Gesneriad Information
SAINTPAULIA
(African Violet)
The genus Saintpaulia (saint-PAUL-ee-a) was named by Herman Wendland,
Director of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Herrenhausen, Germany in honor of
Baron Walter van Saint Paul who discovered the plants while living in Usumbara, a
province of Tanganyika (now Tanzania). There are 22 species of African Violets
native to Tanzania and Kenya. The modern hybrids of African Violets were
developed from the species s. ionantha and s. confusa. Trailing violets may have S.
grotei or other trailing species in their ancestry.
Tanzania is near the equator and African Violets receive consistent light and
temperature year round. This makes them ideal candidates for the light garden.
Shop lights hung a foot above the plants provide the light. Use two cool white bulbs
or a combination of a cool white and a warm white. Use a timer to run the lights 12
hours a day. African Violets do well in a soilless mix consisting of two parts Jiffy Mix
(one part vermiculite to one part peat moss) to one part perlite. Potting soil mixes
can be used if they are lightened up with equal parts of perlite and vermiculite.
Water the plants twice a week with a granular fertilizer such as Rapid Gro 1/4
teaspoon to a gallon of water. Do not let the soil dry completely out or keep it too
wet. African Violets like a temperature of 70°. Above 80° they do not thrive.
African Violets can also be grown in the window sill. They need bright light but direct
sun will burn their leaves. They do best in an east window .