African Violets, or Saintpaulia, are cherished houseplants known for their vibrant, velvety flowers and lush, fuzzy leaves. Native to East Africa, particularly Tanzania, they thrive indoors, making them a favorite among plant enthusiasts for adding a burst of color to homes and offices.
These plants come in a wide variety of colors, including shades of purple, pink, blue, red, and white, with flower forms ranging from single to double and even ruffled. African Violets are compact, often growing just 6 to 12 inches tall and wide, which makes them ideal for windowsills or small spaces.
They prefer indirect light, well-draining soil, and moderate watering, ideally from the bottom to avoid wetting the leaves, which can cause spots. Regular feeding with a balanced fertilizer encourages consistent blooming, while maintaining a stable, warm temperature helps them thrive year-round.
Beyond their beauty, African Violets hold a special charm with their easy propagation from leaf cuttings, allowing enthusiasts to share and expand their collections. Though they require some care to avoid issues like root rot or leaf spotting, their rewarding blooms and diverse varieties make them a beloved choice for indoor gardening.
African Violets
‘Pixie Blue’
Known as a miniature trailer, ‘Pixie Blue’ boasts single, delicate blue flowers that contrast beautifully with its compact, trailing growth habit. This variety is perfect for hanging baskets or small spaces, with leaves that remain close to the plant’s center, creating a lush, dense look.
‘Little Adagio’
This variety features fully double, showy blooms in a deep blue to violet shade. The flowers are set on copper stems above dense, cordate leaves with a subtle copper blush, giving it an elegant appearance. ‘Little Adagio’ is a newer cultivar, prized for its classic African Violet charm with a modern twist.
‘Sequoia’
Introduced in 2017, ‘Sequoia’ is a romantic variety with double blooms in shades of deep blue to violet. Its leaves are cordate with smooth edges, and the plant maintains a rosette form, which means its leaves radiate symmetrically around the center. This cultivar is one of the newer additions to the African Violet family, capturing hearts with its bouquet-like flower clusters.
‘Rhapsody Lucia’
A rosette type with single, cupped blooms that transition from cream green to white, ‘Rhapsody Lucia’ has a musical name fitting its harmonic beauty. The flowers have a deeper blue at the petal tips, fading to nearly white at the center, complemented by heart-shaped, crenate leaves, making it a standout in any collection.
‘Loyalty’
Featuring bright to pale blue single blooms, ‘Loyalty’ is known for its prostrate foliage, forming a saucer-like base around the flowers. This variety adds a touch of loyalty to your garden with its reliable blooming habit and the unique way its leaves spread out.
‘Aroma of Summer’
As the name suggests, this variety is noted for its pleasant scent alongside its beautiful blooms. The flowers combine pink and white, creating a soft, summery palette against dark-green foliage, which makes it one of the most visually and olfactorily appealing African Violets.
‘Persian Prince’
A miniature with scalloped, or ‘girl’ leaves, ‘Persian Prince’ is a charming addition to any collection. Its flowers are a vibrant pink, providing a stark contrast against the lush, textured foliage, making it a popular choice for those who appreciate both form and color.
‘Lonestar Snowstorm’
This standard African Violet variety boasts white “sticktite” blooms, which do not fall off the bloom stem when they fade. ‘Lonestar Snowstorm’ is particularly noted for its air circulation needs to prevent disease, but it’s well-loved for the clean, snowy look it brings to a collection.
‘Blue Boy’
An iconic single-flowered variety, ‘Blue Boy’ is one of the original cultivars with its deep blue flowers. Its classic look has made it a benchmark for African Violet enthusiasts, showcasing simplicity and beauty in one package.
‘Baby Brian’
With semi-double blooms, ‘Baby Brian’ is another classic that displays a more complex petal arrangement than singles. The flowers are typically a soft blue, offering a gentle yet captivating sight, especially when contrasted with its green, heart-shaped leaves.
‘Ness’ Crinkle Blue’
This variety is known for its full double flowers, which are a striking blue with crinkled petals, giving it a unique texture and depth. ‘Ness’ Crinkle Blue’ adds a dimension of visual interest with its blooms that appear almost like fabric with intricate folds.
‘Red Lantern’
Featuring the Geneva edge pattern, ‘Red Lantern’ has petals edged in white contrasting with its red color, creating a lantern-like effect. This variety showcases one of the newer flower mutations where color patterns on the petals are clearly defined, adding to its allure.
‘Optimara My Dream’ and ‘Optimara My Joy’
These varieties from the “My” series display a wide band of white on the outer half of the petal edges. They are noted for their dominant mutation that restricts color distribution, providing a unique aesthetic where the contrast between the central color and the white edge is visually striking.
‘Thumbprint’
Named for its distinct flower pattern where the center of each petal looks like a thumbprint, this variety often comes in various colors but is particularly eye-catching in darker shades with a contrasting lighter center.
‘Fantasy’
Another mutation in flower patterns, ‘Fantasy’ types feature spots or streaks across the petals, adding an element of whimsy to the flower. This variety can come in multiple colors, with each bloom appearing to be painted with an artist’s brush.
‘Wild Girl’
The first trailing violet, ‘Wild Girl’, was hybridized in 1954. It grows sideways with a cascading habit, offering a different visual from the traditional rosette form. Its flowers bloom all around the plant from each crown, giving it a mini bonsai-like appearance.
‘Little Intermezzo’
This miniature variety features delicate white petals with a blue-purple center, creating a frosty, elegant look. Its small size, only growing to about 2-4 inches, makes it perfect for small spaces or for collectors of petite plants.
‘Little Maya’
With compact growth and rich dark red, single blooms, ‘Little Maya’ stands out for its brightness. The heart-shaped, solid green leaves complement the vivid flowers, making this miniature a jewel among African Violets.
‘Little Ruby’
Aptly named, ‘Little Ruby’ produces dark red semi-double flowers on dark green heart-shaped leaves. This variety is a sparkling gem for any collection, valued for its rich color and compact form.
‘Little Interlude’
Another miniature, this one features ruffled, light pink flowers with a darker pink center. ‘Little Interlude’ is charming with its quilted leaves, adding texture and interest to its petite form.
‘Optimara EverGrace’
From the Optimara series, ‘EverGrace’ is known for its semi-double, pastel pink flowers edged in a darker pink, giving a lace-like appearance. The leaves are variegated, with an almost artistic pattern, making this plant visually diverse.
‘Optimara My Delight’
Similar to others in the “My” series, ‘My Delight’ has flowers with a broad white edge and a pink center. Its variegated foliage adds another layer of interest, blending green and white patterns beautifully.
‘Ma’s Rosebud’
This variety is famous for its rosebud-like blooms, where the petals are tightly packed, forming a bud that opens to reveal a light pink flower. It’s a unique sight in the African Violet world, mimicking the look of a rose.
‘Buckeye Butterflies’
With flowers that resemble a butterfly in flight, ‘Buckeye Butterflies’ has semi-double blooms in shades of pink. This variety is particularly noted for its whimsical, airy quality.
‘Ruffled Fantasy’
True to its name, ‘Ruffled Fantasy’ has flowers with highly ruffled petals, often in a mix of pink and purple. The ruffles give the bloom an ethereal, fairy-tale-like appearance, making it a favorite among collectors.
‘Blue Rhapsody’
This variety offers a symphony of blue with its semi-double flowers. The leaves are quilted, adding depth and texture, which contrasts beautifully with the vivid blue blooms.
‘Pink Amethyst’
With a name suggesting precious stones, ‘Pink Amethyst’ has semi-double flowers in a soft pink with darker pink streaks or spots, creating an amethyst-like effect. The plant itself is compact yet lush, with leaves that can be slightly variegated.
‘Crimson Ice’
A striking contrast of colors, ‘Crimson Ice’ features white flowers with deep crimson edges, reminiscent of frost-tipped with ice. This cultivar’s leaves are often dark green, providing a dramatic backdrop for the flowers.
‘Grape Glory’
Known for its deep purple, almost grape-like colored flowers, ‘Grape Glory’ is a semi-double blooming variety. The leaves can be plain or slightly ruffled, adding to the plant’s regal appearance.
‘Sunset Glow’
This variety brings the hues of a sunset to the African Violet collection with its orange to red flowers. ‘Sunset Glow’ is particularly unique for its color range, offering warmth and vibrancy to any indoor garden.
‘Frosty Dawn’
With flowers that look as if they’re kissed by frost, ‘Frosty Dawn’ has white blooms with a pale pink blush. Its leaves are often serrated or wavy, enhancing the plant’s delicate, frosty charm.
‘Magic Charms’
An enchanting variety, ‘Magic Charms’ has flowers that change color as they mature, often starting as one shade and fading to another, like from pink to white. This magical transformation is accompanied by leaves that can have a light variegation, adding to the spellbinding effect of this plant.