How much sunlight does my African Violet need?

African Violet may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

How much humidity does African Violet like?

African Violet doesn’t require additional humidity . Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.

What type of soil should I use for my African Violet?

African Violet is very sensitive to dry soil, so choose a potting soil that retains moisture . A good soil will still drain well and contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir or sphagnum moss.

Should I fertilize my African Violet?

African Violet should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year , whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

Which region is African Violet native to?

African Violet is native to Africa .

Can African Violet be grown outdoors?

USDA Hardiness Zone African Violet can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 11a-12b . Find your local hardiness zone here .

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African Violet

Q: Is African Violet easy to care for?

African Violet is generally easy to care for , though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!

Q: How often should I water my African Violet?

African Violet prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly . Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

4.6 out of 5 (127 experiences)

Blooms easily

Fast grower

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Streptocarpus ionathus

Genus

Streptocarpus

Family

Gesneriaceae

Order

Lamiales

How to care for African Violet

Water

How often to water your African Violet

African Violet needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot located in Austin, Texas.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

Light

Check the growing potential in your area

A plant's growing potential is determined from its location, the time of year, and current local weather.

Austin, Texas

43% Low

Growing African Violet in Austin right now

Plant growth potential is currently low 📉

January 31st, 2023

Sunlight intensity as measured by “net radiation” in Austin is currently low 📉.

The availability of high quality sunlight in your home impacts ability for plants to thrive and is key in determinin…

Sunlight will increase by 24.6% ☀️

January 31st, 2023

Austin is trending towards greater sunlight intensity!

The amount of sunlight in Austin is expected to increase by 24.6% over the next 2 weeks to an average of 11.7 megajoules of energy per m² per…

Daylight will increase by 0.7 hours 📈

January 29th, 2023

This month, Austin is getting an average of 7.0 hours of clear sky sunlight per day.

Hours of daylight will increase by 6.8% over the next two weeks. Your plants will get 10.9 total hours of dayli…

Light needs and placement for plant African Violet: 3ft from a window

African Violet may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.

Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to keep it happy during this time of reduced sunlight intensity in Austin, Texas ⛅.

Nutrients

How to fertilize African Violet

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for African Violet: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your African Violet after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

When to repot African Violet

Is this a good time of year to repot? No ⏳

January 26th, 2023

The growing potential in Austin is low 📉.

Repotting in late fall or winter when the day lengths are shorter can be very stressful for a plant and cause it to go into shock.

It's best to repot …

FAQs

Difficulty Level

African Violet is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!

Water Needs

Sunlight Needs

Toxicity

Humidity

Soil

Fertilizer

Native Region

Growing Outdoors

Care Summary for African Violet

African Violet

Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 3ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on your location in Austin, Texas, the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Blooms easily 71

Fast grower 50

Survivor 48

Large, lush leaves 30

Browns easily 24

Easy to propagate 21

@Ehlane

118 Plants

5,243 XP

Austin, TX

03/06/2022

I’ve been in love with African violets since I was about 9-years-old. They’re easy to care for if you pay them just a little bit of attention. Find the right spot for them, and they will thrive. I always pinch off rangy leaves and dead blossoms to encourage new growth.

Fast grower

Blooms easily

African Violet plant photo by Ehlane named Aristotle on Greg, the plant care app.

@Mossycabbages

74 Plants

3,172 XP

12/28/2021

This plant grows very quickly but the larger the leaves are the more likely they are to get dirt stuck on the velvet. I use a toothbrush to gently brush the dirt off and she stays very happy

Fast grower

@Mossycabbages

74 Plants

3,172 XP

12/28/2021

I bought this plant about three months ago and it had put out a lot of new leaves. It hasn’t grown enough to need a new pot, but it has new leaves appearing almost constantly

Fast grower

African Violet plant photo by Mossycabbages named Xena on Greg, the plant care app.

@Bjoyce

57 Plants

10,343 XP

Orlando, FL

12/22/2021

Super easy to care for. Bottom water. Mine has bloomed a couple times without much effort.

Blooms easily

@Bjoyce

57 Plants

10,343 XP

Orlando, FL

12/21/2021

This has been so easy. Happy everywhere I put it. Fine if I forget to water. Bloomed twice so far. I endorse this low maintenance queen

Blooms easily

Survivor

African Violet plant photo by Bjoyce named Leftie on Greg, the plant care app.

@Kim

14 Plants

858 XP

12/19/2021

Propagated these from single leaves.

Fast grower

Easy to propagate

Blooms easily

African Violet plant photo by Kim named African Violet on Greg, the plant care app.

@Megan

82 Plants

14,583 XP

Washington, DC

11/24/2021

African violets are a great starter plant, in my opinion. The only thing to really watch out for is that the leaves don’t like getting wet so bottom watering is a good option.

@Megan

82 Plants

14,583 XP

Washington, DC

11/24/2021

Very easy plant but make sure you don’t get the leaves wet! I recommend bottom watering African Violets to avoid getting the leaves wet.
Pet friendly, which is a plus.

Large, lush leaves

Blooms easily

African Violet plant photo by Megan named Gus on Greg, the plant care app.

@Morgan3300

21 Plants

5,016 XP

Jackson, WY

10/22/2021

I find violets extremely easy to care for. Once you find the right spot in your house for them they bloom all year round. Not a lot of sun but just enough.

Fast grower

Blooms easily

Large, lush leaves

Survivor

Browns easily