Types of Plant

There are three main types of African violet:

1.    Rosette – This type has a short main stem with short internodes.  The stalks grow in layered whorls from the center growth point.  A single crown can range in size from two inches to over two feet, depending on the hybrid.  The plant may have up to five layers of leaves.  Each stalk may bear one to ten individual flowers.

2.    Trailing – This type is characterized by long main stems that are separated into a more open growth pattern; thus, plants cannot be grown as single crowns.  This branching leads to the trailing appearance.

3.    Variegated Foliage – This group is divided into three basic categories due to differences on the upper surface of their leaves:  white-edged leaf, crown-where the young center leaves are white turning green as they mature, and mosaic-speckled with white.  Hybrids have been bred into color variations, and rosette and trailing types can also have variegated leaves.

   Trailing Type   

  Miniature with Variegated Foliage     

Size of Plants

There is a wide size range across a single crown when fully mature.  The four main size ranges classify the flower/crown sizes from 0.75 inches (2 cm) and leaf blades from 1 inch (2.5 cm) for Miniature to 16 inches (40 cm) and 6 inches (15 cm), respectively, for Large.  Semi-Miniature and Standard are in-between the two other categories.

Types of Flower

African violet flowers vary widely -- from single to double star, frilled to fringed to bordered, bicolor to multicolor to fantasy, and even star-shaped.  Petals are called “lobes”.  The graphic below shows some of these types.

  Double Star Flowers

  Fringed/Ruffled Flowers

Types of Leaf 

Different hybrids of these flowers can also have different shaped leaf blades, some of which are shown on the graphic below.  Others include scalloped, wavy, heart-shaped, spooned, and color.

Title:  African violets: the complete guide

Author(s):  Hill, Joan & Goodship, Gwen

Publisher:  Marlborough: Crowood

Publication Date:  2001

ISBN:  1852238747 9781852238742

OCLC Number:  34933609

Photos from http://www.africanviolets.org and the book referenced above; drawings from the book. 

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