Almost every grower has violet. And how can one refuse such beauty? In nature, there are about 500 species of this plant. The territory of their distribution is almost the entire globe. Varieties of violets differ in size, color and many other characteristics that only specialists know about. Admiring their beauty and amazing tenderness of flowers, I want to keep it for a long time and increase it. Each variety of violets is good in its own way, but they require the same care. We will talk about how to grow these amazing plants in this article.
The origin of violets
The birthplace of this beautiful flower is East Africa. Until now, many rare varieties of violets are found only there and are even under protection. The second name of this plant is Saintpaulia. In the natural environment, they grow near waterfalls, in the coastal zone of rivers, where there is a lot of fog and water dust.
Baron Walter Saint-Paul discovered this flower near the Uzambara mountains. He struck him with his beauty and tenderness. There are many violet-like plants in nature, but only one species, the senpolia, has been able to take root under conditions of home breeding.
Description of violets
Varieties of indoor violets are similar to each other in their structure. All of them belong to the Gesneriaceae family and have a second name - Uzambara violet. Small in size plants are characterized by abundant flowering throughout the year, making only small breaks for rest. This is a perennial flower with juicy, short stems that are collected in a socket. Violet has wide, oval or slightly round leaves on long petioles.
The apex of them is slightly pointed, and the edges are wavy. Fleshy leaves have a dark or light green color. Below they are reddish, green or purple. The plant has a lot of inflorescences, reaching 3-4 centimeters in diameter. Violet flowers are double, semi-double or simple. Their color is the most diverse - from white to dark blue. There are varieties that have a two-tone color.
Hybrid varieties
The number of hybrids many times exceeds the main types. Thanks to selection, there are now about 2000 varieties and hybrid forms. Violets are divided depending on the color and shape of the flowers and their type. Here you can distinguish star-shaped, classic, limbic, fantasy and violets "chimeras". According to the type of leaves, the senpolia is divided into boys and girls. At the base of the “girls” leaf there is a noticeable bright spot; in the “boys” leaf is completely green.
The sizes of the rosettes of these plants can reach up to 60 centimeters. These are violets - giants. More often you have to see the senpolia with an average outlet (up to 40 centimeters). Also, miniature plants are found having a
size of a rosette with a diameter of up to 15 centimeters, and microminiatures - up to 6 centimeters. Violets of "chimera" have a contrasting strip on the petals. These are the most exotic varieties. They can only be propagated by stepsons and peduncles. Each sort of violets is good in its own way.
The most famous varieties
There are varieties of senpolia, which are in great demand among flower growers. They are common and quite well adapted to home breeding conditions. Based on them, many hybrids were bred. Varieties of violets and a description of their features will be considered in more detail.
The dark Saintpaulia (Saintpaulia confusa) is distinguished by a straight stem, which reaches 10 centimeters in height. Her flowers have a bluish-purple color with yellow anthers and are collected in brushes of 4 pieces. The violet-flowered Saintpaulia (Saintpaulia ionantha) has different colors of inflorescences of the bred hybrids: white, pink, blue, red and violet. Its leaves are green above and greenish red below.
In the natural environment, this plant has flowers only in violet-blue color. Saintpaulia ionantha or Magunga senpolia has branched stems, the height of which reaches 15 centimeters. The leaves of this plant have a diameter of about 6 centimeters and wavy edges. Violet flowers - purple in color, collected two or four in inflorescences. Saintpaulia teitensis is a rare species of violets that is protected and is found only in Kenya. The best varieties of Uzbek violets are headed by Saintpaulia Chimera Monique, which has lilac flowers with a white border. Saintpaulia Chimera Myrthe is distinguished by pink-red petals bordered by a white stripe. Violet Saintpaulia Ramona is a variety with dark red flowers with yellow anthers. And finally, the white violet Saintpaulia Nada, which is found in every lover of this plant. The varieties and names of violets purchased at the store may not be known. Real senpolia with names are found only in specialized nurseries and are very expensive. Violets, bred at home, may have some mutations.
We buy violets
What should I look for when buying this plant? First of all, on the leaves. They should not have any extraneous spots. They may indicate that the plant is infected. Such a violet will be difficult to grow. For breeding from a leaf stalk, specimens from the second lower row should be selected. The lower leaves can be severely depleted and give fewer children. Be sure to check with the seller for the name of the variety. The leaves of the plant should not be stretched upward. This indicates a lack of light. The outlet should be healthy and not have signs of decay. Violet cuttings and rosettes are very fragile. This must be taken into account when transporting them. Varieties and names of violets should be written and glued to the pot.
What violets love
Each flower requires its own breeding conditions. No matter what kind of violet was purchased, find a well-lit place for the plant. But remember that senpolis do not like direct sunlight. From their ingestion, burns appear on the leaves, and with prolonged exposure to the sun, the flower may die. Violets, photos and the name of the variety which can be found in this article, love the windows on the west and east sides of the building. On the south side they need to be protected from the sun by shading. The best temperature for a comfortable cultivation of violets ranges from 20 to 24 degrees. For a large number of violets, you can equip a special rack. Lighting in this case may be artificial. Senpolis do not like drafts, especially in winter. Therefore, this should be taken into account during prolonged ventilation.
Watering violets
Any types of violets, white varieties or others, need moderate watering. To do this, it is better to use water at room temperature or a little warmer. Diluted or filtered tap water is suitable. Watering the senpolia is better in the pan. When irrigating from above, you need to try not to get on the leaves, flowers, and especially in the center of the outlet.
From this, spots appear on the flower, and it can die. After 10-15 minutes, water from the pan must be poured. The plant at this time absorbs the required amount of moisture. The soil of the flower should be moist and not very wet. If the environment is more damp, then the outlet and the root system will rot. Watering is carried out on average 1-2 times a week, but it depends on the season, soil quality and room temperature. Sometimes violets are sprayed. This procedure will be useful in the summer. But it must be carried out with caution, to prevent the sun from entering a wet plant.
Plant nutrition
Violets do not require frequent top dressing. The finished substrate has all the necessary nutrients that are needed for the fruitful development of the plant. Therefore, it is enough to transplant each sort of violets once a year or a little more often. To feed the senpolia, if it is depleted, use special fertilizers. They are both liquid and granular. Fertilizers should not be highly concentrated. The label must bear the designation (NPK). Top dressing can be done no more than once a month. Remember that the earthen lump of the plant should not be overdried.
Be sure to read the instructions to properly feed the violet. For young outlets, the nitrogen content in the soil should exceed the amount of potassium and phosphorus. In order for the plant to form buds and bloom profusely, it must be fed with phosphoric preparations. Then the flowers will be large and bright. Also during this period of the senpolia, a lot of light is required. But fertilizers must be applied carefully. Excess nutrients can be harmful. Feed the plant if it really needs it. An unhealthy look of violet may be due to improper care.
Propagation of violets with leafy cuttings
Violet, new varieties of which appear quite often, reproduces perfectly with leafy cuttings. But this does not apply to all species. Cuttings are the most affordable and easiest way to breed this beautiful flower. But, despite the simplicity of breeding these flowers, many beginner gardeners for the first time fail. The cuttings decay and die without rooting. Let's talk about some features of this process. Usually boiled water is used for rooting . Agroperlite or vermiculite is also used. Good enough violet forms roots in the moss-sphagnum. The latest achievement was peat-humus tablets, which minimize the risk of decay. First, cut off a petiole with a sharp knife or razor. It must be taken from the middle ranks. We do this carefully, since the violet is a very delicate plant. Petiole should not be too long. The optimal length is not more than 4 centimeters. Such a petiole will give large children much faster. We put it in the necessary substance.
Humidity for good rooting should be high, and the temperature within 20-24 degrees. It is better to build a small greenhouse on top, or put the container in a bag. After a month or a half, children should appear. After they get stronger, it is necessary to separate them. We do this very carefully, minimally damaging the
root system. We plant the children in a separate pot. Each petiole that the violet gave (varieties, the photo is in this article) can form several processes. The capacity for landing should not be too large, no more than 6 centimeters in diameter. If the donor leaf remains strong, then it can be left for re-rooting.
Planting kids
When planting, we definitely use drainage, which we put on the bottom of the pot. It can be sphagnum moss, polystyrene or small expanded clay. Soil we choose special for senpolii. It should be loose, soft and nutritious. You can add vermiculite and perlite to it (a fifth of the volume of soil). You can also dilute the soil with moss-sphagnum, cutting it into smaller fragments. For children, you can build a greenhouse for 2-3 weeks to adapt. We put them on the illuminated windowsill, but not on the south side. In winter, drafts must be excluded so that the root system does not get too cold. After 2-3 weeks, you need to start hardening the plants, opening the greenhouse. You need to start from 15 minutes and bring the time to 30 minutes.
Propagation by stepsons
Violets, photos and the name of the variety of which are mentioned in this article, are propagated by stepsons. To root successfully, you need to wait for the stepson to appear 3-4 leaves. For this procedure, you need a scalpel or awl. With their help, the stepson is carefully separated from the mother plant. It is necessary to injure the roots of both senpolia and leaf cuttings as little as possible. Now you need to carry out the rooting procedure. To do this, use a pot with a substrate or a peat-humus tablet. Then the stepson is transplanted into a pot of earth and make a greenhouse over it. After 3-4 weeks, it is necessary to begin hardening, gradually removing the greenhouse. This method of propagation is ideal for violets "chimeras" and fantasy varieties.
Pot selection
Choosing the right capacity for planting violets is very important. The main thing here is the diameter. Its value for young outlets and children should be 5-6 centimeters. Older plants are planted in pots with a diameter of 10-12 centimeters. It is believed that a good pot should be three times smaller than the outlet itself. The height of the pots should not be large. Violets look very nice in low containers. Both ceramic and plastic pots can be used. The second type is more affordable.
Violet Care
These many-faced flowers, pink violets - varieties with delicate flowers, white - pure and innocent, red - passionate, blue - bewitching, need reverent care. In adult plants, it is necessary to remove old leaves that lose their color and spoil the appearance. After removing the bottom row of leaves, add soil to the pot or cover it with sphagnum moss. With proper care, plants will delight with their magnificent flowering, and their breeding will bring only pleasure. Provide the Senpolies with good lighting, a comfortable temperature, sufficient humidity and watering and, most importantly, their love, and they will reciprocate. There are so many varieties and varieties that you can start collecting them, adding new, sophisticated types of violets.