How to Grow and Care for African Violets

African violets are popular houseplants known for their charming, violet-like flowers and thick, fuzzy leaves that form a rosette shape. While they grow slowly, these compact plants can bloom multiple times a year. Although caring for African violets might seem challenging, they can thrive when provided with the right conditions.

African Violet Care

African violets will thrive in bright, warm, and humid conditions. Keep water from touching their leaves or brown spots may develop. Remove dead flowers and leaves to encourage a healthier plant. Regularly check the soil for excess moisture, which leads to root rot.

African violets should be kept in moist enough conditions so they don’t dry out, and they need good air circulation. Don’t be discouraged if your African violets suffer some damage—it’s all part of the process.

African violets do well in bright but not direct sunlight. They are commonly grown under fluorescent lights placed 12 to 15 inches above the leaves. If the leaves start getting light green, your plant is getting too much light, while thin and dark green leaves or a leggy plant indicate too little light.

Soil

African violets hate being wet and are prone to root rot, so plant them in a well-draining potting mix, and ensure they’re not exposed to standing water for an extended period of time.

Water

Keep soil moist with warm water and strive for high humidity. Use a moisture meter to determine how often to water instead of watering on a set schedule.

Do not allow water to contact the leaves of the plant to prevent damage. Water from below, or push the water spout into the soil when watering. Don’t allow the plant to sit in water.

Temperature and Humidity

African violets like warm and humid conditions and thrive at 70°F. Do not allow the temperature to fall below about 60°F. Keep the plants away from any drafts in the home.

Fertilizer

Feed with an African violet fertilizer every other week during the spring and summer. For the amount to use, follow product label instructions.

Types of African Violets

African violets are available in single, double, frilled, and different-shaped flowers. They also come in both single-crown and multi-crown, trailing form. African violet flowers and leaves can vary in shape and color as well, but here are a few common types:

• ‘Persian Prince’ is a miniature-sized plant with scalloped medium green leaves and semidouble dark purple flowers.
• ‘Lyon’s Lavender Magic’ is standard size with medium green foliage, and white with light purple colored star-shaped flowers that can be single or semi-double and frilled.
• ‘Hawaiian Pearl’ is a standard-size plant with dark green foliage and has a semi-double star-shaped flower that is ivory with a dark lavender/rose band.
• ‘Summer Twilight’ has variegated leaves with frilled lilac-purple flowers that have a white-edged border.
• ‘Lonestar Snowstorm’ has variegated leaves with single white frilled flowers.
• ‘Little Maya’ has dark green foliage with deep crimson red flowers.

Pruning

Carefully remove any dead leaves. Once blooms are spent, deadhead them with sterilized, sharp pruners to encourage the plant to stay healthy and bloom again.

Propagating African Violets

African violets can be propagated from leaf cuttings or offsets. It is fairly easy to propagate from a leaf from an adult plant. Here’s how:

1. Select a healthy green leaf from the bottom of the plant and using scissors carefully snip it off at the base of the plant.
2. Cut the leaf stem at a 45-degree angle to 1/2 inch in length.
3. Put the cutting into a small pot that has been prepared with a mixture of vermiculite and peat, then water.
4. Cover the pot with a plastic baggie and place in bright, indirect light.
5. You should see new baby plants in about 12 weeks. Wait until they’re bigger, separate them from the leaf, and transplant them.

Adult plants occasionally produce small plantlets or shoots from the side. Remove these and pot up independently. Removing them also encourages better blooms on the parent plant.

Potting and Repotting African Violets

African violets do better when they are slightly under-potted. Repot only when necessary into a pot that is one size up and use an all-purpose potting soil or African violet potting mix.

To repot these plants, simply grab the plant as a whole, lift it, and replace it with a larger container, making sure not to damage their root systems in the process. Only plant up to where they were originally planted, and do not cover the crown of the plant.

Common signs that a plant is stressed out and needs to be repotted include falling leaves and overcrowding, as well as roots that protrude from the surface of the soil. Keep an eye out and repot the plant if you think it’ll help.

Common Pests and Diseases

African violets can be affected by common pests and diseases. Common pests include spider mites, mealy bugs, and cyclamen mites, which, once noticed, can be taken care of with neem oil or an insecticide.

Diseases include fungi such as botrytis blight, crown rot, and root rot.1 To help avoid these diseases, don’t overwater your plant, and provide it with the proper lighting, fertilization, and air circulation.

How to Get African Violets to Bloom

These plants can bloom year-round when healthy. Provide them with the proper light, water, humidity, fertilizer, and soil. African violets start blooming and flowering for longer periods of time when they begin to fill their pots but are not yet root-bound.

When the flowers are spent, make sure to deadhead them, as this will encourage the plant to flower more. Hopefully, you’ll see new blooms in about six weeks.

Common Problems With African Violets

Plant Doesn’t Bloom

If your African violet is not producing flowers, this is likely because it is not getting enough light or the temperature and humidity are not correct. Place the plant in bright, indirect lighting, or use fluorescent lighting, and ensure the temperature in the room is at least 70 degrees.

Spots on Leaves

African violets do not like to have water on their leaves, which causes spots. Water these plants from the bottom, by placing the container in a bowl, or using a self-watering pot to prevent this problem.