Violet Viscount: photo and description of the variety, especially the care at home * Flowers and plants

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Delicate violets require attention and a lot of time and effort. Among the many varieties there are the most popular - for example, the Viscount variety: this will be discussed in our material. We will tell you how to properly care for a flower, what fertilizers it needs, how to propagate a plant at home.

Botanical description of the plant

Despite its name, the Viscount variety does not belong to the Violet family. It is distinguished in the Senpoly family of the Gesneriev family. Outward signs are similar to the genus Violets, however this herbaceous plant in the natural environment is common in East Asia, while violets grow in northern regions around the world. Saintpoly there are about 32 thousand varieties. These perennial plants include a rich palette of colors on the flowers - they can be either pink or pale yellow. Violet RS-Viscount has violet-blue flowers with a white border around the petals, but white color is still more common.

Did you know? To determine what color the petals will be, you need to pay attention to the color of the leaves. The lighter it is, the more likely it is that the flowers will be white.

Flowers have two stamens and one pestle with an upper ovary; the number of petals is five; the diameter is 5–6 cm. The leaves of the senpolia are rounded, with a sharp tip, usually light green in color, collected in a rosette, on the surface there are villi that perform a protective function. The plant is stunted, the stems are shortened. The fruit of Uzambara violets is a box. The flowers were first noticed in 1892 by a German colonial official named Walter von Saint-Paul. The discoverer of the plant saw them on a walk and, collecting seeds, sent them to his father.

At that time, Ulrich von Saint-Paul, his father, was president of the German Dendrological Community. Thanks to this, the seeds reached the scientist who was engaged in botany, Herman Wendland. A year later, the botanist nevertheless described the seeds found by the official and gave them the name Saintpaulia violet-flowered. In the same 1893, a new flower was presented at the exhibition. It spread throughout the world as early as the 10–20s of the 20th century.

In the first half of the twentieth century, more than 100 varieties of senpolis existed. The Viscount variety is very popular: it gives the first inflorescences quickly enough - after 10 months of planting, you can see the first buds. The first flowering is not plentiful, short. A variety may rarely produce flowers, but it depends on the conditions of detention. Each flower on average stays on the outlet for 2 months.

The conditions for growing violets at home

Decorative senpolis are considered moody plants. For them, you need to find a good place in the house or create it. Otherwise, they will not take root and die. If you are collecting or propagating Uzambara violets, you should monitor the temperature of the room in which they are located.Thereby:

you will reduce the likelihood of pests and diseases, because this does not weaken the immunity of the flower;
create comfortable conditions for the plant in which it will grow and give the desired result.

Not only temperature affects the content of decorative flowers. However, lighting, watering, and fertilizers are an important part. We suggest that you consider each item on the content of violet Viscount separately.

Location and Lighting

A comfortable place for Viscount will be the windowsill, which is located in the eastern or western part of the room. Throughout the day, the plant should be well-lit, but keep in mind that direct sunlight (especially in summer) can be harmful. It is also worth turning the violet so that each part of the flower evenly receives lighting. The window sill, on which the perennial flower will be located, should be insulated.

Important! If you grow Vicomte violet on the windowsill, then the ideal distance from the window is 30–40 cm. So the variety will not freeze and get enough natural light.

Violet Viscount does not tolerate cold and sudden changes in temperature. In winter, install additional lighting in the form of fluorescent lamps. Even if the length of daylight is reduced, violet Viscount should still receive light for 12 hours a day. The most unfavorable place for an ornamental plant is the kitchen, because there the temperature differences can be constant: either the stove works, then the ventilation window opens.

Temperature and humidity

The average temperature, regardless of the season, is +20 ... + 22 ° C. It is recommended to install a thermometer next to uzambara violets.

Critical temperatures for violet Viscount:

minimum - + 13 ° C;
maximum - + 29 ° C;

Since in their natural environment the senpolia grows near waterfalls and ponds, high humidity is not harmful to them. Relative humidity should be at least 50%. Adults can grow at a lower level. In the winter period of time, the question often arises of lowering air humidity due to room heating. In this case, you can keep the humidity near, that is, put the pots in pallets or pots and pour a layer of expanded clay or sphagnum moss there.Spraying, which is often used to increase air humidity, is carried out exclusively during the flowering of Saintpaulia. Also during this period, the temperature should be reduced by several degrees.

The basic rules of courtship at home

Having determined the place for the senpolia, and also having installed all the necessary means (light, thermometer, etc.), it is worth considering regular care. For violet Viscount to become a true ornamental plant decorating your home, you need to know the rules for caring for them - you need to regularly water it, check for diseases and pests.

Watering

The plant loves moist soil, so make sure it does not dry out. You need to water young flowers more often than the rest.

In senpolia, watering may depend on:

room temperature;
relative humidity;
lighting;
soil friability;
soil composition;
plant age.

To constantly not worry about wet soil, you can create a wick irrigation process. To do this, take a rope of synthetic material and thread through the holes in the bottom of the pot. But such watering is recommended for adult plants, the root system of which has already occupied most of the pot. Wick watering can also be arranged during your vacation or business trip: thus, Vicomte violet will always be groomed.In addition to the wick method, the following still exist:

Watering from below.
Watering from above.
Using hydrogel.
Capillary watering.

The water used by Viscount can be at room temperature or warmer, but in no case cold.

Fertilizer application

Any plant takes its nutrition from the soil, therefore, it is necessary to make top dressing in the substrate:

mineral;
organic.

In this case, two species need to be alternated among themselves, since, for example, organic ones do not contain phosphorus. It is he who is necessary for the formation of flowers. There are three elements that should be regularly applied to the soil, especially if the violet is young - this is potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. From frequent transplants and the absence of top dressing, the violet will not bloom better, but will only get stress and die.But there are conditions that prohibit the application of Saintpoly fertilizing to the substrate:

less than 30 days after transplantation;
room temperature is too low or high;
violet is infected;
fertilizer application may be accompanied by direct exposure to direct sunlight.

Fertilizing should be done during flowering and after it, as well as when transplanting the plant into another container.

Pruning

So that the senpolia does not grow and retains its decorative qualities, it must be cut. This process is also important because it will allow new stems to grow better, as the old processes will not take for themselves part of the nutrients from the soil. Also, pruning will allow the senpolia to bloom regularly and strengthen immunity. The Viscount variety as a result of natural processes loses 2/3 of its leaves, however, they are quickly restored.

Did you know? In ancient Greece, violet was considered a flower of sorrow. But at the same time, she was also considered a gift from Persephone to her mother. The Greeks portrayed violet as a sign that spring had begun.

Pruning is recommended after flowering Saintpaulia. They remove basal leaves, old peduncles and stepsons, thereby forming a socket on their own. It is worth paying attention to the slices: they must be neat, made at an angle. Trimming is carried out with a clean and sharp tool. In no case do not break the stems and do not pick stalks.

Transfer

Violet Viscount is a flower that needs frequent transplants. Senpolias themselves are very demanding on the ground, because in a short time their root system is very depleting of the substrate. In order for the decorative variety to develop according to all standards, it is recommended to transplant either in the fall or in the spring. A plant transplant, which is located on the windowsill and does not have additional lighting, is carried out in February or March. Transplanting such flowers in the autumn is not recommended. So that the plant does not decay and does not wilt, it should be replanted once a year.

Important! If you are not able to shake off the old earth from the roots, then cut off 1/3 of the roots of the senpolia.

This applies to adults, with starters transplantation is carried out depending on their growth rate. But there is a rule that should be followed: do not transplant the senpolis in the summer. The process itself in these months is not critical, but in this case, the root system may not take root in the updated soil. So, before transplanting with soil replacement, you do not need to irrigate. So it will be easier for you to separate the earthen lump from the pot. During the process, the main task is to remove the old roots and leaves and to clean the old land.At the same time, new roots, which will appear later in the renewed substrate, will give growth to strong and young leaves and stems. Make sure that the topsoil of past soil and its debris between tangled roots are carefully removed. The previous depleted substrate is nothing. Gently removing the plant and shaking it off the ground, examine the root system for rotting or too old formations. Cut off, if any. During transplanting, the capacity in adults does not need to be changed, because if you take the pot more, the outlet will begin to grow and this will delay the flowering time.

Rinse the root system is recommended in rare cases - for example, when before that the soil was oxidized. After washing under a stream of water, the roots are not wiped and sprinkled with perlite. After all manipulations, do not water. This will give the roots take root in the new soil and heal the wounds. After two days, you can water the plant by adding a drug to the water for quick root formation.

How to propagate at home

Let's talk about the most popular and safe methods for the senpolia. Before the process itself, make sure that the flower is not sick and there are no pests in the soil, but if the plant has weakened immunity, then it will give poor rudiments. Also, try not to breed in the fall, when the Viscount is in the resting phase.

Cuttings

So, the procedure can be carried out in parallel with the pruning of old or wilted leaves. For the least stress during pruning, you can cut several healthy leaves (cuttings). Usually they take leaves from the middle rows. It is believed that they can give the greatest number of healthy flowers in the future. You can take cut yellow leaves, but they are unlikely to have the strength to “give birth” to new primordia.After you take the cuttings, they need to be placed in a container with a new substrate and pour water with the preparation for root formation. At the same time, for several weeks you need to monitor the lighting and temperature in the room. Cuttings should receive light 10 hours a day, and the optimum temperature for them is +26 ... + 28 ° C.

To plant cuttings, you need to take:

Two tanks. One must be larger in order to put the one in which the plant will be there.
Peat substrate and with a minimum amount of fertilizer.
Drainage.
Small package, which will be a greenhouse for every cuttings.

Next, add drainage to the pot, after the substrate, plant the cuttings, cover with a bag.

Dividing the bush

It often happens that the outlet grows, and two plants remain in one pot, and sometimes more - in this case, they are usually divided. To do this, at the base of the stem, you need to find a place where the senpolia is divided, then carefully make an incision in this area. Do not try to quickly pull out the resulting second outlet, because the roots can be damaged. Try to pull on the base and do it slowly. After separation, plant the violets in different containers. Do the same manipulations as in transplantation.

Did you know? In some countries of the African continent, Saintpaulia is used as a medicine. And in ancient Rome they made wine.

Seeds

Uzambara violets can be grown from seeds. In this case, the material can be taken both from its collection and at various exhibitions. If you decide to use your senpolia, then you need to wait until the plant completely fades. After that, from the box - the fruit in which the seeds are stored, you need to get the material itself. To do this, gently rub the box between the palms or fingers.The whole process is not difficult, but it requires concentration and attention: the material is delicate, it is easy to damage, and the boxes themselves leave a lot of dust. Then you need to increase the seeds. They are placed in a tool that creates a shell around them - thanks to this you can evenly distribute the source in the soil.

To carry out the procedure, you will need:

charcoal;
sealed glass container;
sand.

The first thing to do is wet the seeds.
Then pour charcoal and seeds into a glass bowl, cover and shake vigorously. Let them stand for a couple of minutes.
Then add sand in such quantity as charcoal. Shake again. Pour the seeds onto the prepared surface and collect without sand. By the way, charcoal disinfects the material before planting.

Growing difficulties

Even with proper care, the Uzambara violet Viscount may have weakened immunity. Its reduction occurs as a result of diseases or the presence of pests that deplete the plant.

Among the pests on the senpolia can be:

ticks - their eggs remain in the ground, but they themselves can hide at the tops; parasitize on the flower, and it gradually fades;

whiteflies - quickly affect the plant, similar to flies, but with white wings. The parasite feeds on the plant itself, does not allow it to develop, and the senpolia quickly dies. They can fly to neighboring pots;
thrips - similar to ticks, can live on leaves and roots for a long time, easily tolerate transplants or top dressing, affect plants nearby;
aphid - forms large families on all organs of uzambar violets, parasitizes quickly;
mushroom mosquitoes, or sciarides - their larvae dwell in the substrate and drain it. The sciarid itself can easily be confused with the usual midges that fly over the plant;
nails - live in the soil, feel good in the soil, which is abundantly watered, and appear due to high humidity;
worms - the most complex pest that leaves a wax coating. It makes it impossible to save the plant;
nematodes - small worms that feed from the root system of a plant. There are several types, but fighting them is quite difficult, almost pointless.

Among the diseases you can find such:

However, if you do not want to cook your own remedies for diseases and pests, then buy them only in specialized stores. But remember that drugs marked with I and II hazard level are not suitable for use in enclosed spaces (house, apartment).

Here is a list of pest drugs: