“STJ Leaf Mama's of the year 2002"
Though we up north have hardly felt as though we had a winter this year it is February! That means it is coming on to spring and spring means new growth! This is a good time for those who enjoyed a STJ package in the past to prepare themselves to be a leaf mama to the new growers of this year AND don't forget the 2nd anniversary of our Mailing list. of babies, pot your extra's up in vermiculite in a small container (like a coffee creamer) just a few weeks before you can ship them out. I say vermiculite because you do not need the hassle of sending soil across borders. When cleaning up your plants don't take the extra leaves off just yet. Mark it as a Leaf donor for our new growers.
Don't toss the extra crowns, root them in vermiculite instead. Just think how happy your new grower would be with a rooted crown! Leaves often give off whole batches of babies, pot your extra's up in vermiculite in a small container (like a coffee creamer) just a few weeks before you can ship them out. I say vermiculite because you do not need the hassle of sending soil across borders. When cleaning up your plants don't take the extra leaves off just yet. Mark it as a Leaf donor for our new growers. BE READY don't miss out on the great feeling of making another's eyes light up with delight when your package reaches them. Some growers find themselves very crowded and take this opportunity to clean up their shelves. Don't be intimidated if you received a huge package of leaves and even soil and pots last year, remember the STJ program only asks you send a dozen leaves from your named varieties, anything extra is up to YOU....
Ander Afrikaan Viooltjie Editor: Laura Crater
This month we have three beautiful ACAs from Mary D in S. Ontario
 ACA Nicole |
 ACA Megan |
 ACA Merry Mary |
When I became hooked on AV's, I decided, as I am living in Canada, I should focus on AV's from Canadian hybridisers. As John Brownlie is in the Toronto area, he is the closest to me, and I have had several interesting visits to their home and growing area. My daughter Megan usually accompanies me on these visits, and John named the ACA Megan after her in April 2001. This is an interesting plant, having been "conceived" in a Petrie dish at the University of Guelph (which includes an Agricultural college), a collaborative effort between John Brownlie and one of the research professors at Guelph. We were thrilled for my daughter to be given this "honor" and I am happy now to be able to show how the plant has developed and bloomed.
Thanks Mary, for
sharing your beautiful plants, and what an honor to have one named after
your daughter.
Laura Crater
Pleased to Meet You…
list member biography
Kay Roberson, Violet Reflections List Moderator and Share the Joy Coordinator,
lives in Philadelphia with her new Sheltie puppy, Shelby and her Sun Concur
bird, Icarus.
While surfing the Internet one day last May, she happened upon Violet
Reflections. Kay joined the list, ordered some leaves from Rachel, and
was 'adopted' by Beth into the Share the Joy program.
"I only had one violet when I joined Violet Reflections," Kay wrote, "but
now I have 100. In the year that I have been a member, I have learned
a great deal about African Violets."
In addition to being a list moderator, Kay has recently taken over the
responsibility of coordinating the Share the Joy program. "Beth, who came
up with the Share the Joy idea, was stepping down and I volunteered to
take over her duties." Kay added, "I have been keeping the records for
the Share the Joy program since last June and have enjoyed the group and
helping others learn about violets."
Submitted By Barb
I enjoy having a large AV collection. However, working full time and family obligations allow for only so much hobby time. Watering 200 show plants, in addition to sales plants and seedlings, is quite an undertaking. Mat watering was a godsend but experience has taught me it is also a great travel vehicle for pests. So I went to reservoirs - quart size for standards and pint size for mini/semis. Seedlings and sales plants continued to be matted. You can't imagine the amount of algae growth that occurs from all the natural light when growing plants in a solarium. Now the reservoirs got to be a time consuming royal pain to clean.
Submitted By Millie
I was adopted April of 2001 by Tina in WA. I have tried several ways of putting up leaves and trying to get the babies to do well. I have a problem with starting babies in the summer because the air is so dry here. I run a swamp cooler, with two fans going, at all times. My adult plants like the humidity but when I put leaves up they rot. I have not given up on trying to root leaves in the summer and will try some other ways of setting them up. I will try leaving them UNcovered and if that does not work I will keep the leaves down stairs where it is much cooler in the summer. For now, I put leaves up around September and all through the winter months.
I use equal parts of Moisture Control soil, Vermiculite and Perlite. I use seedling trays to start leaves. I fill them with my soil mixture, cut all leaves on a very sharp angle and just barely insert them in soil. They would fall over if I don't stake Number one with an ID plastic label and I use extra large toothpicks, poke through the bottom of the leaf, and insert it into the soil.
I cover the seedling tray with a plastic lid that fits tightly. I then put them under lights. They root very quickly and babies start popping up within a month. I divide babies when they have several leaves the size of a nickel.
I wait about a month or longer to separate trailers and minis. After they are separated, they go back, uncovered, under the lights.
I love my African Violets and get so much pleasure out of growing
them.
- Millie/Ca
Edited by Jeanette Haygood
Species African Violets OR Why is my African Violet doing that?
You just got a new African Violet a few weeks ago and now the leaves are starting to grow in an upward direction – Could it be related to Saintpaulia difficilis?
You just had a power outage and only a few of your African Violets made it through the cold spell – Could they be related to Saintpaulia goetziana?
Your favorite African Violet just started to develop leaves that look like spoons – Could it be related to Saintpaulia difficilis or maybe Saintpaulia magungensis?
These are just a few of the genetic quirks that you may see when you grow African Violets! While the hybrid Saintpaulias we see today are mainly derived from crossing S. ionantha and S. confusa, it is obvious that some of their kin have been used in creating some of today’s hybrids.
African Violets or Saintpaulias were "discovered" in the early 1890’s by a member of the St. Paul-Illaire family. The botanist Herman Wendland described the species and named it Saintpaulia ionantha. The designation ‘ionantha’ comes from the Greek language, meaning "with violet–like flowers". There is no relation at all with the common Sweet Violet – Violaceae. The African Violet or Saintpaulia is part of the plant family Gesneriaceae. The species Saintpaulia began life in Europe in greenhouses, botanic gardens and plant houses of large estates. It was eventually discovered that they could be grown in normal household conditions. The American history of the African Violet began in the late 1920’s when the firm Armacost and Royston introduced a number of ‘named’ varieties of African Violets that were the result of seeds imported from Germany and England. The original ten selected for release included Blue Boy, Sailor Boy, Admiral, Amethyst, Commodore, Mermaid Neptune, Norseman, Viking, and #32. Since that time African violets have become one of the world's most popular houseplants.
While the species Saintpaulias may not be as spectacular as our modern hybrids they are certainly worth growing. One reason is because they are quickly disappearing in what little is left of their natural habitat. Large areas of forest are being destroyed in Africa and with it the last of the known (and probably some unknown) species varieties. By growing the species you are helping to preserve not only our African Violet heritage, but an important part of the flora on this earth.
Here are some links to help you learn more about the wonderful species Saintpaulia
http://home.pathcom.com/saintart.htm
Article by Dr. Jeff Smith with wonderful photos
http://enquirer.com/editions/2001/05/29/tem_biologist_works_to.html
http://home.pathcom.com/
http://aggs.org/
http://www.optimara.com/readinglist.html
(Books to read)
http://www.aggs.org/references.html
(Books to read)
Here are some source links so that you to can grow species Saintpaulia –
http://www.jcn1.com/patspets/INDEX.HTM
http://www.alannahs.com/
http://www.african-violets.com/index.htm
http://www.vsh.cape.com/~violets/
http://www.harborcrestgardens.com/
(Canadian source)
Contributing Editors:
Ander Afrikaan - Laura Crater
Poetry - Rich Follett
Culture Corner - Jeanette Haygood
Rachel's Ramblings - Rachel Mayer
The Buzz - Chris Rudolph
Kitchen Korner - Nancy Schwietzer
And a Special Thank You to the following contributors: Barb, Joyce, Kay Roberson, Kimberly, Leanne Libby, Marjorie Bullard, Mary D., Mary Davies, Millie, Nancy Roberts-Schweitzer, Nina Lazzeroni, Sharon Heath and , Shirley Makekau.
