Pink violets: features and varieties

Probably there is no such person among flower growers who would not know about the existence of violets; many people like delicate miniature creatures from East Africa. But, perhaps, not everyone knows that the name of the violet is not entirely correct, their correct name is Saintpaulia or the Usambara violet. The plant got its name Saintpaulia thanks to its discoverer Saint-Paul, and it is called Uzumbar because of its place of growth in the wild.

African violets are a perennial herb. The short stems of the plant, forming a circle (rosette) around the root, have fleshy, hairy leaves, resembling a heart. The color of the leaves, as a rule, has a uniform green tint, less often there are varieties whose leaves are spotty, due to blotches of a different color, color. Their five-petalled flowers with flat, slightly curved or wavy edges are collected in brushes, and from the bottom are covered with 5 sepals.

For the convenience of perception, Saintpaulia is usually called violets, although their petals are painted not only in purple... Thanks to selection, there are many violets of various shapes, sizes and, of course, in color, whose detailed description can be found in the relevant literature.

The pink color of the petals is especially popular, so breeders have bred a huge number of a wide variety of varieties with this shade. To describe everything is not a feasible task, but there are species that stand out among others for their special characteristics.

• "Pink Watercolor" belongs to the most beloved and popular varieties. This variety owes its appearance to the Russian amateur breeder Konstantin Morev. On the pale pink, almost white background of each petal, there are strokes as if painted with pink watercolor paint. The edges of the petals are wavy, with a slightly curled outer part resembling a terry fringe in appearance. The leaves are bright green, with the exception of the outer edge, which is either light beige or white.

• "Pink Panther". The plant is characterized by light pink large flowers with well-defined wavy edges of white petals. Oval in shape with pointed outer tips and openwork edges, the leaves are painted in a green uniform color.

• "LE-Pink Marshmallow" associated with airy marshmallows covered with berry puree. The plant is characterized by a rather neat and compact rosette of large oval leaves, green with a milky-beige border. On powerful erect peduncles, large flowers develop up to 6.5 cm in diameter and with a bright pink color.

• "RM-Pink Curls". A distinctive feature of the variety is its star-shaped flowers with a characteristic ornate wavy edge. The petals, pink with a pale lilac shade and with corrugated edges, form a rather large flower. The flower stalks of the plant are long, each, as a rule, has at least 4–5 buds.

• "RM-Pink Wave". This variety is similar in flower shape to the "RM-Pink Curls" variety. And this is not surprising, the variety is the progenitor of the sport "RM-Pink Curls". Its flowers are like stars with wavy edges. Against the background of bright pink petals, yellow stamens gathered in an arbitrary circle stand out.The splendor of a cap of flowers is surrounded by an even rosette of green leaves.

• "PT-Pink Clouds". This is a variety with large pale pink flowers and oval leaves with carved edges. It is characterized by abundant nodding flowering. The leaves, which are bright green on the outside and lighter on the inside, form a neat rosette.

• "AB-Pink Roses". This variety is characterized by large, rose-like flowers. Above a rosette of dark green leaves are pink flowers with a crimson border. Abundant flowering.

• "EK-Pink Dalmatians" stands out among many with its unusual color of flowers. On the pink-lilac background of the petals, raspberry-lilac specks are scattered in a chaotic manner, like splashes. The bright flowers contrast beautifully with the dark green foliage. The flowers of the sport have a solid background with small lilac-purple stains.

• Rob's antique rose refers to a semi-miniature. Dark olive leaves with jagged edges form a rather neat and even rosette, above which an unusually beautiful hat of flowers rises. The main background of the flowers is pink with a silvery sheen, closer to the center there are crimson, sometimes cherry, with slightly blurred edges, strokes, the border is painted in a bright green color.

• Long-flowering miniatures include the variety Joy's Pink Halo. In shape, the flowers resemble a bell, fully opening as they grow older. The leaves, dark green in the center and pinkish-beige along the edges, form an even rosette, above which there are long, pink-tinted peduncles, each of which is capable of carrying up to 9 flowers.

• "LE-Pink Muscat" differs in abundant and long flowering. Above a flat rosette, consisting of dark green oval leaves, there are long stable peduncles with buds original in shape and color. Pink, slightly bronze-tinged petals with a slightly darker border with a green sheen form elongated bell-shaped buds. In an adult plant, the color of the border becomes almost beige.

• "LE-Pink Dreams". This is a variety with large flowers and a small rosette. The flowers resemble roses in shape. Quite large flowers, delicate pink with double edges, fuchsia color, form a thin, but very beautiful hat.

• "LE-Pink Cascade". This is a miniature semi-mini trailer, designed by E. Lebetskaya. The plant has large leaves with pointed tips and flowers pink with a slightly wavy border. The leaf plate resembles a motley carpet: green, white and pink tones in the form of strokes and patterns are scattered over the surface.

• "EK-Pink Eschsholzia". This variety is famous for its large semi-double flowers. The wide petals are deep pink. Leaves of deep green color with small denticles at the edges form a compact rosette.

• Allegro Pink Pistachio differs in a rather long flowering. Its flowers, green with a bronze-red wavy border and small rays of a fuchs shade on the petals, are small (3-4 cm). Depending on the degree of illumination and temperature on the peduncles there may be not only green flowers, but also pink ones. Good lighting contributes to a change in the color of the border and rays, they acquire a burgundy hue. On the sunny side, the color of the border becomes more saturated and takes on a reddish brown tint.

• Sunkissed rose belongs, perhaps, to the most unusual and unpredictable types of violets. In standard species, the rosette consists of very large leaves with a wavy edge. Long leaf petioles form a large rosette in diameter (up to 27–28 cm).Star-like flowers with a velvety wavy edge at the petals are small (3-4 cm in diameter). The shade of flowers can vary depending on the phase of flowering and conditions of detention. At the beginning of the dissolution, the buds are white, as they grow and increase in volume, the flowers change color.

The petals become yellow towards the center, and the wavy edges take on a dark pink tint. By the end of flowering, the picture changes and the yellowish-pink background gradually darkens, acquiring a red tint.

• Rebel's Rose Bud, bred by foreign breeders, it is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and amazing beauty. Its large pale pink flowers with a double fuchsia border at the petals form a rather thick cap above the rosette. Leaves oblong in shape with a pointed tip, laid in an even rosette, have a bright green color on the outside in the center and a white border with a pink tint.

• Rose bouquet characterized by the presence of variegated leaves with a mosaic pattern and medium-sized flowers with velvety edges. The leaves are oval in shape with an even quilted surface and form a small, but very neat rosette. Flowers pink with a dark eye are located on long peduncles, forming a not dense, but very beautiful cap above the rosette.

• Pink mint refers to miniature types of violets. Its small green leaves, triangular in shape, form a dense bush, above which pink flowers with double edges, resembling a bell in shape, rise on long peduncles. The variety is profusely flowering. The buds formed in large numbers remain closed for a very long time, especially in young plants.

• Pink dove Is a miniature variety of violets. Small (2–2.5 cm) pink flowers with sail-like petals in the central part rise above an amazingly neat and very beautiful rosette, consisting of variegated dark green in the center and white with pink blotches along the border of the leaves.

• Ness' satin rose refers to varieties whose growth, peduncle formation and bud dissolution occurs at a rather slow pace. Its flowers with pink in the center and lilac-silvery petals along the border form a beautiful long-blooming bunch above the dark green foliage with a slightly bluish-whitish tint. The diameter of the rosette reaches 20 cm, but the leaves themselves are not large, the size is formed due to the varietal peculiarity of the species - long petioles.

• Lovely miniature of Rosy Cheeks it is distinguished by abundant flowering. Flowers bloom on powerful tall peduncles, similar to miniature roses. The dark pink color of a dense, but very neatly formed bouquet contrasts against the background of dark green leaves, forming an even miniature rosette.

• Edee's Rosebud Trail differs in regular and abundant flowering. The fast-growing and unpretentious variety is characterized by variegated foliage and pink flowers with a peach tint.

• Rose garden Is a slow growing variety. The flowering of young plants begins only after a year and a half. The semi-miniature is characterized by a compact rosette consisting of green foliage with jagged edges and very long peduncles, on which are located pale pink flowers, similar in shape to bells. Very thin and long peduncles are not able to keep the flowers in an upright position, they lie on the foliage, and the buds are just below the outlet. This arrangement of peduncles with buds is a varietal feature of the species.

• DS-Pink with early and almost constant flowering. Its bell-shaped flowers have a very interesting color. On a bright pink background, chimeric colors are located from the center to the double edge - rays of blue with small pink splashes. The flower stalks of the plant are tall and strong, they hold quite large flowers well.

• Emerald pink differs in constant and very long flowering, some flowers do not wither for 10-11 months.Cup-shaped peach-pink flowers with a green edging become much lighter by the end of flowering. In young flowers, the background of the petals has a faint pink tint with a pearlescent sheen. The plant is characterized by a compact, even rosette, its diameter varies from 20 to 25 cm.

• Cajun's Roses Anyone. This variety is famous for its dark green heart-shaped leaves with a creamy pink edging and soft pink dense flowers, similar to porcelain. Strong and rather fertile peduncles, each with almost 5-7 buds, rise above a small, up to 22 cm in diameter, but very beautifully formed rosette.

Saintpaulias, like any other plant, need good and proper care. A few simple recommendations should be followed.

• Violets are very fond of good lighting, but they do not tolerate direct exposure to sunlight, therefore, in order to avoid burns of the leaf plate, pots with violets should be removed from window openings located on the south side or shaded. In winter, artificial lighting devices should be used, extending the daylight hours of the plant to 12-13 hours with their help.
• Temperature is an equally significant indicator for violets. They do not tolerate too high, more than + 25 ° C, and low (less than + 15 ° C) ambient temperature. Indicators from +20 to + 22 ° C are considered optimal. With sufficient illumination, but low temperature, the plant not only does not bloom, but stops growing altogether.
• The quality of the soil affects all processes occurring with the plant. In many stores you can find a ready-made substance for growing, but you can also prepare the soil yourself. Sifted garden soil, mixed with a small amount of river sand, is well suited as a soil. The prepared mixture is calcined in the oven, and expanded clay is used as drainage.
• You need to water the violet regularly, but carefully, trying not to fall on the foliage. To maintain soil moisture, water can be added to the container in which the pot is located. For good "health" of a capricious beauty, 1-2 waterings a week are enough.

You can find out how to plant an old violet below.