All decorative violets that exist today come from the species Saintpaulia ionantha. The Uzambara violet, whose photo can be found in all flower growing guides, has dark green leaves, although there are exceptions. In addition, the plant has a variety of appearance.
Uzambar violet
These are the most common indoor flowers in the world. The number of varieties of these magnificent plants will surprise even an experienced grower. For example, Colorado has purple-red flowers with pointed petals; Garden News is decorated with snow-white inflorescences and bright green leaves. Miss Pretty is popular for its pinkish, pointed-pointed flowers. Delft amazes with its blue-violet, magnificent caps.
Uzambara violet, the photo of which you see below, is for many gardeners the most favorite indoor plant. She deserved this title because of the extraordinary, very beautiful flowers, and thanks to the long flowering. Without it, not a single violet exhibition takes place, wherever it is held. Such events are periodically organized in all cities of the world at different times. Expositions open year-round, but more extensive and spectacular exhibitions are from March to May. There are even displays of rare, collectibles.
Description
This plant is a low flower with a slightly shortened stem and a rosette consisting of long-leaved, numerous leaves. They are velvety, can have an oval, ovoid or rounded shape, with a base in the form of a heart. Depending on the type, the outer side of the sheet may have different colors: from light to dark green. The wrong side, as a rule, is light green or purple, veins sharply appear on it.
If an exhibition of violets will be held in your city, please note that the inflorescences of this species are not very large. On one peduncle, there are from 3 to 8. During the period of mass flowering, a plant can be decorated with up to 100 flowers at a time. Flowering lasts up to eight months. Today, officially registered about 1,200 species of Uzambara violets. Amazing variety of appearance of this queen of indoor flowers. It is ordinary and terry with wavy petals. Their color is also diverse - white and pink, raspberry and blue, blue and violet, as well as two-tone.
Growing
These flowers grow and develop beautifully on windows facing west or east. Direct sunlight is strictly contraindicated - from them burns can appear on the leaves. This type of violets does not tolerate drafts and cold air. Optimum temperature +22 ° C. Watering is done very carefully, because the violet does not tolerate excessive moisture and drying out of the soil.
Breeding
Propagate this type of violets can leaf cuttings. This procedure is allowed at any time of the year, but preferably in summer or spring, when the plant is undergoing a phase of active growth.
For cuttings, take developed leaves with a cuttings of 1.5 cm. It must be placed in water, peat sand-earth mixture or in sand. Rooting occurs in three weeks. Young leaves appear after a month and a half. Initially, the plant is planted in a small pot of earth of this composition:
- 2 parts - leaf soil;
- 3 parts - peat;
- 1 part - turf;
- 1 part - sand-earth mixture with humus.
In addition, do not forget about good drainage. After two months, the flowers should be transplanted into larger pots. The plant needs systematic top dressing. A young bush will begin to bloom in six months. And now we will tell you about one interesting variety - the “blue fog”. This violet is very effective. Today it is not widespread, although many flower growers would like to have it in their collection.
Blue Mist Violet: A History
This magnificent flower looks like a small haze of gentle heavenly hue. "Blue Fog" - violet, which is a symbol of purity. This is a fairly young variety. It was bred in 2001. An unusual variety of blue flowers was created by a talented young breeder Konstantin Morev. Despite this, the province of East Africa is considered to be the birthplace of the flower. The name of the governor of this land was called flowers - "Saintpaulia". On the planet there are more than two thousand species registered. Therefore, it does not make sense to talk about the plant belonging to a certain geographical area.
Many peoples give flowers of a heavenly hue with a sacred meaning, which is probably why blue violets have found fans on all continents. Today, few people recall the name of the person in whose honor they are named - Baron Saint-Paul. Now the "senpolia" is recognized as the queen of flowers and, it is worth noting, not without reason.
Violet "blue fog": description
The plant has large inflorescences of a pale blue tone. Flowers are spherical in shape with a wavy, as if corrugated edging, which is slightly lighter than the main color. Not only is the “blue fog” a violet that pleases with bloom all year long, while there are a lot of inflorescences on the bush. The leaves of this violet are serrated, light green in color.
Blue flowers, according to psychologists, have powerful energy. If you take up the cultivation of violets of this type, be sure that your apartment will never be sad and gloomy.
Care
Blue Fog is a violet that needs a constant temperature (+25 ° C) throughout the year. Without special equipment, it is impossible at home to maintain this temperature all year round. Indeed, in an apartment we constantly open or close windows, ventilating the room. The same can be said about humidity. Any deviation from the norm (50-60%) can be fatal to the plant. Therefore, if you are seriously engaged in the cultivation of violets at home, we recommend that you purchase a mini-greenhouse.
Watering
We draw attention to the fact that this is a very important factor on which depends on how the variety called "blue fog" will develop. Violet needs watering with unboiled, standing water, and its temperature should be slightly higher than room temperature.
Water is poured in a thin stream so that it does not fall on the leaves of the flower. Watering should be no more than twice a week. Excess moisture can cause rotting of the roots of violets and, as a result, plant diseases. The first sign of such an ailment is brownish spots on the leaves.
Once a month, the leaves of the violet should be washed with dust. This can be done under running water at room temperature. The leaves should dry naturally.
Fertilizers
Organic liquids and tablets are suitable for this variety. Top dressing is added to the soil during flowering and the procedure is repeated, as necessary.
Transfer
It is advisable to transplant a blue violet in the fall, not more than once a year. Experts advise doing this in the fall. In this case, the flower manages to adapt before winter frosts. Try not to damage the rhizomes during transplantation.