“We’ve just about reached the end. Anything further will be just a minor improvement on what we already have.” This is the statement some people are making about the future of African violet varieties. My answer to this is the story about the government official in the 1800s who advocated closing the Patent Office as he didn’t think there was anything left to invent!
There are many unachieved goals on the African-violet horizon. We are still looking for that yellow variety—I won’t say that it is just around the corner, but I will say that there is a very interesting new color break (a term used by hybridizers when a new color appears among their seedlings).
Remember the “Geneva” varieties with a white edge around the flower petals? Well, the latest edge to show up in seedlings is chartreuse. Yes, in the offing are purple and pink flowers—single and double —with a distinct chartreuse edge. This in itself is outstanding: could it be that this may lead to a completely chartreuse flower—then yellow?
Another Rare Color is Red
Red has also been an elusive color. The “reds” in African violets have become accustomed to growing more red-purple and never could be called a fire-engine red. Red was difficult to produce in petunias. too, but they found it.
The nearest to true red I have seen in African violets was in some pink seedlings in which there was a pinker-than-pink —almost red—blotch in the center. This may also be another color and I am sure that the red-blotched varieties will soon be available.
Also in this hunt for red, other seedlings are coming along with a distinct venation in the flower. The flowers I saw were pink, but the pigmentation in the veins was very red indeed. This may be another step in catching up with the “fire engine.”
Apart from the blotched varieties, some are coming along with cream, almost white, eye in the center. This eye appears just where the anthers protrude. The general appearance is that of a pansy.
In addition, flower color hybridizers are working on flower shapes. The singles were the originals—and are still among the favorites. Then came the doubles —which at first many people thought should be rightly called semi-doubles.
Next, the frills appeared—flowers with a distinct frilled edge. The newest varieties on the “production line” are completely doubled frills which could almost be classed as “carnation-flowered.”
These blooms from head-on do look like miniature carnations. Then, too, there are some doubles with flat petals without frills that almost look like camellias or tuberous begonias in miniature.
Related: A Lesson In Hybridizing (African Violets) For Wine
Plant Size, Colors, and Shapes of Hybridizers
Plant size is also being noted on the worksheets of the hybridizers. Several years ago the trend was toward the giants (supremes) with large leaves and flowers. This trend is being reversed today.
This doesn’t mean that all hybridizers are dropping work on supremes; some new varieties in this group will also be coming out. The tiny miniatures—or tea-cup varieties—are being further developed.
Also, there are intermediates or dwarf varieties. These are slightly larger than the miniatures, but the flowers are almost the size of those on standard varieties.
Of course, some—perhaps all—of these new colors, sizes, and flower shapes may never appear as I have described them. In almost all cases more hybridizing and selection are indicated.
It is one thing to find a chartreuse edge, for instance, and it is another thing to have the plant maintain this edge for the full life of the flower.
Another consideration is foliage. Sometimes when talking about a color or flower shape we may forget about foliage. But, for a variety to be good it must also have good foliage.
The future of African violets looks very promising in my opinion. The future also indicates that in time African violets will be classed into different types just as chrysanthemums, dahlias, and gladiolus are today. Only time will tell the final story.
44659 by WL Meachem