Compared to many house plant favorites, the African violet is still a newcomer.
Although discovered by Baron Walter von Saint Paul in 1890, it was not until 45 years later that it really became popular in this country.
Just when the first African violets were grown in America is still a matter of conjecture, and whether the plants themselves were imported or were raised from seed is not known either.
It is more likely, though, that the first plants that flowered in this country were grown flit seeds obtained from England or Germany.
Separate African Violet Species Categories
The species ionantha and kewensis were mentioned in garden literature by 1900, and it is doubtful.
However, kewensis should have rated a separate species category; for front of its description, it was not as distinct from ionantha as our present duPont Lavender Pink is from White Lady or Blue Boy.
According to early literature, three species of saintpaulias were growing in their native habitats of tropical East Africa, but apparently, only ionantha was brought into cultivation.
The other species mentioned were pasilla and goetzeana. All three were in shades of violet and lavender.
Saintpaulia Ionantha Varieties
Nicholson’s Dictionary of Gardening, 1900 Supplement, refers to Saintpaulia ionantha varieties albeseens and purpurea.
As near as we can learn from early descriptions, alhescens is referred to as a whitish lavender. We find no authentic references to color other than these.
It was only natural that a plant that thrives on warm temperatures and little light should sooner or later become popular as a house plant, especially since its additional characteristics of interesting variation made it, potentially, a collector’s item de luxe.
The Popularity Of African Violets
It’s hard to understand why the African violet did not become popular sooner.
Perhaps the only explanation is that plant breeders and distributors in this country did riot.
It became really interesting in it sometime after it became known, possibly because, for once, at least they didn’t recognize a good thing when they saw it.
Probably the one person, more than any other, who is responsible for the African violet’s present popularity is Walter Armacost of Los Angeles.
Walter Armacost’s Crosses
Mr. Armacost first made crosses between a large seedling of ionantha, which had dark foliage, and a blue-flowered, green-leaved seedling of kewensis.
He grew thousands of seedlings in the early 1930s and introduced a few of them. Some of his finest varieties were never named or introduced to the trade, as they were considered not worthwhile commercially.
Only those which cropped their flowers heavily were successful as commercial pot plants.
Commercial African Violets
The finest he ever sent out, and still the loading commercial African violet, is BLUE BOY.
Other varieties of Armacost breeding are the following:
- ADMIRAL
- COMMODORE
- NEPTUNE
- NORSEMAN
- SAILOR BOY
- VIKING
Mrs. William K. duPont’s African Violets
Another distinct group of African violets that contributed much to the plant’s popularity came from Mrs. William K. duPont of Wilmington, Delaware.
Around 1936 Mrs. duPont obtained her first seed package from Sutton’s of England.
Among the seedlings raised, one plant was outstanding for foliage. This plant was self-pollinated, and its offspring have given rise to the group which is so distinct for large bloom and fine-fluted foliage.
Mrs. duPont has grown African violet seedlings for her own pleasure, having never named or released a saintpaulia under the name.
Each year she found it advisable to discard all but her very best. The plants discarded were either destroyed or given away.
Outstanding Early Varieties Of African Violets
A few of those which were given away have found their way into the trade. The outstanding early varieties were:
- DUPONT BLUE
- DUPONT LAVENDER PINK
Three newer ones with the same type of thickened, rounded leaves are:
- DUPONT ROYAL PURPLE
- BLUE FLUTE
- ORCHID FLUTE
Development Of African Violet
To Peter Ruggeri of San Francisco, we are indebted for another milestone in African violet development.
Through his efforts in crossing pink and blue and growing succeeding generations, we can now enjoy WHITE LADY.
It is not unusual for albinos in plants or animals, but this is the first recorded pure white or colorless saintpaulia variety. Mr. Ruggeri patented his variety in 1942.
Merkel & Son of Mentor, Ohio, have introduced several fine seedlings during the past several years.
Origin Varieties of Seedlings
Their originations include:
- BLUE BOBBY
- BLUE TREASURE
- BLUE BIRD
- BICOLOR
- MENTOR BOY
- REDHEAD
Not all our varieties have originated as seedlings.
Mutation Method
Since African violet is somewhat unstable genetically, mutations or sports have given us a few outstanding varieties, many curiosities, and collector’s items.
As is generally true with mutations, their number of occurrences in saintpaulias represents only a tiny percentage of the total number of plants grown.
The large commercial grower has the best chance of finding them because he propagates and flowers them by the thousands.
Plants may mutate for flower color, size or color of the leaf, African violet growth habit, or any one of a hundred other characteristics.
Result of Mutations
Many minor mutations passed unnoticed. Those that are detrimental find their way into the discard.
BLUE BOY SUPREME and BLUE BOY IMPROVED have arisen in BLUE BOY with every grower who propagates it extensively.
About 1939 or ’40, two distinct varieties arose as mutations from BLUE BOY.
PINK BEAUTY, the first real pink, occurred in the propagations of Holton & Hunkel of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
BLUE GIRL, distinctly different for foliage, was discovered and patented by Ulery’s Greenhouses, Springfield, Ohio.
Introducing Double-Flowered Varieties
More recently, Ulery’s has introduced another fine sport, BLUSHING MAIDEN, a pale blush pink color with the foliage characteristics of PINK BEAUTY.
The double-flowered varieties now available under the names DOUBLE BLUE BOY, DOUBLE RUSSIAN, and DUCHESS is all sports, probably of BLUE BOY. It has not been definitely established, however, that these are distinct from one another.
Some doubles have only an extra two or three petals, while others have up to sixteen or more. None of them are as pretty as singles but they are desirable for collectors.
Without a doubt, BLUE BOT has con-contributed most to the African violets we know today.
It has sported BLUE GIRL, PINK BEAUTY, DOUBLE BLUE BOY, and perhaps all the other doubles.
It has also been a parent to many of our blue and purple varieties, which originated from seed.
BLUE GIRL, in turn, sported CRINKLES, CURLY SPECIAL, PINICGIRL, and possibly others.
Many amateurs and a few professional plant breeders are now working on African violets.
Collectors Of African Violets
Almost every collector of them grows some seedlings. Among those who are bringing forth fine African violets at present or will be in the near future are:
- R. G. Baxter of Youngstown, Ohio
- F. I. Scott of Knoxville, Tenn.
- Dr. Victor M. Watts of the University of Arkansas
- J. A. Peterson Sons, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Merkel & Son, Mentor, Ohio
To get a variety worth naming today is much more difficult than it was when Armacost began about twenty years ago.
Characteristics Of New Variety
Unfortunately, many growers introduce their own named seedlings or sports without knowing they are not distinct from earlier named varieties.
But of course, it is out of the question for anyone to grow all the African violet varieties that have been in the trade, even if it were possible to obtain them correctly named.
The possible color range seems to have been almost completed, so a new variety today should be really outstanding for other characters, such as:
- Size of bloom or foliage
- Shape or thickness of bloom or foliage
- Some other characters that will make it truly worthwhile
44659 by Mary M. Odom And W. D. Holley