African Violets are a total favorite for indoor gardeners because they can bloom almost year-round if you treat them right. However, if your violet is being a bit stingy with its flowers, it’s usually because it’s not happy with its current spot. To keep those blooms coming, you’ve got to nail the growing conditions.
Fun Facts About African Violets
These charming houseplants belong to the Gesneriad family and originally hail from the Usambara Mountains in Tanzania. And here’s a little trivia for your next plant club meeting: even though they have those classic violet-blue flowers, they aren’t actually related to “true” violets (*Viola*) at all!
African Violets have a compact, bushy growth habit. They grow from shallow rootstocks, producing rosettes of round, fleshy, and wonderfully fuzzy leaves. From the center of these leaves, flower stems pop up (reaching about 6 inches high) featuring blue, red, white, or even bicolor blooms. You can find them in single or double-petal varieties, but they all share those eye-catching, bright yellow stamens right in the middle.
Finding the Perfect Spot
If you want a happy African Violet, think “consistency.” They love steady warmth, moist soil, and absolutely no direct, scorching sunlight. A bright spot with indirect light or partial shade is the way to go. You’ll also want to keep them out of drafty hallways, as they prefer high humidity. This makes the bathroom or kitchen a fantastic home for them! If your home’s air is a bit too dry, a small indoor fountain or a humidifier can work wonders. In a pinch, just placing a small bowl of water next to the plant will help boost the local humidity.
During the winter, make sure the room temperature doesn’t dip below 64°F (18°C). These plants aren’t hardy and they really hate temperature swings. Here’s a quick checklist for the perfect location:
- A bright spot with partial shade.
- Windowsills facing North, East, or West are usually perfect.
- High-humidity rooms like the kitchen or bathroom.
- Room temperature should stay above 64°F.
- Keep them away from drafts.
- Avoid placing them directly above a hot radiator or heater.
Soil and Watering Tips
The best “recipe” for African Violet soil is a peat or humus-based mix blended with a little quartz sand and perlite. They prefer their soil to be slightly acidic. When it comes to watering, use the “finger test”—wait until the top layer of soil feels dry to the touch. You want the soil to be moist, but never soggy. Always make sure to empty any excess water from the saucer after watering so the roots don’t sit in a puddle!
