Saintpaulia, or the uzambar violet, is loved by flower growers all over the world. Leaves of deep green color look great. The flower will brighten any landscape. Not everyone knows why this charm was nicknamed that way. It is called the Usurbar violet because of the areola of growth in the Usambar (and earlier - Uzambar) mountains. The culture got its second name thanks to Baron Walter von Saint-Paul, who discovered this plant in 1892. He served in German East Africa, which was then a German colony. The baron was in the Uzambar district. Once while walking, he saw a beautiful plant, collected seeds from it and sent them to his father, who was the president of the German Dendrological Society. He gave them to botanist Hermann Wendland, who managed to get the plant. The botanist called it violet-flowered Saintpaulia, thus perpetuating the memory of the baron.
Now more than 32,000 thousand varieties of this plant have been bred, including more than 2,000 thousand in Russia and the CIS.
Types and varieties of uzambar violets
Interestingly, Saintpaulia can be both a "girl" and a boy. In the first case, there is a light spot at the base of its leaf; in the “boys” they are completely green. The petals of the uzambar violet are simple semi-double and double.
A violet is distinguished according to the shape of the flower:
- classic;
- rimmed;
- fantasy;
- star-shaped;
- chimera.
The size of a violet can be:
- giant;
- miniature;
- semi-miniature;
- microminiature.
Here are some varieties of violets that will decorate any site, room:
- "LE-Rings of Saturn" - this variety of violets boasts large lilac flowers, bordered by a darker edging.
- EC-Nautilus. This variety is quite unpretentious. Its large semi-double flowers are blue and white, and blue stripes run from the middle of the flower to its wavy petals.
- Spring Rose translates to "Spring Rose". This beautiful terry violet has flowers of an original white color with a greenish tint. Abundant flowering.
- Ma's Southern Springtime also blooms profusely, but with semi-double white and crimson caps. This species is semi-miniature.
- LE-Polina belongs to the species of giants, the flowers are very large, multi-colored, have a rich lilac color, are penetrated with blue blotches, and there is a white corrugated fringe along the edge.
- Hot Spot will delight you with semi-double large red flowers with corrugated edges. This variety is abundant in color, grows quickly and is easy to grow.
- Victorian Ribbons belongs to the chimera species. Therefore, like all chimeras, it requires special attention. The flowers are deep purple with stripes of white that run from the core to the edges in the shape of a star. The flowering is very abundant.
The subtleties of rooting and planting saintpaulia
Once you've decided to buy a violet, it's important to get a good, healthy one. Pay attention to the leaves, they should not have suspicious spots that would indicate an infection of the plant. If you are taking a leaf from someone you know, cut it off from the second bottom row of leaves. Look at the rosette of the plant, it should be without signs of decay, since planting material can only be taken from healthy Saintpaulia.
If you want to propagate a violet with a leaf, place it first in a small container, such as a glass or a plastic cup, with only the bottom submerged in water. Put part of the activated charcoal tablet into the water for rooting the saintpaulia so that it does not deteriorate.
After the roots appear, let them grow 1–1.5 cm and then plant the cutting in a small container, only slightly deepening the lower part and compacting the ground around. The rooted leaf must be planted in a small container, the diameter of which is 3-4 cm, filling it with soil 4-5 cm.
It is necessary to transplant into a more spacious pot only when the diameter of the leaf outlet exceeds the diameter of the pot by 3 times. The soil should not reach the top of the pot by 1–2 cm. It is impossible to plant the violet too deep, otherwise the growth point may rot. If, on the contrary, you plant the violet too high, then the root system will not be able to develop normally, and the plant will be unstable. Pay attention to the dying off of the leaves of the lower layer. When this happens, add some fresh soil, after removing the old salted soil layer. This will facilitate the formation of new roots.
Soil for the uzambara violet
It is important to choose the optimal soil in which the plant will feel great. It is good if it consists of soil: turf, deciduous, coniferous; and also from: perlite, moss, sand, vermiculite, peat. Violet loves a neutral, close to slightly acidic light soil, which does not have the property of compaction over time. Looseness of the soil is provided by the addition of moss. Here are the planting mixes you can use. Take in equal proportions:
- humus leaf;
- fertile garden land;
- sphagnum moss;
- river sand.
The second mixture can be prepared from 3 parts of high-moor peat and, taking one part at a time:
- leaf humus;
- black soil;
- river sand.
To these components you need to add software? parts of green moss and sphagnum moss.
Add 2 tbsp each to a bucket of either of these two mixtures. l. with superphosphate and 1 liter of charcoal.
Caring for the uzambara violet
Watering plays an important role. The water in the container on the windowsill is too cold for the plants. Watering with such water can lead to rotting of the roots of violets, so you need to add to such a warm, preferably boiled, and only then use it. Watering violets with such lukewarm water is necessary at any time of the year.
It is necessary to moisten the soil ball when it is dry. Pour water into the pan, wait 10 minutes until it is completely absorbed. If the liquid remains in the pan, it means there was too much of it. Over time, you will learn how to water the violet with the right amount of water. You can determine when she needs watering in this way: take the pot in your hand, if it is too light, then you need to moisten the earthen lump. If heavy, then wait for the potting mixture to dry and then water the plant.
In the warm season, you need to water the violets in the late afternoon, when the heat subsides. In the cold season, on the contrary, it is better to water in the morning or before lunch, so that the soil dries up a little at night and the excess moisture does not negatively affect the plant.
In winter, when the heating devices are turned on, as in summer, when it is hot, the violet needs humidification. Spraying has an effect only for a short time, so it is better to place open containers of water next to the plant in order to humidify the air in this way.
Here is one important rule that needs to be mentioned in this thread. When transferring violets from one pot to another, it is not necessary to water the ground, and when planting a leaf rooted in water, it is necessary to water the soil. There is an opinion that the violet needs to be watered from the pallet, since overhead watering can lead to decay of the root collar, but this is not the case. The plant takes nutrients from the soil thanks to its young roots. Due to watering in the pan, the lower part of the earthen coma becomes overwetted, and the young roots die off and die because of this. At the same time, the upper earthen lump remains dry, and the violet lacks moisture. Therefore, you need to water from above along the edge of the pot, trying not to hit the plant.
To make Saintpaulia feel good, "breathe", sometimes rinse the leaves under water, after covering the soil with cellophane. It is ineffective to wipe them off with a rag, shake off the dust with a brush.
Light for violets
The violet must be placed on a light windowsill, but so that direct sunlight does not fall on it. The plant will tell itself whether it has enough light. If the leaves grow horizontally, they have a rich green color, which is enough for him. If they grow up, then it is not enough. If the leaves grow horizontally, they have small petioles, the center of the rosette is deformed, as if crumpled, the leaves are lighter than they should be - this signals an excess of light. When such symptoms appear, you need to put the Saintpaulia in a darker place.
How to feed a violet?
For good growth and abundant flowering, the violet needs top dressing. If the plant weakly builds up green mass, grows slowly, feed it with Herbamine fertilizer. If you want to stimulate violet flowering, use the Dutch fertilizer Pokon A, which contains more potassium and phosphorus.
You need to feed the uzambar violet at least once a month, dissolving 1 g of dry matter in one liter of water. Feed only when the plant's soil ball is sufficiently moist. Some growers transplant the violet into new fertile soil every month; there is enough nutrition for just such a period of time.
To increase the plant's immunity, after transplanting and before flowering, spray the Usambara violet with the Epina solution, adding 3 drops of this preparation to 100 ml of water.
If you love your plant, take proper care of it, it will delight you with its appearance for a long time, and at the time of flowering it will turn the apartment into a garden of Eden for a long time.
For more information on how to grow uzambara violets, see here:
