With both winter and houseplant sales in full swing, anything in bloom catches the winter-weary eyes of gardeners. African Violets (Saintpaulia) are ever-blooming plants that, along with Christmas cacti, seemed to appear on every grandma's windowsill.
Native to Tanzania and Kenya in eastern tropical Africa, these plants were introduced to the U.S. in 1894. No interesting folklore, just sweet little continually-blooming plants.
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I remember growing a few of these in my room under a fluorescent grow light when I was in high school. I still have that grow light, a Christmas gift from my eldest sister. However, the African Violets are long gone.
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Picotee-flowered plants always draw my eye for some reason and I was tempted to take some of these home but they don't really like drafty old houses and, unlike cacti and succulents, they don't respond well to weeks of neglect.
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None came home with me but I'll continue to enjoy them at nurseries, grocery stores, and other people's windowsills.
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Native to Tanzania and Kenya in eastern tropical Africa, these plants were introduced to the U.S. in 1894. No interesting folklore, just sweet little continually-blooming plants.
I remember growing a few of these in my room under a fluorescent grow light when I was in high school. I still have that grow light, a Christmas gift from my eldest sister. However, the African Violets are long gone.
Picotee-flowered plants always draw my eye for some reason and I was tempted to take some of these home but they don't really like drafty old houses and, unlike cacti and succulents, they don't respond well to weeks of neglect.
Do you grow them?
For a great deal of good information about these sweet little plants look here.
None came home with me but I'll continue to enjoy them at nurseries, grocery stores, and other people's windowsills.
Have a blooming beautiful weekend all!