Scientific Name
Saintpaulia ionantha subsp. grotei (Engler) I. Darbysh.
Common Name(s)
African Violet
Synonym(s)
Saintpaulia grotei, Saintpaulia confusa, Saintpaulia amaniensis, Saintpaulia difficilis, Saintpaulia magungensis
Scientific Classification
Family: Gesneriaceae
Genus: Saintpaulia
Origin
Saintpaulia ionantha subsp. grotei is native to Kenya and Tanzania.
Flower
Color: Purple
Bloom Time: Flowers freely
Description
Saintpaulia ionantha subsp. grotei is a tender perennial that grows up to 6 inches (15 cm) tall and up to 12 inches (30 cm) wide. It can be multiple-stemmed but usually grows as a single-crowned plant.
This plant has purple flowers and medium, green, slightly serrated, and quilted leaves.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 11a to 12b: from 40 °F (+4.4 °C) to 60 °F (15.6 °C).
How to Grow and Care
African Violets will thrive in bright, warm, and humid conditions. Keep water from touching their leaves, or it will leave brown spots. Remove dead flowers and leaves as soon as you see them, to encourage a healthier plant. Regularly check the soil and plant to make sure there is no accumulation of dead leaves. This will encourage rot. Growing these houseplants is a matter of balance; you have to make sure that the different factors that go into their cultivation all are weighted against each other. They should be kept in moist enough conditions that they don't dry out, yet still exposed to a fresh breeze to avoid letting them get too stuffy, and exposed to sunlight without damaging their leaf tips. Don't be discouraged if your African Violets suffer some damage — it's all part of the process.
African Violets do better when they are slightly underpotted. Repot only when necessary into a pot that is one size up. To repot these plants, simply grab the plant as a whole, lift it, and replace it into a larger container, making sure not to damage their root systems in the process.
See more at How to Grow and Care for African Violets.
Links
- Back to genus Saintpaulia
- Plantpedia: Browse flowering plants by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, or Origin
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