparently do not occur naturally. Only artificially induced deficiencies have been observed in plants.
When all of the above information has been digested you may want to go to the following key to plant-nutrient deficiencies and try your hand at identifying some plant- nutrient problems.
To use this key read 1 a and l b. Observe your problem plant and see which of the statements your plant fits. Then proceed to the next couplet of statements as directed by your choice (1 a or 1 b). Continue in this manner until a statement indicates the specific nutrient responsible for your set of plant symptoms.
Key to Plant-Nutrient Deficiencies
Vegetative Propagation
By Frances Batcheller
May - June 1964, Gesneriad Saintpaulia News, pages 16-17
The Gesneriad family has a remarkable capacity for vegetative reproduction. Only two other plant families Crassulaceae and Begonieae have similar abilities. This characteristic is a large factor in their popularity, with the home grower who likes to share favorite plants, with the commercial grower who needs rapid multiplication and with the hybridizer who wants to perpetuate sterile hybrids. Gesneriads can be propagated from single leaves, auxilliary shoots, offsets, stolons, or tip cuttings as well as by the normal methods used by the plant for propagation with scaly rhizomes, propagules or tubers. With all these methods to work from, successful propagation can be achieved by any one willing to devote time and effort to the project.
The single leaf method is extensively used with Saintpaulia and Sinningia. The leaf may be rooted in several ways. It will generally root in water. Wax paper or metal foil should be placed over the top of the container and held down with an elastic. Holes are punched to allow the stem to reach the water. The water level must be kept high enough to reach the end of the stem during the rooting process. The main advantage of this method is visibility and being able to check on progress.
It also uses materials readily available to anyone. The main disadvantage is that the roots which develop are apt to be weak and clump together when the leaf is transferred to a pot.
Another method is to use a shallow container filled with a porous rooting medium such as moss, vermiculite or perlite. The stems are inserted in this medium which is kept damp. This method can be used for short-stemmed or stemless leaves. The roots which form are generally much stronger than by the water method and are far easier to transplant. The rooting medium should be kept loose and well aerated.
A third method is to put about two inches of damp vermiculite in the bottom of a plastic bag and insert the stems in this medium. A coat hanger will hold several bags fastened with clip clothespins. This method saves space and requires little attention. If the vermiculite is too damp, there may be some rotting of the leaves. It should be checked carefully for the first week. Leave the top of the bag open if it seems too damp.
A terrarium or large plastic box can also be used to start leaves or cuttings. An aquarium covered with a sheet of plastic can be very useful for this purpose. Some air circulation must be provided. If a large quantity of water condenses on the top and sides of such a container, the rooting medium is too damp and the cover should be left off for a time to enable it to dry out somewhat.
To increase the yield from Sinningia leaves, the stem may be split and usually a tuber will form on each half. Also the leaf may be cut in sections, taking wedge-shaped pieces from the area surrounding the main or large lateral veins. Sometimes these leaf cuttings will form only fibrous roots. After potting up new growth may appear or the mother leaf may gradually die back. In this case, a small tuber is usually found in the soil. After a resting period, this will start in with new growth.
Any large leaf, such as Sinningia, Rechsteieria or Streptocarpus is difficult to root, and results are frequently better if the leaf is reduced in size by a half or more. Generally this is done in a V cut, parallel to the lateral veins. Any cutting should be done on a flat surface with a razor blade, as this bruises the tissue far less than a knife or scissors. With these methods involving cutting, it is a good idea to practice on easily available varieties, rather than trying it for the first time on a particularly choice variety.
Another method that can be used for large flat leaves is the one frequently used for Begonias. This involves making cuts across the large veins on the underside of the leaf. The leaf is then pinned down, right side up, on damp rooting medium. New plantlets will appear around the cut area.
Offsets, or suckers, frequently form around the base of rosette-type Gesneriads, such as Saintpaulia, Petrocosmea and Boea. These may be cut off and rooted in the same manner as individual leaves. Streptocarpus plants have a tendency to progress in a straight line, rather than in a circle, and a plant can be divided by cutting between the plantlets and potting each one up separately. Extra shoots that form on Sinningias or X Gloxineras can also be cut off and rooted, as these plants are generally preferred in a single crown, as is Saintpaulia.
Stolons, long shoots produced from the leaf axils of Episcias, may be cut off and rooted, or rooted while still attached to the mother plant, as the analogous strawberry runner.
Tip cuttings, the terminal end of a stem with several pairs of leaves, are the traditional way to multiply most house plants. They will root easily in either water or rooting medium. Old woody growth is more difficult than younger growth, but very new growth is generally unsatisfactory. Any of the trailing or bushy Gesneriads do well by this method, especially Columneas and Aeschynanthus. Tip cuttings or Kohlerias frequently make better plants than those started from rhizomes.
Scaly rhizomes are a natural method of vegetative propagation for some Gesneriads. These storage roots generally form toward the end of the growing season. They resemble small pine cones, although some rhizomes, such as Kohleria, may grow to considerable length and wind around inside the pot. The rhizomes are harvested when the top of the plant dies back after flowering. This is easier if the soil is allowed to dry out so the rhizomes break quite easily, but pieces or even single scales can generate new plants. In Achimenes especially, one plant grown from a rhizome will produce fifteen to twenty new rhizomes by the end of the summer. The rhizomes should be planted horizontally and covered by not more than an inch of soil.
Scaly rhizomes may also appear in the leaf axils, usually at the end of the growing season or in protest of poor cultural conditions. These are termed propagules and can be separated off and planted. Titanotrichum has a curious whiplike growth covered with small scales which can be rubbed off and planted like seed.
Sinningias, X Gloxineras and Rechsteinerias grow from tubers. These generally do not multiply, only increase in diameter with age, therefore single leaves or shoots are used to multiply these plants. The tubers should be planted just below the surface of the soil and the pot should be shallow but large enough in diameter to allow plenty of growth room.
The ends of cuttings can be dusted with a rooting powder, but this is not particularly necessary as Gesneriads root so easily. However, a fungicide is frequently beneficial in preventing rot. If rotting does occur on a cutting, sometimes it can be saved by cutting out the bad section and dusting the cut with sulphur. Rotting generally indicates too damp conditions and poor air circulation.
Labeling cuttings or leaves is always a problem. Adhesive or marking tape can be used on leaves, but it does not always stay on in a damp atmosphere. The stem can be put through a hole in a slip of paper marked with heavy pencil. With luck this will remain legible until the leaf can be potted up. If plastic bags contain only one item, the slip can be put on the outside. If the material is rooted in a flat, each piece can have a small plastic label, which can be transferred to the pot at the proper time.
The important points to consider in propagation are to keep the material in an atmosphere of adequate humidity to keep the leaves from drying out and to keep the rooting end of the cutting in a damp medium which permits air circulation. Adequate light is necessary to keep the chlorophyll in working order to feed new growth. Strong sunlight and overheating will be damaging, however. The temperature should be kept between 7O~75 degrees if possible. Bottom heat will usually speed rooting, if it can be provided. Trial and error will demonstrate the best results in your particular conditions. Some are more successful with one method than another.
The Joy of Growing African Violets
By Anne Tinari
January/February 1999 African Violet Magazine, pages 44-45
We must never forget the general public and young people who are being indoctrinated and introduced to the joy of growing African violets.
Thus, I gave the following lecture at the Philadelphia Flower Show this spring using live demonstration to our overwhelming captive audience.
The propagation of African violets is fascinating, simple and easy; even a small child can achieve success. To see a new little plantlet form at the base of a cut leaf is a rewarding task.
Afew easy steps can assure satisfactory results.
Remove a good firm leaf with a clean break from your African violet plant. Never choose the center leaves as they are the heart of the plant, or the lower outer leaves that lack vigor. Instead, a sturdy, firm mature leaf is most suitable.
Cut the petiole, or stem, about 1" to 1 1/2", dip the cut end lightly in a rooting hormone to encourage quick, even growth. Place the cutting in a rooting medium that has been sterilized. We prefer a mixture of half builder's sand and half fine vermiculite, though other mixtures can be used such as perlite, peat moss or sphagnum moss.
Insert the cutting in the prepared rooting medium about 1/2", enough to hold the leaf firmly. Press rooting medium securely around the leaf cutting. Leaves can also be rooted in water, but they produce very fragile, fine roots in comparison to the above methods.
When the tiny leaves are about an inch high at the base of the Mother leaf (in about 2 to 6 weeks) they are ready to be lifted gently into their individual 2" to 2 1/4" pots using prepared African violet soil. Vigorous young plants are formed by the third or fourth month. Don't be too hasty to remove the Mother leaf as it supplies chlorophyll that nourishes the new, tender growth of the young plantlets.
If plants have developed several crowns and are 3" to 5" high they can be gently separated, leaving as much fibrous root as possible on each plantlet and put each separation back into a 2" to 2 1/4" pot.
Do not expect miracles, but concentrate on a good vigorous single crown plant. Even in the greenhouse, with ideal conditions for growth, it takes approximately nine months to a year to produce a flowering plant from a leaf cutting.
Environment affects African violets to a great degree and there are a few basic cultural guidelines one should follow in growing African violets and producing healthy flowering plants. Lighting is very important. Sufficient light is needed but avoid direct burning sunlight. In the winter months south and east windows are most suitable and for the hot summer months north and west.
An alternative way for growing is artificial light, which is very beneficial. Fluorescent lights are best so the light is dispersed and lights should be on 12 to 14 hours a day with eight hours of complete darkness.
Potting and soil are important factors. African violets are very shallow rooted, thus squatty pots are best and growth is in better proportion. This is a semi-tropical plant, thus we find the plastic pots are most suitable as they are warmer and do not collect salts that damage stems. They are inexpensive and easily cleaned.
Soil should be light and airy, allowing fibrous roots to penetrate. It should be pasteurized to destroy most of the harmful bacteria. We find a soil pH of about 6.4, which is slightly acid, to be most suitable.
While watering is also very important, there is a tendency to over water. Plants should always be slightly moist to the touch and receive only the amount of water, preferably warm, they can use at one time.
The size of the pot and the texture of the soil will determine how often plants will need watering. Avoid getting water on the foliage, especially if grown in natural light, as water on the foliage along with bright sunlight can cause spotting of the leaves, especially if there is a ten degree temperature variation.
Feeding also can be a great advantage in keeping plants in good growing condition. As the plant is watered many of the nutrients are leached out of the soil, so by using a diluted plant food this can be replenished. Food such as Peters or the popular well-balanced Optimara violet food can be used at every watering if used in a diluted form - 1/4 tsp to a gallon of warm water. This can help plants to maintain an even growth. Never feed plants when they are excessively dry.
Proper humidity of about 40% promotes floriferous, larger blossoms. Plants prefer a fresh buoyant atmosphere and a moderate even temperature of 70 to 75 degrees for best performance. Provide good ventilation and keep plants from direct drafts and cold window sills when low temperatures are prevalent.
You may wish to initiate a preventative spraying program with a suitable insecticide to keep plants free of pests. We find a spray used once a month can help keep your collection in a healthy growing condition.
With the thousands of beautiful cultivars ranging from colors of pure white, all shades of pink, purple, lavender and burgundy plus the two-tone flowering types, one can choose those they most prefer. Foliage, too, has become most interesting over the past 50 years in which hybridizing has been done by Americans.
Leaves can be plain, serrated, wavy or variegated and even the trailer types are fascinating. Miniatures are very interesting and of course the microminis are preferred by many who do not have space to grow the larger types.
No matter if you grow one, a hundred or a greenhouse full, African violets are known as America's #1 house plant for beauty and performance.
Happy violeting,
ANNE TINARI
a. Relative humidity is a ratio of saturated air at a certain temperature to what it actually does hold at the same temperature.b. Vapor pressure is a true measure of the quantity of water in the air regardless of temperature, and represents the moisture that affect the plants. The ability of a violet to tolerate moisture is in a direct ratio to the temperature.