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|common_name=African Violet
|common_name=African Violet
|name_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|name_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|habit=herbaceous
|Max ht box=15
|Max ht metric=cm
|origin=E tropical Africa
|lifespan=perennial
|lifespan=perennial
|life_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|life_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|exposure=part-sun
|features=flowers, houseplant
|Temp Metric=°F
|Temp Metric=°F
|image=Purple_African_Violet_Top.JPG
|image=Upload.png
|image_width=240
|image_width=240
|image_caption=a ''Saintpaulia ionantha'' cultivar
| image_caption = a ''Saintpaulia ionantha'' cultivar
}}
}}
Saintpaulias are widely cultivated as [[house plant]]s. Hairy often stemless perennial herbs, used for greenhouse flowering, the blossoms providing an attractive blue, violet, purple, white, pink and even green. Flowers can be single or double, solid or striped. "Wasp" type flowers have the upper two flower petals independently fused forming a tube. There are also compound leaves on some, that are called "bustled". Over 2,000 cultivars have been selected, with a very wide variety of flower and leaf colors, shapes, sizes, patterns and textures. Cultivars are classified as Large, Standard, Trailing, Semi-mini, Mini, and Micro with Micro being the smallest.
Saintpaulias are widely cultivated as [[house plant]]s. Hairy often stemless perennial herbs, used for greenhouse flowering, the blossoms providing an attractive blue, violet, purple, white, pink and even green. Flowers can be single or double, solid or striped. "Wasp" type flowers have the upper two flower petals independently fused forming a tube. There are also compound leaves on some, that are called "bustled". Over 2,000 cultivars have been selected, with a very wide variety of flower and leaf colors, shapes, sizes, patterns and textures. Cultivars are classified as Large, Standard, Trailing, Semi-mini, Mini, and Micro with Micro being the smallest.
==Cultivation==
==Cultivation==
African violets prefer a constant temperature between 20-25 °C (68-77 °F) with high humidity, and thrive best planted in well-drained humus or coir compost. Most nurseries and garden shops sell African Violet potting soil in ready-to-go bags. The plants may be flowered the entire year or given a period of rest by partly withholding water. Saintpaulias should be watered from underneath, and misting should be avoided, as water coming in contact with the leaves can cause damage.
African violets prefer a constant temperature between 20-25 °C (68-77 °F) with high humidity, and thrive best planted in well-drained humus or coir compost. Most nurseries and garden shops sell African Violet potting soil in ready-to-go bags. The plants may be flowered the entire year or given a period of rest by partly withholding water. Saintpaulias should be watered from underneath, and misting should be avoided, as water coming in contact with the leaves can cause damage.
*[http://gesneriads.ca/saintart.htm Gesneriad Reference Web Saintpaulia article]
*[http://gesneriads.ca/saintart.htm Gesneriad Reference Web Saintpaulia article]
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