How to Grow and Display African Violets

Little wonders

African violets are one of the easiest flowering houseplants to grow. They're versatile, blooming year-round in a wide variety of colors and sizes, some with variegated foliage or ruffled or white-edged blooms. Plus, we feel sentimental about them: They remind us of our grandmothers.

Pictured: Potted violets surround a hurricane candle in a basket. Varieties, from top, are 'myDarling', 'North Carolina II', 'Margit II', 'New York', 'Delaware', 'Hawaii II', 'Monet', 'Texas' and another 'Hawaii II'.

Violet Centerpiece

Four potted African violets and moss create a striking centerpiece within a 1-inch-deep tray. From front to back, the violets include 'myTemptation', 'Virginia', 'Harlequin' and 'Indiana'.

Violet wreath

This pretty wreath shows off a Saintpaulia 'Michele' by displaying it against a 24-inch, deep green moss wreath (check at crafts stores or online). Pussy willow branches and a large bow finish it off. Use a plastic pot for this design because terra-cotta would be too heavy.

Potting procedures

No matter which variety you choose, African violets perform best in light, fluffy soil. It should be so loose that you easily can push your finger to the bottom of the pot.

Pictured: For a sweet arrangement, plant in vintage teacups, and display on a tiered plate.

Growing conditions

African violets like warm conditions and filtered sunlight, so set the pot in an east- or west-facing window about 12 inches from the glass. Keep the violets in a room at about 72 degrees and out of drafts.

If you don't get blooms, remember the plants also need about 8 hours of darkness to set flowers.

Pictured: A faux bird's nest doubles as a container. The 7-inch-wide nest hides a pot holding a 'myLove' violet that can be easily removed for watering.

Watering

You can water plants from the top or via a filled saucer, but never let a plant stand in a saucer of water for long. You'll get best results by watering before the soil dries out completely, but too dry is better than too wet. If you water from the top, use room-temperature water. If you water from the bottom, let the top inch of soil dry out before watering and periodically water from the top to prevent salt from building up in the soil.

Despite a popular myth that African violets shouldn't get their leaves wet, you can bathe your plants. Fill a quart spray bottle with warm water, plus a few drops of a mild dish detergent, then spray the leaves. After a few minutes, rinse by tipping the plant under a gentle flow of warm water from the faucet. Don't wet the crown at the center of the plant, keep the violet out of bright light until the leaves dry, and do it early enough in the day that the plant is dry before dark.

Pictured: Filling a pot specially designed for African violets: An outer pot holds water for the plant in an inner pot. The plant wicks up water as needed.

Feeding

Fertilize with liquid African violet food, but remember that too much fertilizer will promote leaf growth at the expense of flowers.

Pictured: 'Montana II' belongs to the United States series of African violets; it has single white flowers often patched with light blue in the summer.

Shaping

Periodic grooming keeps African violets looking good and encourages new buds. Prune wayward or misshapen stems. Regularly snip or pinch back faded blooms.

Pictured: 'Van Gogh' is part of the Artist's Palette series; a deep purple watermark separates the petal's white center from its lilac-purple outer hue.

Cleaning

To clean hairy-leaved plants like African violets, dust with a dry cotton swab, pipe cleaner, or soft cosmetic or watercolor brush.

Pictured: 'Hawaii II' is a bicolor purple violet with a white edge; the leaves are medium green on top and red on the bottom.

Repotting

1. Remove the plant from its pot. Using the dull side of a knife, gently scrape off old dried tissue from the outside of the bare stalk (created as old leaves have dropped off).

2. Put a half inch of African violet potting mix at bottom of a pot that is no more than a third the size of the plant diameter. Insert plant so lower leaves rest evenly at the top of the pot.

3. Fill in around the plant with fresh potting soil.

Pictured: 'Harlequin' produces bicolor blooms that are white with a red edge.

Pest control

If grown properly, insects and disease are usually not a problem, and soapy water often solves the ones that do occur. However, if one of your plants develops an unusually tight center, with twisted, grayish-green foliage, blame cyclamen mites. Because these insects are difficult to control, we recommend throwing away any infected plants.

Pictured: 'mySensation' features bright green flowers with star-shape white centers; each bloom is a single frilled pansy with two smaller petals on top.

Reproduction

It's easy to start new plants; simply cut off a young leaf and root it in moist potting mix.