Hybridizers have been trying to develop a true yellow African violet for years with varying results. Some of the most promising work with yellows lately has been conducted by David Senk in California who has produced some unique and exotic African violets. Below are some recent results of his hybridizing efforts …

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Seed propagation of African violets requires a basic understanding of the requirements for successful seed germination: light, warmth and moisture. Planting African violet seeds is a simple but rewarding process, with new plantlets showing as early as 9 weeks.

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A challenging aspect of growing African violets is the inevitable encounter with pests or disease. African violets are affected by common house plant pests, plant molds and fungus. Some cultural problems can produce symptoms similar to those of infestation or disease…

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African violet plants infested with broad mites may exhibit symptoms such as twisted or distorted flowers or bloom stalks, discolored leaves, or leaves that curl downward on the edges …

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Leaf grafting was the hopeful quest of early African violet hybridizers looking for new and unusual gene combinations. Many books published in the 1950s mention this method — a time when hybridizing African violets was still young and little was known about their genetic makeup. It was then hypothesized that if leaves of two different African violet varieties were grafted together …

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There are many online African violet vendors and mail order greenhouses offering named varieties or registered African violet hybrids. Buying plants by mail requires evaluation by a different set of criteria since you are unable to inspect plants in person.

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African violets mutate easily. The term chimera is used to describe a plant that differs genetically from that which is typical for its species. In African violets, chimeras often exhibit striped or pinwheel color patterns in the flowers…

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