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African Violet

Discussion in 'General Chat' started by rico, Mar 27, 2015.

  1. Mar 27, 2015 #1
    rico

    rico Active Member

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    Of all the plants I have in my collection (including orchids) this has to be one of the most valuable (sentimentally) that I own. This plant (and two others) were my great-grandmothers until her death 4 years ago. She had them for as long as I can remember, and my parents can't even remember when she got them. They have all bloomed for me, but this is the only one that has been reliable. The other two have had to have emergency surgery, because they have been faltering. (maybe just because of old age) Anyway, I like them a lot and I hope you enjoy this one!
    -rico


    African violet 1.jpg African violet 2.jpg
     
    annabanana1987 and pontupo like this.
  2. Mar 27, 2015 #2
    Daethen

    Daethen Orchid Mom

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    It's lovely, but even lovelier because of the meaning behind it.
     
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  3. Aug 8, 2015 #3
    jai

    jai Orchid addict

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    Very nice specimen, have you tried leaf propagating the plant so you would have more?
     
  4. Aug 9, 2015 #4
    rico

    rico Active Member

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    No, I haven't. It has recently been repotted and the process (the one on the African Violet society of America's website) is terribly aggressive. It is still getting acclimated from the brutal treatment but once it is showing signs of positive growth I think I shall try that. It will be a good form of insurance in case this plant starts pushing up daisies. Of the three plants I had, one of them wasn't so great when I got it, and I had to do an emergency repotting. That revealed that the mix had disintegrated in probably the 20 years she had them and the roots were dead (she probably didn't repot ever also). It died because I couldn't take a leaf cutting since all the leaves were too small to handle. I'll try to watch the other two more carefully, and take leaf cuttings when it should be done.
     
  5. Aug 9, 2015 #5
    jai

    jai Orchid addict

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    It is very easy to do you just pull off a mature leaf that is not dying and can be done at any time(it actually helps the plant focus it time on new growth and blooms) and with a sterilized knife and cut the stem of the leaf a 1/4 inch from the leaf place in a small but deep container(I find condiment containers of medicine cups work well) with 50:50 perlite and African violet mix place the cutting in till the leaf touches the mix put in a humidity dome(a plastic bag or clear food container would work) then place in a bright spot and in a few weeks or month you will see some small leavess have developed and when they are 1/3 the size of the leaf cutting you can remove it with a knife and replant it.
     
  6. Aug 9, 2015 #6
    jai

    jai Orchid addict

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    It would look some thing like this
     

    Attached Files:

  7. Aug 9, 2015 #7
    Boytjie

    Boytjie Out hiking Supporting Member

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    These things are amazing. My partner also inherited two African violets that belonged to his grandmother. She recently passed at the age of 90, and the plants are at least 60 years old. Both plants ramble all over the place with almost no care, and both have produced multiple plantlets. I might separate a few of them and grow them "just in case."
     
  8. Aug 9, 2015 #8
    jai

    jai Orchid addict

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    You should eventually because African violets grow best with one growth point
     
  9. Aug 10, 2015 #9
    annabanana1987

    annabanana1987 Active Member

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    Thats awesome you have something to look at everyday and care for just as your grandmother did ♡ i wish you the best growing them ♡♡♡