I am looking for an easy-to-grow houseplant to add some color inside my home — is there a plant that I can find locally that will work for this?
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Try growing an African violet, which should be easy to locate in a local garden center that sells houseplants. African violets will continue to bloom year-round if they are given optimal growing conditions, with short rest periods between bloom cycles, and they would be a good choice for an easy-to-grow plant to add color to your home.
African violet, Saintpaulia ionantha, was introduced to the United States in the 1890s and quickly became a very popular houseplant. There are many different varieties available in single, double, semi-double, star-shaped, fringed or ruffled flowering forms, in shades of white, pink, blue, purple, red and bicolors. African violets can grow to a mature size of 4 to 8 inches high, and up to 8 inches or more across. Miniature varieties can be half that size.
These plants are best grown in a good quality potting soil in a pot with adequate drainage holes. African violets require a location that receives bright light, with little-to-no direct sunlight and average indoor room temperatures. South or west windows offer the best light in winter. You may need to use a sheer curtain to diffuse some of the light, especially as the sun strengthens as spring approaches. Windows with north or east exposures are generally good during the spring, summer and fall growing season.
If leaves are unusually small and the petioles elongated, it is a sign that the plant is not getting enough light. Plants that are window-grown should ideally be rotated a quarter turn every day or so to prevent crooked stems and produce a plant with a symmetrical rosette of leaves. African violets that are in too much sun will develop pale, yellow-green leaves and can take on a scorched appearance. You may also see bleached-out, burned or dead areas on the leaves.
African violets are easily grown under artificial lights too. A shelf with two or more 20- to 40- watt tubes will support numerous plants. The tubes should be 12 to 15 inches above the tops of the plants and run for 14 to 16 hours per day. There are several companies that manufacture fluorescent tubes specially designed to grow plants. Many gardeners also have good success with less expensive “cool white” florescent tubes.
African violets grow and bloom best in small pots, so do not be too quick to repot them; gradually increase their pot sizes when you do repot them. Apply a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 every four to six weeks during the growing season of March to November.
Allow the soil to become slightly dry before watering, but not excessively dry, which will cause wilting and root damage. Water enough so that it comes out the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot to avoid a build-up of salts in the growing medium.
Try to use water at room temperature, as cold water that gets splashed on the leaves can cause light green, discolored areas that will look like spots. African violets prefer 40 to 50 percent humidity, so you can increase the humidity by elevating the plants above pebbles, which are kept constantly moist. Be sure to keep the water level in these pebbles below the bottoms of the pots.
When the plants have finished blooming, remove dead flowers.
For more plant advice, contact the Plant Information Service at the Chicago Botanic Garden at (847) 835-0972 or [email protected].
Tim Johnson is senior director of horticulture at the Chicago Botanic Garden.