African violets may be grown from leaves fairly readily. Even novice growers can easily grow more plants and increase their collection.
Step 1: Trim and remove the leaf. Take a new leaf off the plant you want to multiply. The ideal leaf to utilize is mature; nevertheless, avoid using an old, harsh leaf. Trim the leaf blade’s top with a razor or a sharp knife. Although this step is not required, it will speed up the growth of the leaf’s roots and plantlets once it has rooted and will prevent the leaf from expanding on its own.
2. Cut the leaf petiole.
View the image on the right. Cut the petiole (also known as the leaf stem) at a 45-degree angle with the cut side facing up, to a length of about 1/2. Cutting at an angle will promote the growth of additional roots and plantlets, and they will more likely show up in front of the rooted leaf as opposed to being tucked under or behind it.
Root the leaf cutting in step three.
View the image on the left. Your rooting medium should be poured into a tiny pot. This mixture ought to be extremely airy and permeable. One part Pro-Mix (a soil-free peat and perlite mix) and three parts coarse vermiculite make up our rooting mixture. Any combination, at the very least, is allowed (some growers use only vermiculite or mix with perlite). You should moisten the mixture (not too soggy, or the leaf will rot). Utilize a “swizzle stick” to create a small hole in the mixture. In this hole, insert the leaf petiole up to the base of the leaf blade (as shown), and compact the rooting mixture around it. If there is space, more than one leaf cutting may be rooted in a single pot. Put the pot in a transparent, covered container or plastic baggie after labeling it. After that, put this somewhere sunny and cool—avoid direct sunlight or places that are too hot as these could cause the leaf cutting to burn or decay.
Plantlets at 12 weeks in Stage 4. From the cut end of the rooted leaf’s petiole, one or more plantlets will start to form and rise above the dirt. The ones shown are ready to be divided and planted right away, but we often wait 4-5 months because that gives more plantlets time to develop from the cutting. Additionally, the plantlets will be slightly bigger, more manageable, and more likely to survive their transfer.
Separate the plantlets from the leaf cutting in step 5. View the image on the right. Plantlets can be detached from the “mother leaf” when they are big enough for you to handle them easily. Take the cutting out of its pot, grip a plantlet firmly, and carefully remove the plantlet away from the leaf cutting. If your rooting mixture is light and not too wet, you can probably do this without using a knife. If your plantlet is healthy, it will grow roots when it is potted, so don’t worry too much if it doesn’t have many (or even any).
Step 6: Get the plantlet’s pot ready. View the image on the left. Your typical soil mixture should be used to fill a small pot (2 or 2 1/4). Create a small hole using an old pencil that is deep enough to accommodate the plantlet that will be potted.
7. Plant the plantlet.
View the image on the right.
Place the plantlet carefully into the hole and firm the earth around it. Plantlets should be buried in the soil just deep enough to cover the entire naked central stem or “trunk,” but not so deeply that the tiny growing point in the middle of the plant is buried.
Eighth step: You’re done! Water the plant minimally and label it. You can immediately put larger plantlets among your other violets. Put the plantlet into a clear, covered container or plastic baggie if it is still very little and/or has few roots. This will provide it a little “terrarium-like environment and protect it as it grows. In a few weeks, remove it from this container.
Can an African violet be rooted in water?
You undoubtedly wish you could have a lot of African violets in your indoor garden if you love them as much as I do. The good news is that these gorgeous floral plants are simple to root.
African violets can be rooted in water using a leaf, which is the quickest and simplest method I’ve discovered. You can use a leaf from one of your own African violets or even one belonging to a friend.
1. Fill a wide-mouthed container with warm water close to the top. Make sure to tightly wrap a piece of plastic wrap around the surface.
2. Pinch a mature, yet yet young, African leaf. It should be in good condition—green, attractive, and undamaged. Leave at least an inch of the leaf stem intact when you remove the leaf from the plant’s base. Two inches are preferable. Make a straight, non-jagged cut.
What is the time required for an African violet leaf to root?
One of the most lovable houseplants, African violets pack a lot of beauty into a small plant. Gardeners adore them because they serve as inside reminders of spring or summer when the weather outside may be a touch gloomy. Every year, it seems like they want more and more of them.
By multiplying them, you can cut costs and advance your gardening abilities. Even novice gardeners can successfully produce an African violet, despite the fact that it may initially seem frightening.
1. Pick a Leaf
Look for a leaf that is strong and new, yet that is already affixed to the plant. Make sure the leaf is still vibrant and not wilted and tough. Maintain the petiole’s connection to the leaf.
Trim the top of the leaf blade with a razor or sharp knife as an optional step. By redirecting all of the energy away from leaf growth and back into the soil, this will promote the rapid creation of roots.
2. Trim the leaf petty
For optimal results, cut the petiole (the stem) to a length of between 1/2 and 1 inch. Make sure to cut it when pruning at a 45-degree angle to promote root and plant growth.
3. Insert your Cutting.
Use Espoma’s Organic African Violet Potting Mix to fill a small pot. With the aid of your finger or pencil, create a small hole. With the stem facing up, insert your leaf cutting and compact the dirt around it. To seal in the cutting, moisten the ground.
4. Make it Sunnier
Sunlight and humidity are essential for the growth of your cutting. To add humidity, put it in a transparent container with a lid or cover it with a clear plastic bag. Put this somewhere bright, but out of the direct sun. Look for a window with a reasonable temperature.
5. Plantlings Emerge
Here, patience is crucial. The roots on the petiole should start to form at around 3–4 weeks. Your new leaves will start to emerge in another 3–4 weeks. You must repot the sprouts when they have 2-3 leaves, which usually happens between two and six months after planting.
To grow your sprouts and plantlets into mature African Violets, continue to care for them. Espoma’s Violet will keep your mature African Violets content and wholesome! liquid fertiliser
Do African violets grow in number?
By only sticking one of a plant’s leaves into some soil, some plants can be multiplied. These so-called leaf cuttings need to develop roots and branches in order to produce new plants.
If the bottom end of a jade leaf is placed in soil that is occasionally watered, it will sprout roots easily. Such cuttings can occasionally remain dormant, producing new roots but no branches. New shoots are certain to appear by bringing a small piece of the old stem along with the leaf cutting.
Rex begonias and African violets both grow quickly from leaf cuttings. To multiply either of these plants, use the entire leaf or even a portion of it.
Always have your pot of soil ready before you remove the cutting since a disconnected begonia or African violet leaf wilts quickly. And instead of using actual soil, root the cuttings in a sterilized, porous, moisture-retaining mixture. Ideal materials include moist peat moss, pure sand, perlite, or a 1-to-1 mixture of both of these.
African violets and begonias can be multiplied using a variety of leaf cuttings. Take the stalk of an African violet leaf and cut it off. A new plant will grow at the base of the stalk once you insert the stalk into the rooting medium.
A lot of new plants will grow along the cut edge if you cut off the far half of an African violet or begonia leaf and add the cut end of the detached half to the mixture.
Alternately, lightly score a leaf’s veins on the underside before laying it flat on the rooting medium. A new plant will emerge at each cut if you place a few pebbles on the leaf to keep it pressed up against the mixture.
Or you can make tiny, triangular pieces from a single leaf, each with a big vein. Each triangle that is planted upright and partially in the soil will sprout additional shoots.
How Long Does it Take a Cutting to Root?
It takes a cutting of an African violet 3–4 weeks to develop new roots. You’ll start to notice fresh leaves about three to four weeks later. Repotting should be done when there are 2 to 3 new leaves emerging. The duration of this treatment can range from two to six months.
How Do You Collect Seeds From African Violets?
You must manually pollinate African violet flowers in order to extract the seeds from an African violet. After about a month, if you are successful, a seed pod will appear. After giving the pod two months to mature, carefully pry apart the pod to extract the seeds.
Are African Violets Easy to Grow From Seeds?
African violets are typically started from cuttings, although they can also be started from seed with relative ease. About the same amount of time is required. The seeds will probably need to be ordered because they can be challenging to gather on your own.
Propagation Temperature
Are you unsure about the ideal temperature for your brand-new, small African violets? The fact that African violets thrive in typical domestic settings contributes to their ease of maintenance. Maintain the temperature of these new plants between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit at night and between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day.
Although mature African violets may tolerate the rare dip or spike in temperature, they prefer the same conditions as developing African violets. Avoid allowing the temperature to rise over 85 degrees or fall below 60 degrees since these extremes might slow or kill budding African violet plants.
Is it best to grow African violets in soil or water for reproduction?
It is possible to grow African violets from seed, however there are a few requirements. It’s best to use a light soil mixture of peat, vermiculite, and greensand to sprout these tiny seeds. Epsom salt can further aid to brighten the soil.
Make sure your room is warm enough by setting the thermostat to between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18-24 C.). For the best sprouting, your soil’s temperature should also be this. In 8 to 14 days, your seeds ought to begin to sprout.
Can a leaf cutting be used to start an African violet?
Leaf cuttings are a simple way to multiply African violets. Cut off a portion of a firm, healthy leaf using a sharp knife. Keep the petiole, or leaf stem, 1 to 112 inches from the leaf blade. Vermiculite and coarse sand mixed 50:50 with moisture should be placed in a pot. Each leaf cutting’s petiole should be inserted into the rooting medium at a 45-degree angle. Each leaf cutting’s petiole should be firmly encircled by the rooting medium.
Once all of the cuttings have been placed, moisten the rooting media and let it drain for a while. Next, put a transparent plastic bag over the clippings. Use tape or a rubber band to attach the plastic bag to the pot. The leaf cuttings’ water loss is significantly reduced by the contained habitat, which also keeps them from withering and dying before they have a chance to take root. Place the pot in a well-lit area. Normal root formation takes three to four weeks. In six to eight weeks, new plants typically sprout leaves.
At the base of each petiole, many plants typically emerge. Carefully pluck or cut apart the plants to separate them. Individualize plant care by potting each one into a container with a well-drained potting mix.
How are African violet seeds collected?
Purchasing your African violet seeds directly from a reliable online retailer is frequently the simplest option. When it comes to producing seeds, African violets can be difficult, and even when they do, the plants that emerge from the seeds hardly ever resemble the parent plant.
Despite this, you will still need to physically pollinate your African violets if you want to acquire seeds from them. Watch for the flowers to open, then record which bloom appears earliest. This is the “feminine flower” for you. Keep an eye out for another flower to open once it has been open for two or three days. Your male flower will be this.
The moment the male flower opens, gently swirl a little paintbrush around the center of the male flower to collect pollen. After that, twirl it around the female flower’s center to pollinate it.
In about 30 days, you will notice a pod forming in the middle of the flower if the female flower was fertilized successfully. The pollination was unsuccessful if no capsule develops, thus you will need to try again.
It takes the pod around two months to fully mature once it forms. After two months, take the pod from the plant, carefully open it up, and collect the seeds within.
How old are African violets on average?
Because of their lengthy lives, repotting these flowers is crucial. Ryan McEnaney, public relations and communications specialist for Bailey Nurseries, advises consumers to keep in mind that African violets can live for up to 50 years. To avoid becoming overly root-bound, plants can be repotted into larger pots as they mature. It’s probably time to relocate your African violet when it has doubled or quadrupled the size of your container and the leaves are beginning to wilt, according to McEnaney.
However, you don’t have to repot your plants right away. If your African violet appears to have outgrown its container, don’t rush to relocate it, advises Brian Parker, senior merchant for Live Goods at Home Depot. “African violets are best when their roots are in a little bound condition,” he adds. “They will produce and perform for years and years with just a simple routine of the right light and food,” the speaker said.