Violet, Saintpaulia(Saintpaulia) - a herbaceous plant from the Gesneriaceae family. The birthplace of the flower is the Uzambar mountains located in eastern Africa. From here came its name - "uzambar violet". In nature, it grows in rock cracks where organic debris accumulates. In the XIX century. the flower was brought to Europe and named "Saintpaulia" by the name of Baron V. von Saint-Paul - his discoverer.
Violet is a popular houseplant with a height of 2 to 20 cm and a diameter of up to 40 cm. Actively develops over 4 years, then rejuvenation is required. It blooms all year round. Flowers have different shapes and colors. Green thick leaves are covered with a light fluff. Collected in a socket, they frame a lush bouquet of violets and emphasize its beauty.
High growth rate. | |
It blooms all year. | |
Easy to grow plant | |
Perennial. 4-5 years old. Then it is advisable to rejuvenate. |
Useful properties of violets
Violet is beautiful and healthy. Infusions of flowers are used in folk medicine for bronchitis, atherosclerosis and rheumatism. Leaves contain acetylsalicylic acid. Based on the extract of violet leaves and flowers, anti-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory and tonic agents are available. Essential oil is an indispensable attribute of perfume compositions.
Violet care at home (briefly)
Violet is an unpretentious plant, but it is necessary to create basic conditions so that the flower feels comfortable:
Temperature | From 15 - 25 ° C, higher or very low temperatures slow down growth and inhibit flowering. |
Air humidity | High, up to 70%. |
Lighting | Scattered, can grow on windows facing east or west. |
Watering | Once every 3 days (depending on temperature), waterlogging is dangerous. |
Priming | Breathable loose, with the obligatory creation of drainage. |
Fertilizer and fertilizer | During spring and summer, every 14 days they are fed with liquid universal fertilizer diluted with water 2 times. |
Transfer | Adult flowers - 1 time per year, young - several times a year. |
Breeding | Protect the flower from drafts and water on the leaves; kept indoors; in cold weather they cannot be taken outside; the dried lower leaves are removed in time. |
If these simple conditions are met, the violet will delight for a long time with elegant flowering.
Violet care at home
Violet flower at home grows for a long time. The task of the grower is to provide her with comfortable conditions and competent care.
Blooming violets
Violet at home blooms luxuriantly and beautifully. The variety of shapes and colors of the flowers amazes and delights. Simple five-petalled violets are not inferior in beauty and originality to semi-double, double and even corrugated. Different colors emphasize the peculiarity of each species.
Flowers can be all colors of the rainbow and their combinations. Pink-blue, violet-burgundy plants look unusual and attractive. With sufficient lighting, the violet can bloom for a whole year, without having a certain time for rest. But it is necessary to slow down the flowering of violets in time, let them rest for 2 months (stop feeding, reduce watering) so that it regains strength and gets stronger.
Temperature mode
In order for violet to develop correctly, home care involves observing the correct temperature regime.
Violet is a moderately thermophilic plant: does not tolerate temperatures below + 18 ° C, but above + 27 ° C they are poorly tolerated, refusing to bloom in the heat. The optimal limit for them is from + 20 - 25 ° C.
The flower must be protected from draft and cold.
Spraying
Violet does not tolerate water on leaves and flowers: This may cause the outlet to rot or cause stains. Therefore, spraying the plants is prohibited. Even if drops of water accidentally hit the violet during watering, they should be blotted as soon as possible with a paper handkerchief.
They spray the violet with special solutions only when it is affected by some diseases (they do this with shading, avoiding sunburn of leaves).
Lighting
Violet is a shade-tolerant plant. The flower feels good on the windows facing west and east: there it receives the optimal amount of light. There is so much light on the south window that it can burn a tender creature. In the north, on the contrary, there is little light. The plant will stretch, will not bloom.
The correct vegetation of violets is facilitated by diffused lighting. By setting additional lighting, you can get beautiful flowering bushes even in a dimly lit corner of the apartment.
Watering violets
Home violet is afraid of waterlogging: it leads to the death of the plant from root rot, especially on heavy soil. A lack of moisture is also harmful: a flower drops leaves lifelessly, but quickly brings them back to normal after watering. When violet moisture is urgently needed, its flowers dry and fall.
Watering the violets is carried out with water at room temperature: on hot days - every other day or every day, at other times - about 3 days later. You can use wick irrigation and use the nylon cord to constantly keep the soil moist. It is convenient to switch to the wick system during a plant transplant.
Ground for violets
The root system of the flower is tender and small. It can die in clayey heavy soil. Breathable, loose and light soil is the key to the development of a healthy beautiful violet. The plant prefers acidic soil. You can buy ready-made flower soil mixture, which is frozen or steamed before use, diluted with perlite, vermiculite and sphagnum.
A little crushed charcoal is poured into the soil for violets in order to protect the root system from rot. You can not add sand from construction sites and chernozem intended for flower beds. Foam balls or small expanded clay are added for drainage.
Fertilizer and fertilizer
Fertilizer and fertilizer important for violets, they must be used correctly. A large amount of nitrogen prevents flowering. Violet needs phosphate-potassium fertilizers. During active growth and flowering every 21 days after watering, Kemira-Lux fertilizer is used.
Many gardeners refuse to fertilize, replacing them with frequent plant transplants: in fresh soil, nutrients are contained in high concentrations and will be consumed evenly.
Violet transplant
Violet transplantation is carried out 2 times a year, before the onset of the active growth phase. Gently shake off excess soil from thin roots, shorten them and remove the lower leaves. A flower updated in this way is placed in a pot, trying not to soil the leaves with soil. When soil is poured, it is ensured that the violet is optimally covered with it: deepening can lead to root decay, and a lack of soil deprives the flower of stability.
Young bushes reload in a new pot, the diameter of which should be 1/3 of the size of the outlet. The diameter of the container for an adult flower is 90 - 100 mm, for large bushes it should be larger.
When the lower leaves fall and the trunk grows noticeably, rejuvenation is necessary.
Pruning
Pruning the tops of an adult flower and its rooting is a well-known way of rejuvenating and propagating violets. A flower can grow unevenly, but with the help of pruning it is given the desired shape. Pruning of wilted lower leaves and flowers is used so that the plant looks neat and its development does not slow down.
Rest period
Violet blooms tirelessly and leaves not discarded. Rest period she has a relative. A caring host should preserve the flower and, in between each flowering, stop stimulating it with top dressing and reduce watering.
Observing the simple conditions of detention, you can get a beautiful plant with succulent foliage and bright flowers.
Propagation of Violets
Violet propagates in many ways. The most time-consuming option to get a new bush at home is propagation by seeds, cuttings or stepsons to make it much easier.
Propagation by leaf cuttings
Propagation by leaf cuttings - A simple and affordable way to propagate violets.
- With a sharp knife, the leaf is cut obliquely so that the cut area is sufficient for the formation of powerful roots. The length of the handle is about 40 mm.
- The place of cut is sprinkled with coal powder and placed in a small container with a solution of activated carbon.
- In about a month, roots will appear.
- Cuttings are placed in the prepared soil.
- Foam balls are poured for drainage.
- You can not wait for the roots to appear and immediately plant the cut stalk in the ground. Leafy cuttings are planted with a small depth. Cover with a film and leave at + 20 - 23 ° C. The film is removed for watering and airing the violets. When 2 to 3 leaves appear, it is removed.
Propagation through stepsons
Propagation through stepsons only applicable to flower species in which stepsons are formed.
- To stimulate the appearance of stepsons, you must remove the growth point with green leaves.
- After a few days, stepsons are formed in the bosom.
- Having waited until they grow to 45 mm, they are separated from the plant and rooted in a separate container.
Some varieties of violets are propagated only by peduncles. The essence of the method is in cutting a stout flower stalk and rooting it in drained soil with rare watering.
Diseases and Pests
With proper care, the violet grows strong and healthy, but sometimes it is attacked by pests and affects diseases.
Pests
Often that the plant was attacked pests says changing his appearance:
- white cotton-like coating on violet cuttings - defeat by a mealybug (for the struggle, the leaves are treated with a soapy solution with a few drops of machine oil; infusions of calendula, garlic or tobacco);
- fast-drying flowers and yellow pollen on violet leaves - California thrips attack (limit nitrogen fertilizers; increase indoor air humidity; treat thick leaves with a soap solution with kerosene, garlic infusion, alcohol);
- the upper leaves of the violet curl up and long villi appear on the leaves - defeat by the cyclamen tick (remove the damaged parts of the flower; insecticides are used for processing).
Disease
Common disease violets are manifested by symptoms:
- violet does not bloom - Underdeveloped root system, excess nitrogen, little light.
- Stains on violet leaves - watering with cold water, draft, sunburn.
- Decreased leaf turgor - lack or excess of moisture:
- if there is little moisture, the violet is watered and covered with a film for 2 to 3 days;
- excess can lead to root rot, due to which the violet can die. Inspect the roots of the violets, get them wet with a napkin. The rotten parts are removed and inspected the plant trunk: if it is healthy, the violet is transplanted into a smaller pot, if it begins to rot, the plant is re-rooted. If the roots are intact, the flower is transplanted into new soil, covered with a film and not watered for several days.
- The buds of violets do not open - very dry air in the room (an open can of water is placed next to the violet);
- Small leaves in the center of a violet outlet - very bright lighting or dry air (they shade a flower, put an open can of water next to it);
- Dry edges of violet leaves - jamming of the soil, lack or excess of some nutrients (re-root violet, adjust top dressing).
- White plaque on violet leaves - Powdery mildew damage (fungicides are used);
- Yellow or red spots on the leaves - lack or excess of certain nutrients; when the yellow spot has a round shape and is located on the side of the window, they suggest a sunburn (remove damaged leaves, shade or rearrange the flower).
- Saintpaulia violet leaves rot for different reasons:
- excess moisture or fertilizers (remove damaged roots, reduce watering, adjust fertilizing);
- the physiological process of dying of leaves (leaves affected by rot are removed in time);
- improperly selected soil (add vermiculite, sand, increase drainage);
- moisture on the leaves during watering (immediately get wet with water);
- fungal diseases - fusarium or gray rot (observe the temperature regime; do not moisten the soil; use insecticides);
- the room is too hot or cold; dry air (find a more suitable place; adjust the temperature; use humidifiers).
It is easier to prevent the appearance of spots, rotting of the roots and other damage to the violet than to treat it for a long time. To do this, you must immediately provide competent care for the flower. As a top dressing, use a special fertilizer for violets.
Types of home violets with photos and names
In the natural environment, there are about 20 species of violets. Varieties bred by breeders are many times more. They differ in the color of the flowers, the shape and appearance of the leaves, the reaction to the conditions of detention. Some species are capricious and immediately show discontent to the owner, while others are restrained and patient.
Violet Blue Dragon / Blue Dragon
Classical grade. The leaves are fleecy dark green (red below) with serrated edges. Rosette up to 50 cm. Large (8 cm) double flowers with a thin corrugated border of light shades. The petals are light blue, the center and edges are darker. Bouquet flowering.
Violet Midnight Frolic / Midnight Fun
Grows slowly, blooms in 2 - 2, 5 years. Semi-double and simple flowers of light plum, lavender, purple hues with white corrugated rim look in different directions. Large flat rosette made of dark wavy leaves.
Violet Midnight Twist / Midnight Twist
Semi-double corrugated flowers of a white-blue hue with a dark blue ruffled border open slowly, but last a long time (up to 5 weeks). Tight compact socket. Green leaves with scallops around the edges. Moody slowly developing appearance.
Violet Kissing Bandit / Bandit Kiss
Terry or semi-double large flowers of bright blue shades. They have a dark blue border and a thin golden fringe at the edges. Shiny dark green leaves with short thick petioles. Growing slowly. He does not like bright light.
Violet Garri Potter / Harry Potter
The leaves are light green leathery, often fall down. The socket is compact and dense. Large flowers are dark blue with a purple tint and a snow-white thin border. The petals are thick. It blooms slowly, but blooms long and plentifully.
Violet Cupidon / Cupid
Simple or semi-double white flowers with a corrugated pistachio edge and rare pink spots. Flowers on thick peduncles are small, but numerous. Shiny green foliage forms a large wavy rosette. Blooms early.
Dychaniye Grozy / Breath of a Thunderstorm
Large wavy flowers of a cherry-violet hue with a bright white border. The leaves on the long stalks have a dark green color and a wavy edge. Form a small outlet. It blooms often, but grows slowly and reproduces with difficulty.
Violet - the plant is very tender, it must be treated with care. Any internal discomfort quickly responds by changing the appearance. If the flower feels good in the created conditions, it will show itself in all its glory.
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