How to Grow and Take Care of Persian Violets

Persian violets can be easily propagated and maintained, and they are nontoxic. This makes them ideal indoor plants for homes with children and pets.

Learn more about these beautiful flowering plants.

What Are Persian Violets?

Persian violets are also called German violets. They grow from 6 to 12 inches high with a 7 to 8 inch spread. Their compact white, indigo or violet blooms have a yellow pollen mass in the middle.

The dark green leaves are arranged in an opposing pattern around the blooms, which creates a beautiful backdrop and makes their colors really pop!

Persian violets grow on Socotra, an island located in the Yemen archipelago.

Socotra has a subtropical climate with hot, humid summers, and mild winters that usually never dip below 60℉. Persian violets are native to mountainous and rocky terrain.

If grown as potted plants indoors, Persian violets prefer temperatures ranging from 60 to 80℉. However, they can withstand temperatures as low as 55℉.

In cooler climates, they can be grown as an attractive annual groundcover or hanging plant.

These plants will bloom indoors and outdoors from late spring to early summer, with a rebloom occasionally in the fall.

Despite their name and appearance, these plants aren’t related to African violets All of them.

Persian violets belong to the Gentianaceae, which also includes plants like gentians and meadow-pinks.

Additionally, they’re unrelated to Plants in the Viola genus These are commonly called violets.

Persian Violet Propagation

Persian violets are propagated either by seed or stem cuttings.

Cuttings and seeds propagules will grow rapidly in moist, humid conditions with well-drained soil.

With either method, the primary goal is to keep your seeds and cut-offs moist and hot so you can replicate their native climate.

From Seed

Let’s start with seed propagation, which you can do at any time of year if you are growing indoors.

I recommend that you start your seeds individually in four-inch pots. However, you can also use a seed-starting trays if you like.

Maintain a humid environment for the seeds by placing a plastic baggie over the pots – or a humidity dome, if you have one.

In terms of temperature, set them in a location that’s between 72 and 79℉ to ensure germination. You can use a heating mat if you want to.

Keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged.

After two to three weeks, you can expect germination. Once the seeds germinate, remove the plastic dome or baggie and continue to maintain even moisture and heat.

Cuts

Persian violet stem cuttings need a similar environment to seed starts – warm, moist, lots of light. Stem tip cuttings can be taken at any time.

Start your cuttings with a 50/50 mix of perlite and sphagnum moss.

Peat moss is the perfect acidic medium for Persian violets. They prefer a pH between 5.0 and 5.5. Fill a pot of four inches with your selected media before cutting the stem tips.

Start by finding a sturdy stem with at least two nodes from the parent plant. These nodes will be where the roots eventually grow.

Using a sharp knife to avoid crushing the vascular system, take a cutting that’s three to four inches long.

Remove the leaves gently from the bottom of the stem. This is usually between 1.5 and 2 inches.

Pincing the soil around the cutting will ensure its stability. Cover the pot with a plastic baggie propped up so that it doesn’t interfere with the cutting or use a humidity dome. Keep the pot in an area that is warm and bright, and make sure the soil is evenly moist.

You can check for rooting by giving the stem a gentle tug after a week or so – if you feel resistance, it’s an indication that roots are forming.

Transplantation

Whether you have propagated your own plants or purchased a nursery start from the store, you’re going to need to pot it up.

What to consider when choosing a new pot or container for your Persian violet, It is essential to allow the roots to grow. I would recommend choosing a container that is between one and two inches bigger than what the plant currently occupies.

Add soil to the sides and the top of the pot. Make sure your plant sits the same as it did in the original container.

Lastly, water deeply in the soil until water starts to fill the saucer under the pot. Discard any excess water.

How to Grow Persian Violets

Since Persian violets are native to a subtropical climate, they are used to temperatures warmer than 55℉.

In general, you should try to keep them in a location between 60 to 80℉, with around 50 percent humidity.

Persian violets also do not like direct sunlight, as it can scorch the leaves and even burn the flowers.

Bright lights can be found anywhere in your home. You can also contact us via our website. The light from a window facing east or south will be ideal for these plants. The ideal location for these plants would be a few feet away from a south-facing or east-facing window.

Provide consistent, even moisture, and it’s best to use room-temperature water as cold liquid can shock the plants.

If you want to know if it is time to water, place your index fingers into the soil.

If the soil is slightly damp, use a mist bottle to wet the surface of the media. You can use a spray bottle to dampen the media surface if it is slightly moist.

Growing Tips

• Maintain indoor temperatures between 60 to 80℉.
• Plants thrive in bright, indirect sunlight.
• If the soil dries up an inch below the top surface, hydrate the plants with water at room temperatures.

Maintenance

When properly maintained, Persian violets will add color and fragrance to your home.

Usually, E. affine Does not survive long enough to need regular repotting. After the bright flowers have faded, you can either discard the entire plant or take cuttings for propagation.

Since Persian violets are grown for their bright flowers, you’ll want to Deadhead spent blooms. This will encourage the plant to bloom for longer since it won’t have to pour its resources into the fading flowers.

Remove any dead or dying vegetation as soon as you notice them.

Aphids

Aphids, which are sap-sucking insects, can come in different colors, including green, brown and even gray.

You should act as soon as you notice clumps, brown spots, or curled leaves.

Isolate your affected houseplant from the rest.

Mix two to three tablespoons pure liquid dishwashing soap in warm water and spray it into a spray bottle. Avoid soaps that contain moisturizers and degreasers as they may damage your plant.

Our guide will help you to learn more about aphids..

Spider Mites

Spider mites can be small arachnids. They slowly weaken the plants over time, sucking sap from their tissues. They are large colonies with colors ranging from orange brown.

The leaves of the Persian violet may show yellow or even white spots if they are infested with spider mites.

To confirm that spider mites are present, you can use a magnifying glass to inspect the undersides of the leaves – you’ll likely see the tiny pests and also the webbing they produce.

You can tap the leaves and hold a white sheet of paper beneath to check for mites.

Use the method of soap and warm tap water to remove spider mites. Or spray your specimen with Neem oil.

Find out more about spider mites with our guide.

The Disease

Overwatering is a common mistake, as Persian violets need moist soil. This can lead to root rot.

Root Rot

It can be either an abiotic problem where the roots are drowned in excessive water, or it can be a pathogen-caused condition. Pythium You can also find out more about Phytophthora genera.

Either way, it’s pretty serious, and many specimens never recover. If your plant is suffering from root rot, you’ll see wilting, dying foliage. If you are unsure, gently remove the plant and inspect the roots.

If your Persian Violets are brown, squishy with a bad earthy odor then you will need to discard them.

Avoid root rot by using a potting medium that drains well and is not overwatered.