Pink violets

Surely there is no longer a person from the field of floriculture who does not know that there are flowers such as violets, because this delicate compact culture, whose homeland is the east of the African continent, fell in love with most gardeners. However, not everyone knows that it is not very correct to call a violet a violet, since it is correct to call it “Saintpaulia”, or “Usambara violet”. The flower acquired the name "Saintpaulia" in honor of the man who first discovered it - Saint-Paul. And the name "uzambarskaya" is given because of the area in which the violet grows wild. We will take a closer look at pink violets in this article.

Pink violets description and characteristics

Saintpaulia from Africa is a herbaceous perennial. The stems are shortened, form a circle - a rosette around the rhizome circumference, have juicy heart-shaped leaves, which are covered with pile. The leaves are usually of the same green color; in rare cases, varieties can be found whose foliage is spotty, since it has specks of a different color. The flowers consist of five petals, their edges are flattened, slightly bent or in the form of waves, the flowers are collected in tassels, from below they are covered with five sepals.

To make it easier to perceive Saintpaulias, they are called violets, despite the fact that the coloring of their petals is not only purple. Thanks to the work of breeders, a large number of violet plants of various types, sizes, colors are known, their detailed characteristics can be found in literary sources.

Varieties

Pink violets are the most popular, in this regard, breeders have bred a great variety of the most diverse varietal violets with this color. Few are able to provide a descriptive description of all varieties, but there are varieties that stand out from the rest for their unique features.

"Pink Watercolor". Belongs to the most beloved and popular varieties of flower growers. This culture appeared thanks to the amateur breeder Konstantin Morev (Russia). The background of the petals is pale pink, almost white, with strokes on it, as if they were painted in watercolor. The edges of the petals are in the form of waves, the outer side is slightly curled, outwardly similar to the fringe of a terry structure. The color of the leaves is rich green, excluding the outer edge, it has either a light beige or white color.

"Pink Panther". The flower has large flowers of light pink color, their white petals have edges in the form of waves, which are clearly outlined. The leaves are in the form of an oval, their outer ends are pointed, the edges are openwork, the color is uniform green.

"LE-Pink Marshmallow". Compare with airy marshmallows covered with berry puree. The flower has a fairly compact and neat rosette, consisting of large leaves in the form of an oval, painted green, with milky beige edges. Peduncles are strong, erect, bear large flowers, up to six and a half cm across and have a deep pink color. The older the flower, the richer the color of the petals.

"RM-Pink Curls". The variety is distinguished by flowers that look like stars with wave-shaped edges. The flower is large enough in size, formed by petals of pink color, shimmering in delicate lilac colors, with corrugated edges. Peduncles are tall, each usually bears four to five buds. This variety blooms profusely and for a long time.

"RM-Pink Wave".This varietal violet resembles the previous variety by its flower appearance. And this is understandable, since the variety is the parent of the RM-Pink Curls variety. The flowers resemble stars with wave-shaped edges. The background of the petals is a deep pink color, on it you can see yellow stamens, which are collected in an arbitrary circle. The cap of the flowers is surrounded by a flat rosette of green leaves. This plant grows rapidly, blooms early and for a long time.

"PT-Pink Clouds". This variety has large flowers of a pale pink color and carved leaves in the form of an oval. Blooms profusely in the shape of a cap. The leaves are rich green on the outside, and lighter on the inside, they form a compact rosette.

"AB-Pink Roses". The variety is distinguished by large flowers that look like a rose. Above the rosette, consisting of dark green leaves, there are pink flowers with a crimson border. The plant blooms profusely.

"EK-Pink Dalmatians". It differs from most varieties in the original color of the flowers. The background of the petals is pink and lilac; spots of crimson-lilac are randomly scattered over it, as if the flower had been sprayed. The flowers are rich, they stand out perfectly among the leaves of a dark green color. The background of flowers of the same tone, has small stains of lilac-violet colors. The variety blooms early and actively.

Rob's Antique Rose. Semi-miniature variety. The leaves are dark olive in color, the edges have denticles, thanks to them, a rather neat and even rosette is formed, a very decorative cap of flowers is located above it. The main background is pink in color, shimmers with silver, closer to the middle there are strokes of raspberry, sometimes cherry colors, their edges are slightly blurred, the border is rich green.

Joy's Pink Halo. A miniature variety that blooms for a long time. The flowers are outwardly similar to bells, which fully unfold as they grow up. The leaves in the middle are painted in a dark green color, and along the edges - in pinkish-beige, they form an even rosette, above it there are elongated pink stalks, each bearing up to nine flowers. The flower grows slowly and blooms for a long time.

"LE-Pink Muscat". The variety blooms profusely and for a long time. The rosette is even, consists of leaves in the form of an oval, with a dark green color, above it are elongated persistent peduncles with buds of unusual shape and color. The petals are pink in color, slightly cast in bronze, their border is darker, has a sheen of a green hue, they form oblong buds, which in appearance resemble bells. In an adult violet, the border is almost beige.

"LE-Pink Dreams". This variety has large flowers and a small rosette. Outwardly, the flowers are similar to roses. The flowers are large enough, pale pink in color, have bright pink edges of a terry structure, form a loose, but very decorative cap.

"LE-Pink Cascade". Semi-miniature variety, which was bred by E. Lebetskaya. The flower has large leaves, which are pointed at the ends, and pink flowers with a slightly wavy border. The leaf is similar to a motley rug: strokes and patterns of green, white, pink colors adorn its upper part. The succulent rosette plays excellently in contrast to the pink flowers located on the elongated peduncles.

"EK-Pink Eschsholzia". The variety is popular with large semi-double flowers. Wide petals of deep pink color. The leaves are bright green, their edges are serrated, the foliage forms a neat rosette. The bush blooms magnificently.

"Allegro Pink Pistachio". The variety blooms for a long time. The flowers are green in color, have a bronze-red border in the form of a wave and petals, characterized by small fuchsia-colored rays on them, the flowers grow to a small size (three to four cm).Peduncles can carry green flowers and pink flowers, depending on lighting and temperature conditions. Good illumination changes the color of the border and rays, they become burgundy. Where the sun shines well, the border color turns into brighter and becomes reddish-brown.

"Sunkissed Rose". The most original and unpredictable violet variety. In common varieties, the rosette is made up of very large leaves with wave-like edges. Elongated leaf petioles form a large rosette in diameter (up to twenty seven to twenty eight cm). The flowers resemble stars, have petals with velvet edges in the form of waves, and are small (three to four cm across). The color of the flowers may vary depending on the stage of flowering and growing conditions. When the buds begin to bloom, they are white in color, when they grow and increase in size, the color changes. The petals closer to the center turn yellow, and the wavy edges turn dark pink. When the plant finishes blooming and the yellowish-pink background becomes darker and red in color.

Rebel's Rose Bud. The variety was bred by foreign breeders, it is unpretentious and very decorative. The flowers are large, pale pink in color, the petals have a terry border of a bright pink hue, the flowers form a rather lush cap. The leaves are elongated, the ends are pointed, form an even rosette, are painted on the outside in a deep green shade in the middle, have a white border, shimmering in pink.

Rose Bouquet. The plant has variegated leaves with mosaics and small flowers with velvet edges. Leaves in the form of an oval, at the top are even, quilted, form a small but compact rosette. The flowers are pink in color with a dark center, located on elongated peduncles, forming a loose, however, very decorative cap.

"Pink Mint". Miniature violet variety. The leaves are small, in the form of a triangle, painted in green colors, forming a dense bush, above it, on elongated peduncles, there are pink flowers with edges of a terry structure, they look like a bell. The variety blooms profusely. Numerous buds are formed, do not open for a long time, especially in young vegetation.

"Pink Dove". Miniature violet variety. Small (two to two and a half cm) flowers of pink color have petals in the form of a sail, in the center they rise above a compact and very decorative rosette, which consists of variegated leaves of a dark green color in the middle and having a border with specks of pink coloring. The variety blooms in waves, it lasts from two to two and a half months.

"Ness' Satin Rose". This is a slow-growing variety, in addition, flower stalks form and buds bloom for a very long time. The flowers consist of pink-colored petals in the middle with a lilac-silver border. The flowers form a decorative bouquet over the rosette of a dark green color, with a slightly bluish-whitish shade, which blooms for a long time. The rosette is twenty cm in diameter, but the leaves are small, their size is formed with the help of a specific feature - elongated petioles.

Rose Cheeks. Decorative miniature variety. Blooms profusely. Peduncles are strong, long, and bear flowers that resemble compact roses. The bouquet is compact, plump, dark pink in color, stands out among the leaves of dark green color, which form an even small rosette.

Edee's Rosebud Trail. The variety blooms regularly and abundantly, and it also grows quickly and is undemanding to care. The leaves are variegated, the flowers are pink in color, cast in a peach color.

Rose Garden. The variety grows slowly.Young bushes begin to bloom only after 1.5 years. This is a semi-miniature variety with a neat rosette, which consists of green leaves with denticles along the edges, and elongated peduncles, on which there are flowers of a pale pink color, resembling bells outwardly. Thin and elongated peduncles cannot hold the flowers vertically, they are located on the leaves, and the buds lie slightly lower from the outlet. This is a sign of the variety.

"DS-Pink". It blooms early and almost constantly. The flowers look like bells and have a very original color. The background is deep pink in color, on it from the middle to the edge of the terry structure chimeric shades depart - blue rays with small specks of pink color. Peduncles are elongated and powerful, they perfectly hold large enough flowers.

Emerald Pink. The variety blooms constantly and for a very long time, some flowers do not fade for ten to eleven months. The flowers are in the form of cups, peach-pink in color, the border of their green color, when the plant finishes blooming, they brighten. Young flowers have a background of light pink petals with mother-of-pearl. The flower has a compact, even rosette, twenty to twenty-five cm across.

Cajun's Roses Anyone. This variety has leaves in the form of hearts, painted in a dark green color and having a creamy pink border, as well as plump flowers of a delicate pink color, reminiscent of porcelain. Peduncles are powerful and fertile enough, each bearing almost five to seven buds, located above a small, up to twenty-two cm in diameter, but very decorative rosette.

Pink violets growing and care

Pink violets, like any other vegetation, needs good and competent care. There are a few simple rules to follow.

Pink violets are very light-loving, but they react negatively to the direct rays of the sun, therefore, in order to avoid burns of the leaves, containers with Saintpaulias are removed from the southern windowsills, or shading is done. In winter, it is necessary to supplement the flower with the help of artificial illumination, thus the daylight hours will last up to twelve to thirteen hours.

Temperature conditions are also an important indicator for violet plants. They react negatively to a very high (more than twenty-five degrees) and a low (less than fifteen degrees) temperature regime. The best temperature is within twenty to twenty two degrees. With sufficient lighting, but low temperature conditions, the violet will not only not bloom, but will stop growing altogether.

The qualitative composition of the soil influences everything that happens to the flower. In most stores, you can find ready-made soil for cultivation, but you can also prepare the substrate yourself. Sifted garden soil, which is mixed with small quantities of river sand, is perfect as a soil mixture. The prepared substrate is calcined in the oven, and expanded clay will serve as a drainage system.

Watering is carried out systematically, but carefully to avoid water getting on the leaves. To keep the soil moist, liquid is added to the pan. To make pink violets feel comfortable, they can be watered once or twice every seven days.