The National Garden Bureau has named the African violet as its houseplant of the year for 2024. And no wonder. Some reasons to grow this easy care, rewarding plant are:
• African violets have been known to live for as long as 50 years.
• With the right care, African violets will bloom nearly all year round.
• There are few other plants that flower as well in low-light conditions as the African violet.
Following these few ground rules should provide you with beautiful blooms for many years:
• Don’t overwater. The easiest way to provide water is to set the pot in a bowl of room-temperature water, 1-inch deep when the plant is dry (try once a week).
• Provide enough light but not too much. This usually can be provided by placing the plant in windows with bright light but no direct sunlight.
• Maintain room temperature between18C and 21C. Day temperatures can be 10 degrees warmer. Higher humidity is also a bonus (making African violets an excellent choice for a bathroom plant).
For lots more information, see ‘Violets 101’ here: https://africanvioletsocietyofamerica.org/learn/violets-101/