Saintpaulia - Saintpaulia

The plant in the wild is usually found near various rivers, streams and other bodies of water. Saintpaulia can be seen near waterfalls in Africa. The name of this flower comes from the surname of one baron, whose name was Walter von Saint-Paul. It was he who saw this flower back in the nineteenth century in Tanzania, admired and described it. And also thanks to him, Saintpaulia received such fame among the people, and was presented at a very large exhibition among other cultures.

Further, for a large amount of time, breeders from various countries and regions began to pay attention to this plant and they did it. As a result, there are currently a very large number of species and varieties of plants.

The Uzambara violet still attracts the attention of all flower growers and is very much appreciated. The plant perfectly performs decorative functions, has a very long flowering period and a lot of varieties.

In addition, the culture is quite unpretentious and, with simple care, it will delight with flowering almost all year round. Due to the small size of the plant, it fits compactly and fits into any interior, on any window sill. At the same time, some growers grow several types of plants at once, as a result of which they get a whole gallery of Uzambara violets.

Saintpaulia: plant care

Saintpaulia care includes providing the plant with light, moisture, a comfortable temperature, and fertile soil.

Light

Like any houseplant, Saintpaulia loves to grow where there is open, sunny space. However, avoid direct sunlight. The optimal place for the growth of this plant will be the western and eastern sides of the apartment. Also, with the onset of a short daylight hours, it is best to rearrange the violet on the southern windowsill.

If it is not possible to put the plant on the east and west windows, then an artificial partial shade should be created so that direct sunlight does not burn the leaves of young plants. You can, for example, use some kind of stand and put the plant not on the windowsill, but next to it.

Temperature

The optimum temperature for good growth and development of plants will be approximately 20-25 degrees. Older crops need a lower temperature, about 20-22 degrees. It is necessary to control that the temperature during the day and at night is kept at about the same mark, or the difference is very small, since a sharp change in air temperature, as well as active wind movement, harm the plant.

Saintpaulia loves humid air very much, but if the air is dry, the plant will feel no less comfortable. Experienced gardeners do not recommend spraying the violet with a spray bottle. You can only put containers with water next to it or put a humidifier.

How to water Saintpaulia

Water for irrigation must be pre-settled. Better if it is rainwater or melt. The main thing is that it is clean, free of chlorine.

Also, during watering, be sure to ensure that water does not get on the leaves and stems of the plant. It's best if you will

watering directly under the root. The amount of watering will depend on the air temperature and the weather outside the window. Thus, in the hot season, the amount of watering is increased. If it's cold outside, then the amount of watering can be done less.

It is important here to focus on the leaves of the plant. They will tell you about a deficiency or excess of moisture. Thus, the leaves of a healthy plant that have enough moisture should be fleshy, juicy and firm.When the leaves wilt, as well as if they become thin and lethargic, this indicates that the plant does not have enough moisture. In addition, the shoots of the root system, which are involved in the absorption of water from the soil, can die off.

If watering is excessive, then the root system can rot. This phenomenon usually occurs when the plant is growing in an unsuitable container. To avoid the occurrence of rot, as well as fungal diseases, plants should be treated with potassium permanganate of low concentration.

Soil preferred by Saintpaulia

The optimal soil for this crop will be one in which air and moisture circulate well. This factor will be very important for the normal growth and development of the plant. Thus, the soil should be loose, but moisture should remain in it for as long as possible.

The optimal composition of the soil will be sod land, leafy soil, humus, sand and moss. In addition, growers usually select the soil according to the requirements of the plant and at their own discretion.

You can buy a ready-made mixture in the store, which is sold specifically for violets. You can also add additional moss, coconut substrate or perlite to this mixture. Or you can collect soil from the forest and add leafy soil to it.

How to transplant Saintpaulia

Saintpaulia is a small plant, so most often it needs a small container. As the violet grows, it should be transplanted into a larger container, if necessary. The plant has a very fragile and fragile root system, so transplanting on it in any case has a negative effect.

If the violet has stopped growing, then you cannot do without a transplant. However, this must be done very carefully and carefully, using the transshipment method. The required amount of new soil is added to the container.

And you should also transplant the violet if its root system has begun to rot, and if the amount of fertilizer has been applied excessively. Experienced flower growers recommend choosing such a capacity for optimal plant growth so that it is three times smaller than the outlet itself.

As a rule, this is a pot that has a diameter of about 10 cm, as well as sides of the same size. In this container, the plants have more lush inflorescences and look very impressive. If a larger pot is used, the plant may not bloom at all.

Feeding

After the plant is transplanted, after about 1.5 months, you need to start fertilizing the violets. As a fertilizer, special ready-made complexes for flowering plants, which can be easily purchased in specialized stores, are perfect. Since the violet blooms throughout the year, you need to feed the bushes regularly throughout the year.

Some experienced flower growers exclude the feeding procedure, but once every six months they transplant the violet into a new container with a slightly larger diameter.

Bush rejuvenation

When the plant becomes too large, its lower leaves may die off and the bush does not look as impressive as before. In addition, the appearance of violet inflorescences changes. To prevent this from happening, the plant is periodically rejuvenated. To do this, it is necessary to cut off the top of the stem and treat the sections with some kind of root growth stimulant. Then the plant is transplanted into new soil, and the adult flower is left in the previous container, after which stepchildren appear on it.

Saintpaulia home: reproduction

The violet is propagated in different ways: by cuttings rooting, by rooting of stepchildren, and with the help of peduncles.

For cuttings reproduction will need the leaves of the plant. Only healthy shrubs with no signs of damage should be selected. With the help of a sharp blade, the leaf is cut diagonally, so that there is a possibility of greater regrowth of the roots. Thus, the length of the cutting will be about 5 cm. The cut must be treated with activated carbon powder and placed in a glass of water.

For this, water must be boiled and cooled, and it is also best to pre-dissolve a tablet of activated carbon in it. If you did everything correctly, then in a week the stalk will give roots.

After that, the planting material is planted in cups, at the bottom of which it is first necessary to make holes and organize a small drainage. Styrofoam works well. Then the glass must be filled with fertile coniferous soil, or you can use turf soil mixed with sand. The planting depth should be about 1.5 cm, and after planting, it is better to organize a transparent cap or bag over the cutting.

Cuttings can be directly planted in the soil without the stage of regrowth of roots in water. This process will take a little longer, but in a month new leaves may grow. After young seedlings get stronger, they should be transplanted into separate containers. But not all varieties are suitable for propagation by cuttings, since they lose the characteristics of the parent plants.

In these cases, the plant is propagated using peduncles. You will need the strongest and healthiest bushes with flower stalks. They should be cut off and placed in cups of water in the same way as described above. After that, after a while, new young leaves will appear from the old plant. However, watering here needs to be done much less frequently, in contrast to cuttings propagation.

To propagate Saintpaulia stepchildren, it is necessary to pluck them from an adult plant. Overgrown stepchildren usually spoil the appearance, they are usually removed. There are plant varieties that stepchildren do not grow, but they will appear if you remove the growth point. In this case, after a while, new stems will appear in the axils. When they have grown to about 3 cm, they should be cut and also placed in suitable soil for rooting.

Saintpaulia varieties

Among the varieties, the most popular are:

Saintpaulia is dark. The plant has thin stems that reach 10 cm in height. The color of the petals here is soft purple, and the yellow anthers resemble beads.

Saintpaulia dark: Photo of the variety

Saintpaulia violet-flowered... This plant has blue petals, and other shades of flowers are also found. They can be white, pink, red and purple. The beauty of the picture is complemented by velvety leaves of rich green color.

Saintpaulia violet-flowered: Photo of the variety

Saintpaulia Magungen. The bush branches well, the stems reach 15 cm in height, the leaves are also quite large, about 6 cm, have an uneven edge. The flowers of this plant are collected in several pieces in one inflorescence and have a purple hue.

Saintpaulia Magungen: Photo of the variety

Saintpaulia teitea... This plant grows only in Kenya and is actively protected by the authorities.

Conclusion

Violets are perhaps the most popular plants that flower growers love to grow and not only in their apartment. Their advantage lies in the fact that the bushes are very compact and unpretentious, which means that they will fit well in any apartment and will delight the eye throughout the year.

Violets are easy to care for and do not require much attention. Plants also reproduce quickly and easily if you follow some rules and know the characteristics of the plant.

Due to the large number of species and varieties of plants, they never cease to amaze with their color and shape. If you grow several types of violets at once, then the plants will undoubtedly decorate even the most boring interior.

Plants are grown both on a windowsill and in hanging pots in combination with other flowers or as a separate plant.