Violet uzambarskaya or Saintpaulia (lat. Saintpaulia) is a popular indoor plant native to Central Africa. Beautiful appearance and a wide variety of colors of both leaves and flowers have made it the most common ornamental culture in indoor cultivation. The plant is relatively easy to care for and propagate.
Content:
Read also: Perennial flowers (TOP 50 species): garden catalog for giving with photos and names | Video + Reviews
General information about the plant
Usambara violets on the windowsill
- Bloom. Saintpaulia begins to bloom from the third decade of February. Subject to the conditions of detention, the duration of flowering can reach up to 8.5 months. Sometimes there are several waves with pauses of 3-6 weeks between them. Violet blooms for 2-3 weeks.
- Illumination. Ambient lighting is required. Daylight hours are 11-12 hours. If there is insufficient sunlight, artificial lighting is used.
- Temperature regime. The plant needs a temperature of 20°C to 24°C. An increase in temperature to 29 ° C inhibits flowering, new buds stop appearing. The plant tolerates temperatures above 30 ° C, the leaves look wilted, flowering stops.
- Watering. Single watering every 1-2 days, depending on the dryness of the soil. During the dormant period - once every 3-4 days.
- Air humidity. The optimal value of humidity in the room for Saintpaulia is 60-70%. This indicator should not fall below 50%.
- Fertilizers. It is recommended not to use fertilizers, but to change the substrate every six months. All the nutrients the plant can take from it. Substrate change - once every six months. If necessary, use specialized fertilizers for violets, for example, mixtures of "Kemira" or "Sempolia". Important! Sick plants should not be fed. During the dormant period, top dressing is also prohibited.
- Rest period. There are no clear boundaries, theoretically plants are active all year round. However, it is recommended from November to mid-February to change the watering regime and stop feeding, if any.
- Transfer. Produced every 6-8 months. Spring transplantation of the year is carried out at the end of February, autumn - in September-October. The diameter of the pot should be three times the size of the outlet. It is permissible to use an old container, but it should be cleaned of salts and be sure to boil.
- Required soil. A mixture of leafy soil, soddy soil, peat and coarse sand in a ratio of 2:2:2:1. Sometimes a mixture of leaf, sod, coniferous and peat soil is used in a ratio of 3:2:1:1. This mixture is recommended for use for ampelous varieties. At the same time, instead of sand, a little vermiculite or perlite is added to it.
- Reproduction. It can be propagated by leaf cuttings, part of a leaf, daughter rosettes, seeds. The first way is the most efficient.
- Pests. Mealy worms, cyclamen mites, aphids, rarely nematodes and whiteflies.
- Diseases. Powdery mildew, root and stem rot, rust, bacteriosis, fusarium.
Read also: Projects of country houses for 6-10 acres: 120 photos, description and requirements | The most interesting ideas Violet potted room care
Variety of colors and shapes of Saintpaulia
It does not require any specific methods of agricultural technology; the main thing in growing a plant is the frequency of repetition of watering.
On the other hand, saintpaulia is a rather problematic plant in terms of vulnerability to diseases., so you need to monitor it regularly and respond as quickly as possible to all changes in its condition.
Light and humidity
The lighting conditions of the plant should repeat its natural habitat. Since the uzambara violet is a lower tier flower in the jungle, it needs diffused lighting. Direct sunlight is at least not desirable, as it can cause burns. In general, the intensity of lighting does not play a significant role, but its duration should be at least 11 hours a day (the length of the day in an equatorial climate).
This means that the plant should not be located on the southern windowsills. Some flower growers generally recommend placing it on the windowsills of the northern windows. A compromise option is windows on the western or eastern side with the obligatory use of diffusers.
Tiered shelving for violets with artificial lighting
The lack of illumination should be compensated by artificial light. phytolamp or LED lights. The ideal lighting suitable for saintpaulia is neutral white (temperature from 3500K to 5300K). In this case, the lamps should be placed at a distance of at least 40 cm from the plants.
Humidity in the room should be at least 50%. At lower values, the leaves of the plant are deformed and it may even die. This is especially important in winter, when due to heating devices in the room there can be excessive dryness of the air.
It is recommended to place open containers with water in the form of flat pallets in very dry rooms. They should be filled with moss or expanded clay.
Watering the plant
The use of wick irrigation for Saintpaulia
Watering is carried out every 1-3 days, depending on the dryness of the topsoil.. During the dormant period (lasting from November to the first half of February), watering should be carried out every 3-4 days.
By itself, watering can be carried out in any way - from using a watering can without a divider to pouring water into a pan. In any case, half an hour after watering, the water from the pan should be removed. You can also use wick watering, but this will be true for a large number of plants.
Saintpaulia fertilizer
Saintpaulia does not need fertilizer. All nutrients the plant receives from the substrate. In order to have enough of them, every six months the substrate is changed to a new one.
Fertilizers are needed only in a few cases:
- to accelerate the growth of young plants (for example, if transplantation or reproduction was carried out later than July), so that by the beginning of the dormant period, the plant has completed the active growth of the vegetative part;
- with a significant deviation of growing conditions from the norm;
- for plants after illness.
In this case, very low concentrations of dressings are always used. In order not to be mistaken with the doses and composition of fertilizers, it is recommended to use purchased complex fertilizers for Saintpaulia and fertilize the bushes according to the instructions. In addition to the means described earlier, you can use the preparations of the Doctor Folli series. Feeding is done no more than once every 1.5-2 weeks.
Plant transplant
Plant transplantation is carried out every six months. In this case, the soil must be completely changed. As a rule, the growth of the rosette stops when it reaches a certain size, so adult plants are transplanted into containers of the same or slightly larger volume.
Preparing to transplant young violets
It is recommended to use wide but shallow plastic pots. When transplanting, the soil is completely removed, the roots are washed.In the event of the appearance of child outlets, they should be removed, or used for reproduction, transplanted into another container. If the same pot is used, it should be thoroughly washed from earth and salt deposits and poured over with boiling water.
Saintpaulia pruning is performed during transplantation. Among flower growers, this procedure is called pinching. Its essence lies in the removal of old (albeit healthy) leaves around the perimeter of the outlet, due to which the growth point of the plant is activated. Since Saintpaulia has a high regeneration rate, it tolerates it normally.
If the appearance of the outlet needs to be preserved, pinching can be omitted. It is only necessary to cut off too old, diseased and dried leaves around the perimeter.
Read also: Lemon: description, care, growing from the stone at home, recipes for vitamin juice and lemonade (Photo & Video) + Reviews
Plant propagation
Vegetative propagation is more efficient, since seeds do not always manage to preserve the external characteristics of the variety. The following are the most popular breeding methods.
leaf cutting
Reproduction using a leaf cutting with pre-sprouted roots in water
The most popular and effective way. The good thing is that you can propagate Saintpaulia at any time of the year. For reproduction, it is enough to cut a leaf with a petiole at least 3 cm long from the outlet. It must be planted in a regular substrate and cared for like an adult plant. After about a week, roots appear, and after another 3-4 weeks, a rosette forms.
child sockets
Reproduction by daughter outlets
This method is used during plant transplantation. Young rosettes are planted in pots with a diameter of 6-8 cm. Usually, it is not worth picking up a pot at this stage, since Saintpaulias are regularly transplanted.
It is recommended to plant only large sockets, and remove the little thing. Further, they are looked after like an ordinary Saintpaulia. To grow a violet from a child outlet, there is no need to create a greenhouse.
How to grow a violet from a leaf. Rooting and propagation of Saintpaulia.
Violet: description (80+ Photos), varieties, care and reproduction at home + Reviews
Read also: Orange: description, planting, growing at home, reproduction and care (Photo & Video) + Reviews Diseases and pests
The initial stage of powdery mildew
Below are some of the most common problems that can occur when growing uzambara violets, as well as ways to deal with them.
Diseases
Despite successful acclimatization in apartment conditions, Saintpaulia is subject to a large number of different diseases. The advantage in this matter is the fact that most of them can be cured, since the plant is quite tenacious. The main thing is not to allow the disease to a neglected state. The table lists the symptoms and treatments for common diseases.
| Disease | Symptoms | Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| | Plaque on leaves white. Initially, the spots are small, easily removed by hand, then large, occupying the entire surface of the sheet. | Use fungicides (for example, Topaz). Usually, 2-3 treatments are enough with pauses of up to 2 weeks between them. Spraying is done in the evening. |
| | Dull coloration of the leaves, appearing on almost the entire plant. Roots soften and become brittle. | The substrate must be replaced. Remove damaged roots. Wash the pot thoroughly and treat with an antiseptic. In the event of a global defeat of the root system, the plant will have to be destroyed. You can save the variety if you root the remaining healthy leaves in a new substrate. |
| | Drying and blackening of the base of the stems. | Remove damaged leaves, possibly even with part of the rosette. Treat slices with crushed charcoal or cinnamon powder. Treat the remaining shoots with a fungicide. Transplant the plant into a new substrate. |
| | Leaves curl around the edges.Young leaves in the center of the rosette turn black and wither. | Leaves curl around the edges. Young leaves in the center of the rosette turn black and wither. Saintpaulia can be saved if the disease is detected at an early stage. You should dig a flower out of the ground and rinse it. Then remove the damaged parts of the plant (roots and leaves). This is followed by transplanting into a new substrate and treatment with Bordeaux mixture. |
| | At the same time, the softening of the roots and the spread of brown rot on the leaves, the change in their pigmentation. | There is no treatment. Even if there are no signs of damage on the leaves, the spores of the fungus have already entered it and the plant cannot be saved. It is recommended to remove the plant and substrate. The container can be used in the future, but it should be treated with copper sulphate. |
Pests
Unlike diseases, there are few Saintpaulia pests. Most often, the plant is attacked by greenhouse aphids and mealybugs. The fight against the first is similar to the fight against common aphids.
In case of weak infection, use a soap-garlic solution. (50 g of soap are dissolved in 5 liters of water and juice from 2-3 garlic cloves is added). If the aphid colony does not respond to such exposure, chemicals are used. Their contact insecticides perform well Confidor, the best intestinal remedy is Karbofos, the nicotine preparation Aktara can be distinguished from systemic preparations.
greenhouse aphid
Mealybug usually appears from a poor-quality substrate. At first, this arthropod is located near the roots and it is almost impossible to detect it. Later, individual representatives move to the axils of the leaves, then, as the population of the colony grows, they move to the leaf plates.
Within a few days after leaving the surface, the pest can infect the entire flower and it will be very difficult to fight it.
Mealybug on Saintpaulia
Both adult worms and their eggs and larvae have good protection against contact-type preparations, therefore, to combat them, it is necessary to use systemic means: Mospilan, Konfidor-maxi, Aktara.
Cyclamen mites mainly affect the growth point of the flower. This leads to the fact that the young leaves of the rosette become smaller, twisted and deformed. The buds of affected plants usually dry up, and if they bloom, the leaves of the flowers are also deformed. In addition, plants subject to attacks by this arthropod have a high probability of infection with bacteriosis and rot.
The result of the activity of the cyclamen tick
Conventional insecticides against mites are not effective. The same can be said about systemic drugs. It is necessary to use special means - acaricides. Fitoverm, Akarin, Aktofit and Vermitek are good against all types of ticks.
Read also: Veranda attached to the house - expanding the living space: projects, tips on how to create your own hands (200 original photo ideas)
Varieties
The number of varieties of saintpaulia has several hundred. There are old and new varieties. The former have a good preservation of external features from generation to generation, but do not have such a variety in shades of leaves and flowers. New varieties are more diverse, but they retain hereditary characteristics worse during seed propagation.
Differences Saintpaulias are manifested not only in color. The shape of the leaves, peduncles, petals and other parameters may also vary. Recently, a large number of varieties have been bred that copy the appearance of the flowers of other plants - from forest violets to exotics, including crops such as magnolias or the Schlumberg Decembrist.
Below are photos with the names of the most popular varieties of homemade violets, as well as their brief description.
Bridal bouquet
The variety has large (up to 6.5 cm in diameter) flowers.
Petals terry or semi-double, notched. Flowering is abundant and long.
Waves of flowering come in 1-3 months.
The leaves are light green, uniform, almost devoid of villi.
Agnetha
Named after the Swedish singer Agnetha Fältskog. A variety that has petals on flowers in a shape similar to pansies (plant of the species Viola tricolor, classic forest violet, another name is tricolor violet).
The foliage is large, wavy, bright green. The leaves seem to "hug" the pot.
The two upper petals are crimson with a bronze-green edging. The three lower petals have a wide crimson-pink border.
Each flower blooms for a long time, up to 3-5 days, but flowering is almost constant, since the process of formation of new peduncles goes on continuously. On each peduncle there can be from 3 to 5 flowers.
Petals do not fade, but simply fall off.
Order of Malta
This variety belongs to the so-called. chimeras. A distinctive feature of chimeras is the presence of a clearly defined stripe on the petals, which has a contrasting color. There can be a lot of shades of chimeras, but the most popular are flowers with white or red stripes.
The Order of Malta is Saintpaulia, which has large red stars with a bright white stripe in the middle. Flowers up to 60 mm in diameter.
The edge of the petal is corrugated.
The socket is compact, emerald green. Peduncles high (up to 10 cm).
Yesenia
The Yesenia variety is similar to the Order of Malta, with the only difference being that instead of a red or pink hue, it has a blue one.
Despite the great similarity in the size and shape of the petal, Yesenia does not belong to chimeras, since the central line does not have clear boundaries.
red heat
Variety related to leaf chimeras. In these varieties, the leaves are variegated, often symmetrical about the central vein. Most varieties have small flowers. Some generally have a reduced flowering part and only leaves have decorative effect.
The red heat variety is distinguished by dark burgundy flowers with yellow stamens. The diameter of the flowers is up to 30 mm. Peduncles thin, elongated.
The color of the leaves is yellowish along the edges, in the center - light green.
To preserve variegation, it is recommended to propagate the plant by stepchildren.
frosty cherry
SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES
Frosty cherry has large double flowers with a diameter of up to 40 mm.
In the middle of the petals, the color is cherry red with white stripes along the edges.
The variety does not belong to chimeras, since the central stripe is not clearly expressed.
A characteristic feature of the variety is the ability to change shade depending on temperature and lighting. When grown at a temperature of 18-20°C, the flowers will be pink, at temperatures of 22-26°C - rich cherry. The same can be said about the light - the longer the illumination time, the more strongly the cherry tint will appear.
sea wolf
A magnificent variety, bred relatively recently. Possesses densely double large flowers of a shade of a sea wave.
Young leaves are even, adults are wrapped. The socket is even and neat, with circular symmetry. Reaches large sizes (up to 40 cm in diameter). Shower hug the pot. Color is dark green.
The flowers are large, densely double with a diameter of up to 90 mm. Flowering is year-round, there is practically no dormant period.
Black Pearl
A variety similar in appearance to the Sea Wolf, but with a darker blue-violet color and a dense arrangement of petals.
The hat is always located in the center of the bush, towering above the leaves. Peduncles almost never grow around the perimeter.
Flowering is plentiful, long. With the right feeding schedule, flower stalks form regularly.
shining bell
The flowers are simple but very attractive. They are blue bells with wavy edges.The color is blue-violet or blue, with a white eye in the center. During flowering, the white part in the center of the flower increases.
On peduncles are 1-2 flowers. They are quite large (up to 60 mm in diameter), with fused petals.
The rosette has almost the same leaves, slightly bent down. The villi are practically absent. The color of the leaves is deep green.
Varietal characteristics withstand well, but the appearance of chimeras is possible. Sometimes offspring are pink instead of blue.
beautiful creole
It has leaves with edges that are bent inward. The color of the leaves is dark green. There is no pubescence, the edges of the leaves are wavy. The socket is slightly uneven, its diameter is 25-30 cm.
Peduncles burgundy color, very strong. The flowers resemble dark blue stars with a diameter of up to 50 mm. Petals have a white-yellow border around the perimeter.
The variety blooms in a bouquet (almost simultaneous flowering on all peduncles), but does not form a large cap.
Flowering is undulating (up to 4 times per season), duration 30-40 days.
Chateau Brion
The flowers are slightly double, large (up to 50 mm in diameter).
The color of the petals is purplish purple. There is a corrugated border along the perimeter.
Blossoming plentiful, hat.
The socket is large and loose.
The leaves are wavy and elongated.
The flowering of one flower is too short - no more than 10 days, but due to the constantly appearing new buds, the process goes on continuously.
Read also: Cyclamen - bulb violet: description, growing from seeds at home, plant care, reproduction and transplantation (75+ Photos & Videos) + Reviews Summarizing
This is a wonderful plant that can please its owner almost all year round with beautiful flowers with an unsurpassed aroma. Possible difficulties in its cultivation will be more than compensated by the satisfaction that these little daughters of Africa are able to deliver.
Violets! How to care for them to bloom and delight!
Violet: description (80+ Photos), varieties, care and reproduction at home + Reviews
I just love these lovely flowers. And they are just very unpretentious in care. If you do not break a couple of unshakable rules for them, they will grow and please for a long, long time. They are the real southerners! They love the sun and dryness. Therefore, firstly, do not put them on the shadow side. I have a kitchen on the non-sunny side - so I lost a chic copy of the bullfighting variety. Secondly, water very carefully. I'm too lazy to do as it is written in the article - put the pot in the pot, pour water into the bottom, etc. Therefore, I water clearly under the root with a thin stream. Be careful not to touch the leaves and stems.
I completely disagree with those who say that violets are grandmother's / Soviet flowers. Even classic varieties are very beautiful and delicate. And how many new varieties now! Terry is completely different from the violet classics.I love Winter Cherry most of all - a very elegant and aristocratic variety.
From an early age I observed violets throughout the house, my grandmother has all the window sills in these brightly colored, small plants. And she inspired all her daughters to breed this beauty, and the neighbors are gifted with children of all kinds living with their granny. Unfortunately, I did not keep it for long, both bushes disappeared, most likely late blight or fusarium, judging by the descriptions in the article. I'll take note of the processing tips. I would venture to take a green pet again.
Violets grew on my window for a very long time, I liked them because they are not whimsical to care for and they do not require annual transplants, they reproduce very easily and take root well. During the time I had them, there were no problems with them, they constantly pleased with their flowering. I had two varieties: purple and light pink from the usual varieties. But there are a large number of varieties of violets, I have seen them in stores, but I have heard that varietal violets are more picky than ordinary ones. Therefore, because of this, I am afraid to buy these flowers. But after reading the article, I think all the same, get violets and put them on the sunny side of the window. After all, with care, the main thing is not to fill it in, it can rot, and also not overdry. Now it became clear to me why my violets disappeared, most likely I flooded them. Now grow terry violets, they look very original. Now, thanks to the article, I know how to properly propagate and care for these beautiful flowers. I will definitely follow the advice!
And I'm a fan of purple violet)) It's really not just beautiful, but also some, I would say, a magical flower)) Of course, you need to take care of the earth, this is very important. You can’t keep it in the sun for a long time and you can’t put it on the windowsill if there is a balcony nearby, because in cold and cool weather this beautiful flower can be destroyed by airing. Unfortunately, I have such a sad experience, since my son has access to the balcony in the room, and he does sports at home and constantly opens the balcony because of this, so that fresh air would. Unfortunately, out of four flowers, three died ... So the cold for violets, in my opinion, is the main danger. But, if you keep them warm, then there will be no problems for sure))
Not all flower growers are lucky to have an apartment on the sunny side of the house. It is for this reason that my violets lagged behind in development, only occasionally pleasing with their bright flowers. However, I found a way out of this situation, now my modest abode is filled with all sorts of varieties of this beautiful plant. The secret is simple - I installed fluorescent fluorescent lamps over the flower pots. I turn on the lights in the morning and turn them off at night. Flowers responded to my care and constantly delight with flowering. Yes, electricity bills have increased, but for the sake of my hobby, I am ready for additional financial costs. With the advent of diode lamps for sale, the idea arose to modernize the room lighting of plants in order to save electricity, because diode elements consume a minimum amount of current. I hope my experience will be useful to flower growers, especially in the northern regions of the country, where there is no sunlight for half a year.
Another flower in my apartment. Undeniably beautiful, but I had problems with him more than once. The biggest problem is the yellowing of the leaves. The article tells about the reasons, so I will try to correct my mistakes. And so, in general, I really like this flower, and I don’t want to part with it.
I finally took violets into the house again. The previous experience was not successful. So far I have scored three different ones, I will have a white, lilac and pink one. I was taught to grow them not by one bush, but to take a long plastic container and plant several things there for accuracy.Although the article says that there is only one flower in one pot, I see that a friend of mine grows wonderfully several things in one container. Therefore, I’ll take a chance, watering only from below, there is a special pallet. Well, the morning sun is for them to enjoy.
For a long time these flowers have been in my kitchen and on the balcony. Naturally, in the cold, I clean it in a cart. They bloom well, I water like ordinary flowers, as the soil dries. The leaves sometimes turn yellow, but this is not so noticeable. The flowers themselves always have a bright juicy color. Still, for me, the soil plays a huge role in growing this flower. Or they just love my apartment)).