Careful care of violets at home. Violet house (saintpaulia)

Home violet (saintpaulia, room violet, uzambar violet) (lat. Saintpaulia) is one of the most common flowering plants used in indoor floriculture. IN English language Saintpaulia also has the name African violet (African violet). It belongs to the order Lyasnottsvetnye, the Gesneriaceae family, the genus Saintpaulia.

The first scientific description of Saintpaulia was made by the botanist Herman Wendland, who identified it as a separate genus. He also gave her the international name Saintpaulia in honor of the president of the German dendrological society, Baron Saint-Paul, and his son, who gave him the seeds of domestic violets. The name entered the Russian language as a free reading of the Latin term. Due to the fact that the Saintpaulia flower resembles in appearance the flower of a real violet (Viola), it is called African or Auzambara violet after the area in which it was first found.

Violet home (saintpaulia, room violet): description and photos.

Saintpaulias are perennial herbaceous plants with an underdeveloped root system of a fibrous type. Depending on the species, the fleshy stems can be shortened with basal leaves forming a rosette, or elongated and branched with many hanging rosettes. Their diameter ranges from 6 cm to 60 cm.

The leaf plate can be round, ovoid, oblong in shape with a sharp or rounded tip and a heart-shaped or simple base. Its edges are devoid of relief, slightly rounded, and also in the form of small or large teeth. The Saintpaulia leaf can be flat, slightly wavy, heavily corrugated, or have the shape of a spoon or a back-curved spoon.

Typically, Saintpaulia leaves are colored in various tones of green, sometimes with the addition of ashy or golden hues. There are types of indoor violets, in which the leaf may have areas painted in cream, olive, lettuce, yellow or pink. Typically, such multi-colored areas are located at the base, along the edges of the leaf blade, or form various mosaic patterns on its surface. The reverse side of the home violet leaf is in most cases a silvery-green color, although in some varieties or types of violets, various shades of red are often present in its color.

The veins of the leaves of domestic violets are of two types in their form: resembling a herringbone or with a longitudinally parallel arrangement like a plantain. In addition, the surface can be glossy or matte, which in varying degrees covered with hair. The sheet may have a bubbly or "quilted" texture.

If the petals in a room violet flower are arranged in only one row, it corresponds simple type buildings. In the presence of two full rows - semi-double type, and three or more - terry.

simple violets

Most often, Saintpaulia violet has petals, the surface of which is covered with big amount tiny shiny balls. However, there are types of domestic violets, in which the flowers are covered with a delicate edging, making their surface matte. Such flowers are called velvet violets. In addition, the edges of the petals can be slightly wavy or heavily corrugated.

The size of the flowers, forming lush racemose inflorescences, range in diameter from 2.5 cm to 8-9 cm. The color of the Saintpaulia petals that grow naturally usually has all shades of blue, purple and purple. Species and varieties of violets bred by breeders have a variety of colors, including pure white and the entire tonal range of the rainbow spectrum.

The Saintpaulia seed pod, containing many small seeds, is round, ovoid or spindle-shaped. After maturation, it collapses under the influence of moisture.

Classification and types of violets, names and photos.

A definite strict scientific classification of saintpaulia does not yet exist. Under natural conditions, there are 20 species of uzambar violet, the classification of which can only be done by a specialist. In addition, through the efforts of breeders, more than 32 thousand varieties of indoor violets were bred, which differ in the size of the rosette (miniature, semi-mini, standard and giants), in the appearance of the leaf blade, in color, shape and structure of flowers.

Types of wild-growing uzambar violets (Saintpaulia).

• with jagged rounded dark green leaves, 4-5 cm in size. The reverse side of the leaf has a red tint. The inflorescence is lush with small blue-violet flowers with a dark center.

• - an ampelous plant with rounded pubescent leaves of bright green or purple color up to 6 cm long and about 5 centimeters wide. Small blue-purple flowers of the uzambara violet with a dark eye and a border do not exceed 2.5 cm in diameter.

• with purple-blue flowers on short succulent stems and heart-shaped dark green leaves. Their length does not exceed 8 cm, and the diameter of the outlet reaches 60 cm.

Varieties of violets with names, photos and descriptions.

Depending on the size and position of the petals, there are 5 types of indoor violets:

• pansies;
• star;
• bell;
• bowl;

Violet "pansies" (Eng.Pansy) - its corolla consists of 5 petals, and the dimensions of the two petals of the upper row are smaller than those of the three lower ones. In this form, the following varieties of domestic violets are distinguished:

• Violet Lyon ‘ s Pirate ‘ s Treasure (Lyans Pirates Treasury) (breeder S. Sorano) with bright pink flowers with a wide crimson border around the edge. Along the border of the main color and the border, the petals are strewn with a scattering of small dots of a dark crimson color. The leaves of the room violet, which form a rosette, have a bubbly texture.

• Violet Melodie Kimi (Melody Kimi) (breeder Sunnyside/Levy) with a symmetrical rosette, folded from "quilted" corrugated sheet plates. A white simple violet flower has two blue upper petals and a border of the same color on the main background.

Violet "Star"star) characterized by the same size of the petals in any row, and their uniform arrangement around the center. In this form, the following varieties of Saintpaulia can be distinguished:

• Violet EK-Goddess of Beauty (breeder Korshunova) with a large basal bush consisting of dark green leaves. The inflorescences are formed by bright pink double stars with tints of purple-violet tones.

• Violet Austin's Smile (Austin's Smile) (breeder LLG / P. Sorano) with a large rosette of dark green color and large single coral pink star flowers with a dark pink eye and raspberry border.

Violet "Bell" (eng. Vell) has petals fused at the base. This feature does not allow the flower to open completely, as a result of which it acquires a resemblance to a bell. This species includes the following varieties of indoor violets:

• Violet EK-Admiral (breeder Korshunova) with large cornflower blue semi-double bell flowers with a wavy edge. The pointed dark green leaves of the house violet have a creamy-purple edging.

• Saintpaulia violet Rob's Dandy Lion (Robs Dandy Lion) (breeder R. Robinson) with large inflorescences-bells of a greenish-cream color, resembling snowdrops in shape. The violet rosette consists of dark green leaves with a slight white variegation.

Violet "Bowl" (Eng.Bowl) has petals that are not fused at its base, but the flower never fully opens and retains its shape throughout the flowering. In this form, the following varieties of Umazbar violet are distinguished:

• Violet Boo Man (Boo Man) (breeder S. Sorano) is distinguished by double or semi-double cupped flowers. Violet flowers are pale blue in color, the upper petals are white, sometimes with light greenery, 2.5-3 cm in diameter. The leaves are spoon-shaped, dark green.

• Saintpaulia Ming Dynasty ( Ming Dynasty ) (breeder I. Fredette) - a variety with strongly corrugated cup-shaped flowers of snow-white color, the edges of the petals of which have a pink or lilac hue. There are terry and semi-double violets. The leaves of the rosette are wavy, distinguished by pronounced variegation.

Violet "Wasp"Wasp) has completely separated petals, two of which are folded into a tube, and three elongated hang down. In this group, the following varieties of indoor violets are distinguished:

• Violet Lunar Lily White (Lunar Lily White) with a small basal bush and light green leaves of a “quilted” texture. Violet inflorescence consists of 3-8 white single and semi-double flowers about 4 cm in size.

• Saintpaulia PL-Zemfira (breeder L. Pchelovodov) with an average rosette of green leaves with variegation in the center and simple or semi-double lilac tubular flowers with corrugated edges.

• Saintpaulia Spotnik (Satellite) (breeder J. Dates) with a rosette about 15 cm in size and light green leaves up to 5 cm long. Violet flowers have a red-violet color.

Varieties of violets with names, photos and separation by color.

According to the color of the petals, saintpaulias, or homemade violets, are divided into plain and painted in two or more colors.

Typical varieties of single-color indoor violets:

• (breeder J. Dates) - a blue violet with bright "wasp" flowers that have upper tubular and elongated lower petals. The fleecy leaves of homemade violet, which make up the rosette, are folded into "bags".

• (breeder D. Ferguson) has white large double flowers resembling in shape. The rosette of this variety of room violet consists of rounded “quilted” green leaves and can reach 40 cm in size.

Violets petals can be in the form of eyes located in the center, or fingers. These colors include the following varieties:

• Violet Rob ‘ s Penny Ante (Robs Penny Ante) (breeder R. Robinson) is beautiful variety violets with semi-double white flowers, similar to bells, with a dark blue eye in the center. The size of this variety of violets does not exceed 2.5 cm. A compact rosette of about 9 cm consists of even light green leaves.

• Violet Pink sensation (Pink Sensation) (selection Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses / Sorano) - semi-double white violet, the flowers of which look like stars. In the center of the petals, large spots of pale pink color are clearly visible. The rosette is made up of variegated white-green leaves.

Homemade violet petals may have a border running along the edge. Its width and color can be different and even fantasy:

• Violet Natalia's Extravagante (Natalis Estravagante) (breeder N. Pineault) - a variety of home violet with lacy white-pink flowers and a border, the tone of which can be green, chocolate or pink. The rosette is assembled from green leaf plates with pink-white marginal variegation.

• Saintpaulia AE Modern Talking (Modern Talking) (breeder E.A. Arkhipov) - a variety of violets with white semi-double frilled flowers " pansies” and a border of pink-blue-violet. A bush of this room violet standard size with light green flat foliage.

Room violet petals may have stripes various colors, diverging from the center of the petal to its edges. This is a chimera violet, the varieties of which are presented below:

• (breeder S. Sorano) - a variety of room violet, above the standard green rosette of which rise large pink flowers with a light lilac stripe running through the center of the petal. The entire surface of the flower petals is covered with splashes of lilac color.

• (breeder P. Sorano) has double coral flowers with thin purple stripes on each petal. The socket is folded from small dark green leaves.

Homemade violet petals come with spraying or stains of various colors and shades:

• (breeder E.V. Korshunova) is a variety of Uzambara violet with large creamy flowers, shaped like a star with a beam span of up to 7 cm. The surface of the petals is abundantly covered with blue stains and splashes and has a wide border of pale lilac color.

• Violet Chimpansy (Chimpansy) (breeder E. Fisher) - a very beautiful variety with a small green rosette, composed of slightly jagged green leaves. Bright pink semi-double flowers-stars along the edge have a wavy white border. Violet petals are strewn with strokes and swirls of bright blue.

Saintpaulia ampelous violets - varieties, photos and descriptions.

Today it is very fashionable to plant ampelous saintpaulias on a balcony or window, which have a long (up to 50 cm) stem with several growth points. The following varieties of ampelous violets are distinguished:

• Violet Ramblin 'Dots (Ramblin Dots) (breeder S. Sorano) - a beautiful violet variety, the rosette of which is made up of light green leaves with golden-white variegation. Double star flowers are painted in light lavender shades, which show a bewitching light purple fantasy pattern.

• Violet Falling Snow (breeder P. Tracey) has numerous small snow-white wasp flowers and light green slightly pointed leaves.

Where does Saintpaulia (Uzambara violet) grow?

The area of ​​​​natural distribution of wild Saintpaulia violet is limited to certain mountainous regions of Kenya and Tanzania. For comfortable growth, the uzambara violet needs a lot of light, however, under direct sunlight, the plant quickly dies. You can meet her along the banks of rivers flowing down steep slopes, near waterfalls that irrigate the surrounding area with water dust, at the bottom of ravines, and also in partial shade under tall trees.

Violets: care and cultivation at home.

If you properly care for home violet, it will bloom all year round. To do this, you need to know only a few points: how to choose the soil (substrate) for violets, how to plant, water and cut a flower, how to fertilize violets for lush flowering and how to transplant the plant if necessary. Subject to simple rules room violet will please you for a long time with its bright colors.

Content temperature.

The optimum temperature of the content should be in the range of 20-24 ° C. In order for the violets to bloom and feel comfortable, they must be protected from drafts, scorching sunlight and sudden changes in temperature. To do this, the flower must be placed on the eastern or western windows.

Soil for violets.

It should be remembered that the violet flower does not like large pots: for an adult plant, a capacity of no more than 13 cm in diameter is enough. retain moisture. As a substrate, you should use soil for indoor violets, purchased in specialized stores, or you can cook it yourself. The composition of the soil should be as follows: peat, coniferous, soddy and leafy soil in a ratio of 1:1:2:3, diluted river sand.

How to water indoor violets?

Watering violets must be approached responsibly. Not everyone knows how to properly and how often to water indoor violets. Be sure to observe the golden mean, avoiding excessive drying of the substrate, but also without overmoistening the soil. Deviations in one direction or another adversely affect the health of the plant. Watering violets can be done with warm, well-settled tap water, making sure that liquid does not fall on the surface of the sheet plates. It is better to water through the pan.

Saintpaulias love high humidity, but it is impossible to spray with a spray gun, as water that gets on the leaves can cause burns. To maintain the desired level of humidity, you can put the plant pot in a tray with wet gravel or pebbles.

With the onset of the winter months, the duration of daylight hours is reduced, so domestic violets need additional artificial lighting for up to 13 hours. It can be equipped with fluorescent lamps up to 40 watts. In order not to supercool the root system, watering violets in winter should be slightly limited and put the pot on a foam or wooden stand at least 30 mm thick.

Fertilizers for violets at home. How to fertilize Saintpaulia violets?

Many are wondering how to feed violets for abundant flowering at home, because some violets give numerous foliage, but do not bloom. To provide saintpaulia with the necessary vitamins and trace elements, it is necessary to feed it with complex mineral fertilizers with a frequency of 1 time in 2 weeks. The concentration of the solution should not exceed 2 grams of fertilizer per 1 liter of water. To prevent the occurrence of fungal diseases, it is recommended to treat the soil of domestic violets with a solution of pale pink potassium permanganate.

Transplanting violets at home. How to transplant a violet?

As the flower grows, it must be transplanted into a larger container. It has been experimentally established that optimal size pot for violets should not exceed a third of the dimensions of the outlet. If your home violet grows slowly and poorly, it means that it needs to be transplanted. Since the root system of the plant is poorly developed, it is not necessary to free the roots from the old clod of earth so as not to destroy them. The flower is transferred to a new container and the substrate is simply added. After transplanting, it must be watered.

How to prune house violet?

Trimming violet leaves is not only possible, but necessary. This is done in the following cases:

• with the death of the old lower leaves. As a result of this, a small bunch of leaves is formed, growing on a low stem;
• to rejuvenate homemade violets, they cut off the top of it and, after treating the cut site with preparations that stimulate root formation, root it in a fresh substrate. On the remaining stump, after a while, babies sprout, which are used to propagate the violet;
• for lush blooms. The leaves are pruned so that the violets bloom.

Reproduction of violets at home: methods of reproduction.

There are 4 main ways to propagate Saintpaulias violets, with the help of which lovers replenish and renew their collections:

• Leaf (or cuttings)
• stepchildren
• babes
• seeds

Propagation of violets by leaf (cuttings).

In the spring, during active vegetation, a middle-aged violet leaf with a petiole length of 2.5-5 cm is cut out from the second row of the rosette. You can root a violet cutting in water or in the ground.

To root a violet leaf in water, the cut of the cutting is immersed in water to a depth of no more than 1 centimeter. This level must be maintained throughout the rooting period. To prevent the occurrence of pathogenic microflora in the water, it is recommended to add half an activated charcoal tablet to it. When the roots appear, you should plant the violet stalk in a small container with good drainage And light ground. The seedling must be watered regularly, preventing the substrate from drying out. After 20-35 days, violet babies appear, which are ready for planting in pots.

To root a violet leaf in the ground, the cut cutting is immediately planted in a prepared container, which is covered with a plastic bag with holes made in it. This is done to remove condensate from the mini-greenhouse. Pre-violet seedlings need to be watered with a small amount of settled water.

Reproduction of violets by stepchildren.

The stepson of a violet (daughter rosette) is a small process that appears in the leaf axil. Stepchildren spoil the appearance of plants, so they need to be removed. To separate the stepchildren from the violet, you need to pinch the point of their growth and wait for the appearance of 4-5 leaves. Next, you need to carefully cut and root the stepson of the violet in a container covered with a film. When several stepchildren are formed, one of them is left on the plant, while the others are grown and planted in a new container.

Reproduction of violets by children.

Violet baby- it is independent small plant, which has its own root system. Babies of the Uzambara violet begin to hatch in the place of the rooted cutting in 2.5-3 weeks. There may be several of them at once - it depends on how strong the cutting was chosen for planting. The best option for further transplantation of the baby - wait until she acquires two or three pairs of leaves and gains strength. After that, you can separate the violet baby from the mother leaf and plant it in the ground.

There are two ways to separate a baby violet.

• In the first version, the Saintpaulia leaf with offspring is carefully removed from the pot, the earth is carefully removed from it, and the children are separated from both the cutting and from each other. It's better to do it by hand.
• The second method is “closed”: with this method, the stalk is not removed from the pot, and the violet children are separated from the group as they grow up. The largest baby, on which the roots have already fully formed, is cut off with a blade or a sharp knife and planted in a pot with a special substrate for Saintpaulia. The last principle of seating is considered more convenient, since several more generations of children can be obtained on an uninjured maternal cutting.

Violets are one of the most charming and beautifully flowering indoor plants that have long enjoyed well-deserved popularity in home floriculture. The botanical name of indoor violets is Saintpaulia in honor of the name of the discoverer. Back in the 19th century, Baron Walter von Saint-Pol, who at that time was the governor of East Africa, accidentally found unknown very beautiful flowers while walking. Thanks to him, the seeds were sent to Germany, where they were successfully germinated. After the flower exhibition, the whole world learned about the unearthly beauty and perfection of violets.

In 1893, indoor violet was demonstrated for the first time at an international flower exhibition in Ghent, where the plant aroused great interest and was recognized as the best novelty.

Biological description

Violet-flowered Saintpaulia, commonly known as Uzambar (room) violet, belongs to the genus Saintpaulia of the Gesneriev family. IN natural conditions plants grow along rivers and near waterfalls in the Usambara Mountains, which are located on the border of the two East African states of Tanzania and Kenya.

Home violet is described as a perennial evergreen, which has:

• superficial root system;
• shortened juicy stem;
• basal rosette of leaves;
• long petioles;
• covered with villi, leathery, broadly oval in shape with a slightly pointed apex, leaf blades up to 8 cm in size;
• numerous small flowers collected in inflorescences-brushes;
• a calyx composed of 5 sepals;
• fruit in the form of a box with small seeds.

Domestic violets are long-flowering indoor crops. If you provide the flower with suitable lighting and proper care, it will bloom for at least 9-10 months a year.

Varietal diversity

In the middle of the 20th century, about a hundred varieties of these indoor plants were bred, and today there are already more than 30 thousand of them, while about 2 thousand are domestic. And every year, thanks to the careful work of breeders, the variety number is growing rapidly.

For convenience, varieties are classified into groups, therefore, when describing varietal violets, the type, color, shape of flowers, type and color of leaves, as well as the size of plants are noted.

flowers

Flowers with a diameter of 3 to 8 cm are simple, semi-double or double, and the petals themselves, both of the same size and of different sizes, can be corrugated, wavy, fringed.

The color of the petals can be either plain snow-white, pale pink, pale blue and deep blue, red, burgundy, purple, or two- and multi-color. Flowers of many varieties have a border of a different color or stripes, spots, blotches of various shades. On one plant, from several dozen to hundreds of flowers can bloom.

Leaves

Most plants have a light to dark green leaf color, although there are other variations such as pure white, bordered, or variegated with various patterns. Inner side the leaf may differ from the outer one, sometimes drastically, for example, have a purple color.

The edge of the leaf blade is solid or notched, wavy or corrugated. The surface is smooth or with pronounced deep veins, and according to the degree of pubescence, it is smooth, sparsely or densely pubescent.

According to the type of leaf blades, they are distinguished - "boys" and "girls". The main difference between the “sexes” is in color: boys have a uniform green color, and girls are distinguished by the presence of a light spot at the base of the leaf.

Size

On average, in a violet, the diameter of a rosette of leaves varies from 20 to 40 cm, although there are miniature varieties of only 5-6 cm, as well as giants - 40-60 cm. Ampelous species with lush foliage that falls over the edge of the pot are very popular.

With age, some varietal violets may develop a border on the petals that was not there at the first flowering.

chimera violets

Chimera violets are considered the most unusual, fantasy and expensive - the result of the painstaking work of experienced breeders. Specialists get a grade empirically, repeatedly crossing and planting up to 1 thousand copies, and then selecting flowers that fit the description of chimeras.

The chimera is easily recognizable by its petals. beautiful patterns. The abundance of colors is simply mesmerizing. Such exclusive plants do not propagate vegetatively, as subsequent generations completely lose the characteristics of the variety.

In addition, chimeras are characterized by increased susceptibility to various diseases and pests. Such varieties require increased attention and careful care. Although, in order to admire such beauty, it is worth observing all the rules for their cultivation. Exclusive domestic chimera violets are real treasures for collectors.

Today, breeders are working on the aroma of indoor violets, as their wild relatives, unfortunately, do not exude almost no smell.

Features of care

Caring for violets consists in fairly bright, but diffused lighting. The length of daylight hours should be 11-13 hours, so in winter period plants are usually supplemented with artificial lighting (phytolamps, fluorescent lamps). Flowers are not tolerated direct impact sunlight, and also do not like drafts.

The optimum temperature regime is about 20 ° C, humidity is not lower than 50-60%. Watering is necessary regular, but moderate, while you need to make sure that the moisture does not stagnate. Too much moisture can lead to root rot. Watered only with settled water room temperature or a little warmer.

Violets are fed with universal fertilizers 1-2 times a month, especially during the period of growth and flowering. The plants are repotted annually, usually in the spring.

Faded buds and damaged leaves are removed if necessary. Flowers also need preventive examinations, as they are quite susceptible to various diseases of fungal etiology ( gray rot, black leg, etc.). The most common pests are mealybugs and aphids.

At home, flowers are successfully propagated by leaf cuttings, part of the leaf blade or daughter rosettes.

Indoor violet is a real decoration of any home, which gives its owner joy and a lot of positive emotions.

Violet or Saintpaulia is a genus belonging to the Gesneriev family. It grows wild in the mountainous regions of East Africa. It was discovered by the scientist Saint-Paul, after whom it was named. To date, many varieties have been bred from this plant, which are widespread in indoor gardening.

General information

Violet is a low perennial, with a very short stem and lots of fleshy leaves. Flowers small, simple, clustered. Modern breeding has been able to produce varieties with a wide variety of colors and petal shapes.

Actually, room Saintpaulia this is not a violet at all, it is so called because of the similarity with the forest violet and the tricolor - pansies, but in fact they are from different families.

The classification of saintpaulias is quite complex, so we will only pass General characteristics. The features that distinguish violets are: the type of rosette, its size, the color of the foliage, the type of flower and its color, as well as the number of petals.

Most modern varieties are very different from ordinary room violets, they have different shape leaves, and the petals look like corrugated or terry.

Among the varieties with high decorativeness, popular are duchess , amadeus , frosty cherry , Cinderella's dream , isadora , Angelica , Lituanic and others.

But it is also a representative of violets themselves, and not Saintpaulia. Alpine violet is actually cyclamen.

Violet care at home

Proper care of the violet will help you enjoy its flowering throughout almost the entire year.

Saintpaulias are very fond of light, but they should not be placed in direct sunlight. It is not terrible if the light falls on them in the morning or in the evening, but if the sun is turned towards them at noon, the leaves will burn.

In order for the violet to fully bloom, it needs daylight hours of about 13 hours. Subject to this rule, you can achieve flowering even in winter.

When the column on the thermometer falls below 15 ° C, the saintpaulia stops growing. In summer, the best temperature for a flower will be 24 ° C. In winter, the temperature may drop slightly, but not below the specified point.

Also, sharp temperature jumps and drafts should not be allowed. Because of this feature, Saintpaulia is better not to take it outside in the summer.

Violet needs high humidity, but you can not get water on the foliage and inflorescences.

Capacity for planting should be selected small. If there is too much room in the pot, then the violet will not bloom until it is filled with roots. For this plant, small plastic pots are quite suitable, the size of which should be 2-3 times smaller than the outlet.

soil for violets

Ordinary indoor violets are not particularly whimsical to the ground, but for varietal ones, you should choose the right substrate. You can buy it in a store, or you can make it yourself by mixing half a share of soddy land, two shares of leaf, and one each of humus and sand. You should also add a spoonful of superphosphate and a little bone meal.

But the most important thing is that the soil is loose and slightly acidic. A drainage layer should be placed at the bottom of the pot.

Watering violets

When planting, the flower is placed in the center of the container and gradually filled with earth so that there are no voids left. Water the plant after planting.

Violets do not need to be watered often, about once every 7-10 days. It is best to use bottom watering. In this case, use settled, warm water.

Violets can, and if the leaves are contaminated, spray and wash. But before carrying out these procedures, the flower must be removed from the windowsill. After spraying or showering, you should also not rush to put the violet in place - wait until it dries, otherwise spots will form on the foliage.

Fertilizer for violets

Saintpaulia also needs to be fertilized. To do this, they take complex top dressing, which they begin to make during the period of increasing green mass. Fertilization continues until the onset of a dormant period, the frequency is once every 10 days along with watering.

It is advised to use a lower concentration of fertilizer than stated in the instructions.

Transplanting violets at home

Indoor violets need annual transplants, as they deplete the soil in a year. At the same time, you need to replace the pot only if you observe signs that the flower does not have enough space (shrinking foliage, weak flowering).

It is best to transplant plants in early spring by transshipment, so that the roots do not suffer much.

pinching violets

Violets bush well, but to increase the decorativeness they need to be pinched. This is especially true for the lower leaves. They can be torn off with petioles, as they quickly fade and only take strength from the flower. You should also get rid of sluggish inflorescences and ugly and yellowed foliage.

Turn the plant around occasionally to keep the bush growing evenly.

Gradually, after removing the lower leaves, the Saintpaulia trunk will become visible and over time it will only be more noticeable. In order for the flower to remain beautiful, as before, it can be transplanted by deepening the trunk into the soil or cut off all the leaves, leaving only a couple of centimeters of the stem.

After that, the stump remaining after pruning is placed in water until a root is formed and planted in the soil, thus another plant is obtained.

Reproduction of violets by division

Saintpaulia can be propagated by seeds, rosettes and leaves. The seed method is practically not used due to its complexity, and also due to the fact that as a result the flower will lose its varietal characteristics and you will get an ordinary violet.

If your plant has grown strongly and new sockets have begun to form on it, then they need to be separated and planted in other containers. You can perform division even during flowering.

Violets leaf propagation

The most common and easiest way is to grow violets from a leaf. To do this, take a strong leaf along with the petiole and put it in water to form roots. But you can try to immediately plant a leaf in a substrate of sand, leafy soil and peat (4:2:1). Such a container is covered with glass and kept warm and in good light, but so that direct rays do not fall on the container.

Sometimes the soil needs to be watered, but only to keep it slightly moist. It happens that the leaf begins to fade or does not change at all. If this happens, there is no need to rush and throw away the material - sometimes it takes a long time for the formation of a new plant.

If with the advent of young foliage, the old leaf is in good condition, then it must be cut off. After that, you can even try to use it for reproduction again.

If you root a leaf in the ground, then you cannot observe the formation of roots, but the speed of their appearance and the chance of getting a new violet increases.

Diseases of violets

Ordinary saintpaulias are quite resistant to diseases, but varietal species not that strong at all.

• One of the most common diseases affecting violets is powdery mildew. She manifested by white bloom on the leaves plants. If a disease is detected, we recommend using Fundazol or Bentlan.
• Late blight leads to rotting of the roots and the formation of brown spots on the foliage. . If the plant is sick, it must be destroyed and the container in which it was grown must be sterilized.
• Gray rot forms gray spots on the body of the plant . If any are found, they should be immediately cut off and treated with a fungicide. The soil in which diseased plants grew can no longer be used.
• Furaziosis appears with excess moisture. He leads to rotting of the stem and leaf petioles . If you notice these symptoms, treat the violet with a fungicide.
• Rust appears as small orange spots on the leaves . To cure a flower, use a 1% solution of copper sulfate.

Possible difficulties

The most common questions about indoor violets are related to the lack of flowering, yellowing of the foliage and leaf spot.

• If your violet does not bloom , then, in addition to pests, there may be a number of reasons for this: lack of light, short daylight hours, excess nitrogen supplements, an excessive amount of moisture in the soil or a lack of it in the air. Also, this problem is caused by a large growing capacity and an excessively dense substrate.
• Yellowing of the leaves may indicate the aging of the flower. . This also happens when placed in direct sunlight. This can be observed when the acidity of the soil deviates from the norm, as well as with an excess of phosphorus top dressing.
• Most often spots on the leaves are the result of pests and diseases, but sometimes they appear due to drafts.
• Spots from the edges of the sheet indicate a lack of potassium in the soil - which means that the substrate has depleted and it is time to transplant the flower.
• Dry spots are formed if the violet stands in direct sunlight.

In our climate, violets are houseplants. Violet also has another name for Saintpaulia.

They attract lovers of flowering indoor plants with their bright flowers and fluffy leaves. Moreover, this home flower is not a source of allergy. But the violet is not easy to care for, it is quite capricious to the conditions, and in order for it to bloom, the grower needs to try.

The most common question asked by novice flower growers is why the violet does not bloom?

This can happen for various reasons:

• lack or excess of nutrients;
• a pot too big for a plant;
• unsuitable soil;
• violation of the irrigation regime;
• unsuitable climate for the plant;
• insufficient level of illumination.

On a note! Some varieties of violet bloom for a long time, while others require rest after flowering, while the flowering period can be much shorter than the recovery period.

Cultivation and care

planting violets

Violets or saintpaulias are very capricious and demanding on growing conditions.

Firstly, you need to choose the right pot for the plant. Violet roots grow on the surface of the soil, and not in depth, so the pots for violets are selected quite compact. Pot sizes range from 5cm x 5cm for small varieties or baby violets to 9cm x 9cm for full grown plants. Moreover, if you decide to transplant a plant, then you should not change the size of the pot in the direction of increase.

Planting violets in a pot larger than 9 by 9 cm leads to a negative effect, which is expressed as follows:

• the flower may not bloom for two years due to the fact that all the power will be spent on the formation of leaves to the detriment of the formation of inflorescences.
• in those places where the soil is not braided with the roots of the plant, fungal diseases can develop and subsequently harm the plant.

The material from which the violet pot is made also matters. If you choose a lightweight plastic pot, it's a good idea to make holes on the sides of the pot so that air can enter the potting soil and ventilate the violet roots. It will also save the earth from souring. If the choice of the grower fell on a ceramic pot, you need to choose pots without glaze, since pots without glaze allow air to pass through and allow the roots of the plant to breathe.

Secondly, you need to choose the right soil for violets.

Violets love slightly acidic soil. If the acidity of the soil deviates greatly from the pH value of 6-6.5, the violet may stop growing normally: the buds will fall off without even blooming. This may be due to the fact that the plant stops absorbing useful material from the soil and nitrogen-phosphorus starvation sets in. According to the state of the plant experienced florist find out what kind of soil this moment at the violet If the young leaves curl up, then the soil is acidic; if the leaves turn pale and the tips turn brown, then the soil is alkaline.

Now many manufacturers produce special soil for different types of plants. Violets are no exception. But even purchased soil is not always perfect - it happens that it is so light that when watering, water seeps into the gap between the soil mixture and the walls of the pot without soaking the soil. Therefore, it is better to prepare the soil yourself by taking two parts of garden soil and combining it with one part of sand. Next, you need to ignite the soil prepared by yourself in order to destroy pests and pathogenic bacteria. Now you can pour soil into the pot and plant violets. After planting, it is better to pour expanded clay on the surface of the earth, which will retain moisture and protect the soil from drying out.

Caring for homemade violets

To achieve maximum decorativeness, violet needs a very bright place, but without direct sunlight. Therefore, most often blooming violets can be seen in the houses of flower growers on the windowsills from the north, northwest, northeast side. If, in the grower's apartment, the windows only face the south side, then you will have to shade the pots with violets with something in order to avoid getting sunburned by the leaves and flowers of Saintpaulia. To make the sunlight soft and diffused, you can close the window with light curtains or sheets of white paper. During the day, violets need 10-12 hours of light. In winter, when natural light is not enough, you can highlight the plant with phytolamps.

On a note! So that the violet bush grows evenly and does not bend from the fact that it is lit only on one side, from time to time turn the pot with the plant on different sides to the window, so the Saintpaulia rosettes will be symmetrical and neat.

I must say that those violets with dark green leaves need more lighting than plants with light green curly leaves.

Important! How to determine Is there enough light for your violet? Watch the plant: if the leaves are down, then there is enough light, but if they are stretched up, then the saintpaulia suffers from its lack.

High-quality care for home violets is ensured by maintaining a comfortable temperature regime in the house. The ideal temperature for growing violets is 20-22 degrees, in this comfortable climate the violet blooms profusely and the greenery looks bright. If the plant blooms in the hot summer period, and the air temperature in the house rises above 28 degrees, then the violet flowers become small, pale, in varieties with a bright border along the edge of the flowers, this feature disappears. Such a temperature can destroy the plant, you can only help by lowering the temperature by installing an air conditioner, split system, fan, or by ventilating.

No less detrimental is the hypothermia of Saintpaulia, which can result in rotting of the roots. If this happens, the only way to save the plant is by re-rooting it. A draft is also contraindicated for violets, it is not only dangerous for appearance plants (light spots on the leaves), but can also cause significant harm to their condition and even lead to death.

In winter, if the window sill in an apartment or house is cold, the violet must be protected from hypothermia of the root system. There are two options for solving the problem:

• you can put a thick wooden or foam stand under the flower pot
• you can move the plant from the window sill to a table or stand adjacent to the window, but then you need to remember to highlight the plant with a phytolamp, since plants usually suffer from a lack of light in winter.

Capricious violet loves moderation in watering. She will not like very plentiful watering, but its long absence also negatively affects the plant. One of the conditions for proper care of violets is watering the plant with settled water at room temperature. Once a month, you can water the violet with acidified water. To do this, add acetic acid to the water (one teaspoon per liter of water) or citric acid(5 crystals per liter of water).

Attention! Spraying is contraindicated for violet. Its shaggy leaves retain moisture for themselves, which can cause a fungal disease to develop in the plant.

You can moisten by pouring water into the pan and placing a pot with a plant in it for thirty minutes. If the house is very warm (above 22 degrees), the violets are watered from above, but you need to make sure that the water does not get into the outlet. Well, another solution to the problem is to install a humidifier in the room, which will be useful for both plants and humans.

Attention! If you are watering violets by dipping into the pot tray and you have a large tray where you put several pots of plants at once, be attentive to the condition of the plants. Since in this case it is very easy to infect through water healthy plant from the patient.

Fertilizer and top dressing of violets

During the growth period, young plants are fed with nitrogen supplements. On a note! Capricious violets will not bloom if you overdo it with fertilizers with nitrogen. Violets and this time tell us that they need moderation in everything. matured and flowering plant you need to fertilize with potassium and phosphorus, which are necessary for the formation of buds and flowering.

How to care for violets in winter

The basic rules for maintaining the life and good condition of saintpaulias in winter are four main points:

• Ensuring a long (10-12 hours) daylight hours with the help of supplementary lighting;
• Ensuring the temperature in the room is not lower than 20 degrees;
• Watering three times a week with water at room temperature;
• Providing high humidity in the room with a flower.

Note! During flowering, faded buds should be removed from the violet, so the plant will have more strength to ensure the current flowering. After the flowering period is over, to restore the strength of the violet, the lower leaves are removed and transplanted into fresh soil or, at worst, fertilizers are applied to the ground.

Reproduction of violets

Violet blooms only at a young age. If the plant is more than three years old, then most likely it will no longer bloom. Time to think about the propagation of Saintpaulia.

The simplest and effective way propagation of violets - cuttings or leaf propagation. To do this, you need to take a good leaf from the plant along with the cutting and put it in a glass of water. After some time, a root forms on the handle, then it is planted in a pot with soil.

Another way is to separate the children of violets. In the process of growing adult plants, they form children. In order for children and mother plant do not interfere with each other, they need to be seated. It is better to do this in the summer, since an adult plant, after separating the children, needs strength to recover by winter.

For reproduction of violets by children, the following manipulations are carried out:

• Carefully dig out the baby and detach it from the parent plant with a sharp knife. When doing this, it is very important not to damage the socket.
• If there are a lot of leaves on the baby, and very few roots, some of the leaves must be removed so that the plant does not waste energy on maintaining the leaves, but uses them to develop the root system.
• Next, the baby needs to be planted in a separate pot, watered and placed in a place where it is warm and light, but there is no direct sunlight.

Diseases and pests of violets

• Violets are affected by late blight. Appear on the violet brown spots. It makes no sense to fight against this fungal disease in the case of violets, therefore, in order to avoid infection of other plants, the diseased Saintpaulia is disposed of, as well as the soil from under it. To prevent this disease, it is better to buy soil for violets in stores or it is good to ignite the soil prepared by yourself in the oven.
• Violet can be affected by powdery mildew. In this disease, the trunks of Saintpaulia are covered white coating. This disease appears in the following conditions: dusty room, air temperature below 18 degrees Celsius, lack of light. To treat the plant, you need to wipe the stems with a damp, clean cloth, ventilate the room and treat the flower with the benlat preparation.
• Gray rot manifests itself in the form of a gray fluffy coating on the leaves and petioles of violets. The reason for the occurrence is that the plant is not watered with settled water at room temperature, as expected, but cold water and very often. This disease should be combated by treatment with 2tiram, phytosparin, agate and others, as well as by establishing a normal irrigation regime.
• Fusarium fungus affects the roots of violets - they begin to rot. This is due to frequent watering with cold water and gives out this disease gray falling leaves and lack of flowering. For treatment, the plant is treated with a solution of fundozol and benomyl.

On a note! No more than once a month, you can water the violet with phytosporin or a pale solution of potassium permanganate. This good prevention from fungal diseases.

Violet is a very capricious plant, but if the grower pleases her and provides her with quality care, she will delight him with beautiful flowers on the windowsill for most of the year.

Violet, or Saintpaulia, is found exclusively in the Usambara Mountains, located in Kenya and Tanzania. It is an evergreen undersized plant with a short shoot and a dense rosette of succulent pubescent leaves on long petioles.

The flowers of natural species are small, five-petalled, painted only in blue or purple. They are rarely found in collections, as they are very inferior to cultural forms in terms of decorativeness.

Varietal or hybrid violets amaze with their beauty, variety of colors and outlines of flowers. Their popularity is facilitated by their small size and ease of maintenance.

Variety of violets

Mass fascination with violets indoor plants started in the mid 1920s.

Due to the fact that saintpaulia is unusually plastic, and anyone can bring out a new flower in a couple of years, thousands of varieties have now been created.

Their exact number is unknown, international classification does not exist. Most often, violets are divided according to the following characteristics:

• outlet size;
• bud shape;
• bud color;
• the number of petals;
• leaf color;
• leaf shape.

In catalogs published by different countries, you can find the same flower under different names. This is due to the fact that varieties are created extremely quickly and simply. Breeders independently breed very similar violets, and each gives them their own name.

Post-Purchase Care

At an exhibition or in a store, you purchased Saintpaulia and brought it home. What to do next?

1. Examine the violet with a magnifying glass to see if it has thrips or mealybugs. If necessary, treat the plant with an insecticide so as not to infect the entire collection.
2. Remove any dried or broken leaves and flower stalks.
3. Immediately after the purchase, it is better not to replant the violet, but if it was grown in peat, you should not hesitate.
4. Water the bush only if it is dry.

Correctly isolate the violet for 2 months so that diseases or pests not detected in time do not migrate to other plants. In practice, quarantine is rarely maintained.

Important! Place Saintpaulia separately from other flowers and watch it for at least two weeks. There were cases when even a shield was brought home with a purchase.

Growing conditions

Violet easily adapts to growing conditions and is easy to care for. With regular watering and minimal top dressing she releases buds 2-3 times a year. But in order to get an exhibition copy with continuous flowering need to pay more attention to it.

Temperature

Violet is an exceptionally heat-loving plant. It does not have a pronounced dormant period and requires an even temperature throughout the year.

Most comfortable conditions- 20-25 degrees. It is absolutely unacceptable to lower the temperature to 15, and at 30 and above, the saintpaulia becomes lethargic, stops blooming, stops growing.

If you have an extreme temperature regime for violets - cold or too hot, there is a way out. Choose the best leaves and grow your own plants from them. Saintpaulia is very flexible, and the next generation will be better adapted to your conditions.

Important! What the violet does not tolerate at all is the temperature difference. No effort will make her bloom and look attractive if the room where she grows is either cold or hot.

A flower cannot be taken out into the street or a balcony in the summer, even the slightest draft will harm it.

Air humidity

In the homeland of Saintpaulia, in the Usambar Mountains, it rains daily, hence the requirements of the plant.

Of course, you cannot create conditions for it with 95% humidity, as in nature, but you simply must provide 50-70%.

Soft pubescent leaves cannot be sprayed - they will simply rot, you need to raise the percentage of water in the air in other ways.

If you have a large collection of violets, it's wise to buy a humidifier. Place a single plant on a pallet with wet expanded clay or sphagnum moss, just do not forget to add water there. You can place bowls of liquid between the pots or spray the air next to the flowers several times a day.

flower lighting

At home, saintpaulia grows close to the equator, where day and night equals night all year round, it need lighting 11-13 hours a day.

On the other hand, it is located not on open area and under the protection of trees and shrubs. So the lighting of violets should be long, but not too intense.

Saintpaulia is one of the cultures that feel great in artificial light. If there is little space on the eastern and western windowsills, or you have a large collection, flowers can be grown on racks using fluorescent or fitolamps.

In order to illuminate a shelf measuring 50x130 cm, 2-3 lamps with a power of 40 W are enough, located at a height of 20 to 35 cm from the tops of the plants. Incandescent lamps are not suitable for highlighting violets.

A sign of a lack of light is the leaves raised up, with an excess of it, the socket, on the contrary, becomes flat.

Important! You can not highlight the plant around the clock or in pieces. In the dark, the leaves accumulate hormones responsible for the creation and development of buds. If you do not create a violet rest at a time for more than 6 hours a day, flowering will be inferior.

In order for the violet standing on the windowsill to be evenly lit, the bush must be rotated 30-40 degrees 2-3 times a week.

Accommodation at home

So, the violet is best placed on the eastern, western window sills or shelves with artificial lighting.

The southern windows require light application, and the northern windows require illumination. Flowers must be available. fresh air, but they cannot be placed under the window, as in other places where the plant will suffer from drafts. The temperature should be even throughout the day.

You can not put violets close to each other - this will lead to deformation of the bush. In addition, if one plant becomes ill, in crowded conditions there is a high probability that it will infect a neighboring flower.

Photos of different indoor violets

Variety LE “Mistress of the copper mountain”

Variety "Yan Sultan"

Variety RS “Countess de Monsoro”

How to care for it to bloom?

Saintpaulia, with proper care, can bloom without interruption for a whole year, but in order for it not to deplete, a two-month break is needed. In all its glory, the violet will show itself if you provide it with:

• sufficient, but not excessive lighting;
• proper watering;
• regular feeding;
• draft protection;
• timely removal of faded peduncles and daughter rosettes that appeared in the axils of the leaves;
• transplant 2 times a year;
• a cramped pot, since in a spacious one it will not bloom at all or give few weak flower stalks.

Do not forget that saintpaulia is a short-lived plant and is considered old at the age of three.

Seasonal care on the windowsill

As such, seasonal violet care does not exist. You yourself determine when the plant will rest.

At this time, top dressing is stopped, lighting and watering are slightly reduced. With a large collection, it is convenient to allocate a separate shelf for plants that are “on a well-deserved rest”.

If your flowers are on the shelves, they are cared for the same way all year round. For violets grown on windowsills in heating season you need to follow these rules:

• be sure to provide backlighting - at this time the sun is not enough for the plant;
• put the pots so that the leaves do not touch the cold glass, otherwise they will freeze and disappear;
• heating devices should not be placed in close proximity to plants;
• if batteries are located under the window sill with flowers, they must be shielded with foil or in another way;
• increase the humidity in the room - in winter, when the heating is on, the air is very dry, which negatively affects the condition of the violets.

Transfer

Adult violets are transplanted 1-2 times a year, young ones - as the roots master the planting capacity.

Healthy plants roll over, trying not to disturb the fragile roots. The soil should be loose, slightly acidic.

Experienced violet lovers make planting mixtures on their own, beginners buy special soil in stores. At the bottom of a cramped pot, drainage must be present, its absence - the right way destroy the plant.

Saintpaulia can be transplanted at any time of the year, but it is better not to touch it during flowering. If there is an urgent need to move the plant to a new pot, be sure to cut off the flower stalks.

Landing

The diameter of the pot for planting violets of ordinary varieties should not exceed 9 cm. The plant should be cramped in it.

Flowering will not occur until the root system has fully mastered the soil.

Only the largest specimens are planted in containers with a diameter of 10-11 cm; 3-4 cm flowerpots are used for trailers and miniature varieties.

Reference! The diameter of the outlet should be three times the size of the pot.

reproduction

Seed propagation of violets is difficult and is used only by breeders when creating new varieties.

Plants are bred vegetatively by rooting leaf cuttings or daughter rosettes. To do this, they are placed in water, planted in light soil, perlite or peat tablet.

The same leaf can be rooted several times. In especially valuable varieties, even a leaf plate is cut and planted in a peat-sand mixture using phytohormones. Trailers are propagated by stem cuttings.

The resulting children are seated in a separate container only when they grow up to 3-5 cm.

Proper pruning and rejuvenation

In Saintpaulia, it is necessary to remove all faded peduncles and yellowed lower leaves, without waiting until they dry out.

You can rejuvenate the violet. To do this, the stem is cut at ground level, cleaned with a sharp sterile knife, sprinkled with a mixture of crushed activated carbon and heteroauxin, and allowed to dry for 6 to 12 hours. Then it is placed in water or planted in light soil for rooting.

How to water correctly?

Saintpaulias are watered only with warm settled water. The surface of the soil should be slightly damp, neither overflow nor overdrying of the earthen coma is allowed.

But if you are in doubt about whether to moisten the violet, it is better to refrain - a short-term lack of water is less dangerous than its excess.

Experienced flower growers even wait until the top layer of the substrate dries out a little, and the leaves begin to lose turgor.

Carefully! Never pour liquid into the center of the rosette - the violet will rot and die.

A large collection of hundreds of specimens is difficult to care for, it is better to arrange drip irrigation.

top dressing

Violet needs large doses of potassium and phosphorus, but it’s better not to get carried away with nitrogen (this does not mean at all that nitrates should be excluded from the Saintpaulia diet).

Every 2 weeks they are fertilized with special dressings for violets, dissolved in water according to the instructions. For children and starters, take half the recommended dose.

Violets planted in purchased soil are not fed for 2 months - the soil mixture already contains fertilizer. Sometimes half doses nutrients applied with every watering. During the period of forced rest, violets are not fed.

Diseases and pests

Almost all diseases of violets are caused by improper care.

Most often, they suffer from late blight, powdery mildew and gray rot, the pathogens of which enter plants with poor ventilation along with dust or overflows.

To save Saintpaulias from diseases, they are treated with fungicides.

Of the pests, the most dangerous are aphids, nematodes, springtails, mites, thrips, and whiteflies. Suparides ( mushroom mosquitoes) appear at high humidity soil or top dressing with organic matter. They do not pose a danger to the plant. To get rid of pests, violets are treated with insecticides, plants affected by the nematode are thrown away.

Common mistakes

When growing violets, flower growers most often encounter such problems:

• development slows down, and the petioles stretch and grow vertically due to lack of light;
• development slows down, the leaves turn yellow, and the outlet becomes flat with excessive lighting;
• spots on the leaves appear due to watering with cold water, from sunburn, drafts or because in winter the leaves were pressed against the cold window glass;
• the edges of the sheet plate are bent at low temperature;
• stems rot from overflows.

Properly care for violets - this will eliminate problems or minimize them.

Answers to popular questions

From time to time, all flower growers face problems. We will give answers to the most frequently asked questions when growing violets.

Why is it growing poorly or slowly?

Saintpaulia may grow poorly for the following reasons:

• too low or high temperature - bring it back to normal;
• lack of nutrients - feed the plant;
• exhausted soil - transplant violet;
• a plant older than 3 years - root a leaf or rejuvenate a bush.

Why doesn't it bloom?

Flowering may be absent:

• with a lack of potassium and phosphorus or an excess of nitrogen - use only specialized top dressing intended for Saintpaulia;
• in case of improper lighting - insufficient or without a 6-hour break;
• the flower is hot or cold, the difference between day and night temperatures;
• if the violet grows in a too loose pot, transplant it into a cramped container until the roots have mastered the entire earthen ball, there will be no flowering;
• if the buds appear, but then fall off or dry - perhaps low humidity;
• a flower older than 3 years old - root a leaf or rejuvenate a bush.

Violet will not bloom if you decide to get seeds or simply do not cut off old flower stalks.

Why only leaves grow?

If the leaves grow well, but flowering does not occur, then there may be several reasons:

• excess nitrogen fertilizers;
• no mandatory daily 6-hour dark period;
• lack of light.

Useful video

Learn more about caring for violets in the video below:

Conclusion

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in caring for a violet - you just need to know the simple rules and strictly follow them.