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African violet is an indoor plant prized for its
clusters of colorful flowers held atop soft, felty leaves. It blooms
nearly all year long, providing colorful flowers even during the
bleak days of winter. Many also have attractive foliage that is as
showy as its flowers. I grow dozens of different African violets,
many quite unique, and am amazed at the wide range of colorful
flowers and foliage there are. Click on a plant
photo below to order it from Pernell Gerver's Online Store.
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African violets, hybridizers have developed hundreds of different
varieties with a large range of flower color, shape, and size as well
as leaf color. Flower color is extensive and includes just about
every color of the rainbow, including green, with many variations and
shades of colors. Some flowers have a blend of two colors on their
flower petals and others are striped or blotched with contrasting
colors. Flower shape includes single, semi double, and double. Many
have smooth petal edges and others ruffled. |
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addition, many have very attractive markings on the flowers. One of
my favorite flower markings is a complementary band of color around
the edge of the flower petals. The band is often a deeper shade of
the flower color and in other instances it is a completely different
color. On white-flowered types, for instance, the band is often a
dark color such as deep blue or violet. Some pink- or rose-flowered
types have a dark-pink band. On some lavender-flowered types the band
is pure white. In addition to various colors, the thickness of the
band varies as well and can be just a thin, barely-noticeable line or
a quite wide and eye-catching stripe.
 Another
striking marking found on some African violet flowers is spots,
speckles, or glitter. The spots or speckles are usually small and
randomly placed on the flower petal. The color of the spots varies.
In some instances it is a contrasting color that stands out against
the petal. Pink flowers with blue speckles is a very attractive
example of this type of marking. In other instances, the spots or
speckles are yellow or white. Flowers with yellow or white markings
are usually a dark color such as deep blue or purple and the white or
yellow speckles almost look like tiny stars on the flowers. Many
African violets have flowers that seem to be dusted with glitter. In
the right light, the flowers almost sparkle. This glitter marking is
often combined with other markings such as spots, speckles, or
complementary bands of color.
 Along
with a wide variety of flower colors and markings, there are also
many different types of foliage within African violets. Various
shades of green are common, but it is not the only color. Variegated
forms are abundant and within the variegation, there is a lot of
variation. Many types have just a thin band of white or pink around
the outer edge of its leaves. In other types, the variegation is more
extensive and is in the center of the leaf. Often, new leaves on
these types emerge completely white then gradually change to a
combination of white and green as the leaves mature. In other types,
the variegation is on the outer portion of the leaf and covers nearly
half the leaf with just a small part of the center of the leaf being
green. White is not the only variegation color, either. In some
types, especially those with pink or red flowers, the variegation is
pale pink or pale red. This is a beautiful complement to the flowers. |
by
Pernell Gerver
Pernell
Gerver, Horticultural Communication Services All rights reserved.