August 2015 Talk by Jane Marsden
Saintpaulias, commonly known as African Violets, are a genus of 6-20 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plans. They are native to Tanzania and Kenya. There are many different hybrids available ranging from white to pink, purple, blue, red and more recently yellow.
They are a perfect indoor plant, quite small and need minimal care. They need a well lit area away from direct sun. They should not be over-watered and should be watered from the base as splashing will lead to blotches on the leaves. Water-well pots with a wick from the water to the soil seem to suit them. They can be fed with a few drops of Seasol in the water.
They can be attacked by mites, mealy bugs and aphids. White oil sometimes works but if not throw away the plant. They are easy to propagate and cheap to buy. They can be propagated from leaf cutting using a rooting hormone before placing in potting mix. Another method is to put foil over a jar of water and poke leaf stems through holes in the foil.
