03 February 2008

The Plant Rescuer and the African violets


Really, I know better. I have to avoid certain places because I'm such a softy. But I was feeling strong, overly confident. After all, I'd gone into our vet's office to buy worm pills for the cat-children, and I'd decided to tempt fate by walking into our no-kill cat shelter. The gods of cat-adoption were smiling on me, because I walked around, talked to the seven or eight cats awaiting adoption--down in numbers, which is great, as plenty have been adopted out!--and never felt the urge to take any of them home. So I was feeling confident, mightily so, and thought nothing would happen, when I went to the department store to pick up some items we needed, if I went down to the department where the houseplants suffer.


Wrong-o, girlfriend. At first, all was well. I was unmoved by the gay abandon of the potted bulbs in full flower. Narcissis beckoned me with their starry yellow flowers. Hyacinths cast their perfume at me, and tulips flashed their skirts like flamenco dancers caught in a kaleidoscope. But I was brave and strong. And then it happened.

"Help. Me. Hellllppppp meeeeeeeee. "

Who said that? I peered around the corner of the aisle, and then I saw them. African violets. Dozens of them. Jammed together like sausages on a shelf, in gaudily coloured plastic wrappers. Uh oh. I could feel the temptation closing in on me.

Here’s a bit of a botany lesson for those who care about such things. African violets are not true violets, but are gesneriads, members of the family Gesneriaceae, along with other popular exotic plants such as the gloxinia and the Cape Primrose or streptocarpus. The botanical name of the most common species of African violets, Saintpaulia ionantha, comes from the German explorer who discovered the plant in southeastern Africa in the 19th century, a Baron Walter von Saint-Paul, and from the fact that the flowers resemble those of violets. While some enthusiasts refer to these plants as saintpaulias, most simply call them violets. I do, so I won't scold anyone else who does.

Although I do fine growing them, I haven't had any African violets for several years, and for a crazy reason. Although I love them, they are truly cat-hair magnets, and they just don't look right when they're covered in feline fur. But others have been writing about them, and photographing them, and blogging about them, lately, and I've felt the old temptation rising in me. But I was feeling strong, after my session at the shelter, and figured I could resist. So I'd just go down and see how bad they looked, and they'd be too far gone, and even I wouldn't bother trying to rescue them. Right?


No, not exactly. They actually couldn't have been in the store for more than a few days, because while a few blooms were dwindling, others were still to come on, and I could see new stems of flowerbuds rising up from most crowns.

While I'm not a collector, I have friends who grow many African violets, and they always say that the most important factor in growing violets well is to have the right soil. Violets like a soil that is light and well-drained, and most violet enthusiasts make their own potting medium of a mixture of Pro-mix, peat, vermiculite and perlite, which they sterilize before using.

Violets thrive in bright but indirect light—any bright window except a southern exposure is usually fine. Interestingly, although they need plenty of light (at least 12-14 hours), they also need a minimum of 8 hours of darkness in each 24-hour period in order for them to bloom. Many enthusiasts grow them under artificial lights with timers to control the light period. You don’t have to buy the expensive full spectrum lights; ordinary cool white fluorescent tubes work just fine. These plants are happiest at around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, although they will grow in rooms as cool as 60 degrees or as warm as 80 degrees. They also like a little humidity, which you can provide either by running a humidifier in your growing room, or by setting your pots on saucers filled with wet pebbles. Just make sure the pot bottom is clear of the water so as not to give your violets wet feet. I know there are arguments about whether to water from the saucer or from the top of the pot, and some who swear by each method. I just treat African violets the same way I do cyclamen; I water them from the bottom, and don't let them dry out or get sodden, and they usually do just fine. Sometimes a plant dies. That happens.

I was thinking about these things as I surveyed the dozens of plants, all regarding me in mute supplication. Well...I COULD keep one or two in my office, which is quite cool when I'm not in there, and with the door shut the cat-children can't get at the plants, so there shouldn't be any issue with cat hair. And while these plants could still find homes with other customers, another week or so of being mistreated would tell a different tale, I knew. So what could I do? I did what had to be done, of course.


I only brought home four!

29 comments:

  1. Dear Jodi,
    this is not surprise to me you could not resist. Even if they are so popular, their habit to bloom most of the year is highly desirable :) this is always nice to have it in bloom:) as you wrote they don't like direct sun, so they are perfect for indoor gardening especially when considering living in appartment with not so much space available.
    I like them too and lately I saw by surpise a genuine blue one!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Only four! That shows a great deal of restraint - I was waiting to see an entire tray filled with African violets of various colours.

    It is so hard to go by plants and not want to take them in hand. I avoid Home Depot for precisely this reason.

    And it is so much better to have arrived home with four small plants than another cat.

    Your blog is looking lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jodi, You left some at the store? Don't you hear them? They want you to come back and see them and make sure they are okay. And if they aren't, you have to buy them, too, because you've seen them and you know they are there.

    This is a great story, and good info on Saintpaulia. We won't call you weak for getting a few. There isn't a one of us gardeners who hasn't stood in a store looking at a display of plants and rationalized ourselves into buying just one or two or four. I'm proud of you for stopping at four!

    Carol, May Dreams Gardens

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jodi you are such a good girl only brining 4 of these beauties home. You have written such a charming note about them it makes me want to go out and buy some. I keep reminding myself that they don't last long here but...one room I haven't tried growing them in is my office. Maybe they would like it in here.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Now that you've shown us the"before" photo, we will want to see the"after" when you've nursed them back to good health. I've always avoided African violets, but you have kindled my interest. Maybe I'll try just one...or two....

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love african violets. Spring is just around the corner and our grocery store knows how to snag my attention, and my dollars. Besides the beautiful african violets these plotting grocers parade fragrant hyacinths and daffodils in pastel wrappings and colorful pots. Oh, there are many flowers that I "need" every week. They call to our very souls. I'm impressed you stopped at 4, frankly. Good girl!

    Now...as to the cats....I would have a harder time there, wanting to take each and every one home with me. I need to live on a lot of land beside the water somewhere, with trees and meadows. Dream on!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm glad that they went to your home where they will get nice care and thrive! I've killed more African Violets....and other beautiful houseplants....than I care to remember. I have an outdoor green thumb, but apparently indoors it turns some other color. My house is a hostile environment to real live plants :-) So I try to just look at the beautiful things with longing and turn my back and go home without any.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lovely post. I think the cats would have been harder for me to resist. :<) I just can't grow African Violets and have tried in three different houses over the years.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hah! Yes, it seems to be the day to post about African Violets.

    I wouldn't worry about the cat hair too much. you can always gently remove it with a bit of tape on the end of a pencil.

    --Robin (Bumblebee)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm like Mary - my house is a "Little Shop of Horrors" - at least for house plants.

    Still it's hard to resist the urge to save them from the "Big Box Shop of Horrors". It's one reason I let my wife do the shopping.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Jodi,

    I avoid African violets like the plague - they seem to die as soon as they see me.

    Thanks for the comment you left on my blog about the carnival - yes, you understood how it works : send me a link to a post on someone else's blog which you've really enjoyed. Then I post all the nominations on the "carnival" days.

    It's next week, so don't forget!
    Sue

    ReplyDelete
  12. WOO HOO!!!!! That's my girl!!! Try getting a basting brush (kitchen department) for brushing the leaves if they get too hairy. Works for me!

    ReplyDelete
  13. You make it wound so easy to grow African Violets, as if even someone like me could grow them. I'm not so sure, although I did use to take care of my mom's African Violets way back when I was still in school. Hmm...
    I agree with Robin - masking tape would work to lift away those cat hairs (sort of like a mini pethair pickup roller).

    ReplyDelete
  14. Jodi !
    You made me decide today was African Violet Day in my office .. I only have the one .. and it is a "mini", but after hearing of your adventures .. I decided it must be appreciated today !
    Thanks !
    Joy : )
    PS .. mini and "only" has it surviving me far better than a clan of the darlings ! haha

    ReplyDelete
  15. Jodi, a perfectly charming post, as always. I don't care much for houseplants except the orchids that have their own room. It would be much harder to resist the call of a sweet kitty though.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Jodi,
    When I think about it, I've never had an African Violet. I've noticed there are some real aficianados in blogland, but we don't see them much here, usually a good sign they are not for this climate, even in the house. They are pretty, though, and there must be 500 varieties! Great post,
    Aiyana

    ReplyDelete
  17. Jodi,
    When I think about it, I've never had an African Violet. I've noticed there are some real aficianados in blogland, but we don't see them much here, usually a good sign they are not for this climate, even in the house. They are pretty, though, and there must be 500 varieties! Great post,
    Aiyana

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Jodi,I have two African Violets upstairs in the spare/storage room. They are both flowerless.I might bring them down to the kitchen so I can observe them better!
    I always love a challenge of resurecting a plant from a store.My Phalaenopsis has grown beautifully since I rescued it, just waiting for a flower spike!
    Good luck with your Saintpaulias!

    ReplyDelete
  19. (Somehow my comment vanished, so I'll try again.) Although I'm not into African violets myself (I used to grow them in masses when I was a child, so I have somewhat outgrown them), I can understand you well, Jodi. Anytime I see neglected plant in a shop, they seem to cry out for rescue, wanting me to give them a nice cozy place in my home or garden. It has grown that bad that my children keep dragging me along as soon as they see that certain look on my face ...

    ReplyDelete
  20. You tell a wonderful story about a lovely plant - great. You only brought home four? My husband did the same as you in his whole life. I did built a big winter garden! I love plant rescuer.
    Have a nice week Wurzerl

    ReplyDelete
  21. lovely pics. It is hard to pass up distressed/bargain plants. Mine are blooming, and I am falling in love with my 'little old lady' plants all over again.

    ReplyDelete
  22. So, you can call african violets saintpaulias in english too. Interesting - we only use the last name in Sweden. I guess it's the one that works best with our language ('afrikansk viol' would be too long and not in rythm with the language melody).

    My mother in law was a member of the Swedish Saintpaulia Society for a very long time. She's a wizard with'em. For my own part I quickly kill them :-(

    ReplyDelete
  23. This post made me laugh, because just last week I went to a store that drives me nuts, mainly because of the aquaria in back where the fish are just packed in. I don't have a fish tank at home - but I have one in the lab, and walked out of there with a $4.88 red capped fantail goldfish, who at this very moment - is in the lab tank, surviving and perhaps even happy.

    I rescue things all of the time - and it's nice to hear a tale of another rescuer!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hi Jodi - one of your posts has been nominated for inclusion in the next Garden Blogger's carnival - I'm contacting everyone who's been nominated just to make sure that no-one wants to opt out. If you do please contact me. Otherwise your post will be included in the carnival which as you know will be running this week. I’ll contact you again as soon as the link is posted.
    Sue

    ReplyDelete
  25. Bless your 'violet' pickin' heart ... what a lovely rescue indeed. I have a gloxinia that I saved from my mom's home when she died. I'm desperately trying to keep it alive. They're related as you wrote so I'm babying it in every way I know how.

    Don't sweat the cat hair. Just enjoy!

    Warmly from chilly Alberta,
    Diane
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Alberta Postcards:
    http://sandtoglass.blogspot.com/
    plus My Flickr Photos:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/27458974@N00/

    ReplyDelete
  26. Many, many years ago when I was newly married I had a large collection of saintpaulias (so we call them here) in different colors and shapes. And suddenly I was somehow fed up as one could find them everywhere. Some of my friends were glad to receive them. Actually I have none. But my mother is still a faithful fan of this - I admit - lovely plant, and she continues to collect them...

    ReplyDelete
  27. African violets brighten my day, Jodi. Each time I go to the nursery I buy several, especially to enchance my antique flow blue bowl. Some I place in the window in the library, some to brighten a dark corner ... if they thrive ... fine ... if not, they have given me great pleasure.

    ReplyDelete
  28. If you had a cat like our Dee Dee you'd never be tempted to bring home another houseplant ever again! Well, except for maybe a pot of kitty grass (don't say that outloud or the cats will come running).

    Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage

    ReplyDelete
  29. First Kylee, now you. Please stop showing me all these lovely pics of African violets as I can't have them in my home. The Vita Coon destroys them all with the flick of one fingernail. First she removes all the flowers (takes about 2 days) and when all the flowers are gone, she takes off all the leaves, one by one. She does this only with African violets. sniff!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting and for taking the time to comment! It might take me a bit, but I will return the compliment whenever possible.
Spammers--need not apply. Because I delete your comments and they will never make it here. Kthxbai!

Search Bloomingwriter

Custom Search