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African Violets

Course CodeVHT105
Fee CodeS2
Duration (approx)100 hours
QualificationTo obtain formal documentation the optional exam(s) must be completed which will incur an additional fee of £30. Alternatively, a letter of completion may be requested.

Why Grow African Violets?

  • Popular indoor plants with eye catching bloom
  • Adds colour to home or any indoor areas
  • They are small but mighty and easy to contain
  • Easy to maintain

This course is not only teaching you about African violets, but also laying the foundations for successful culture of other gesneriads. Become an expert in growing African violets by enrolling in this course

Lesson Structure

There are 8 lessons in this course:

  1. Introduction
    • What is an African Violet
    • Plant name pronunciation
    • Review of the system of plant identification
    • Introduction to Gesneriads
    • Classification of Gesneriaceae
    • Introduction to most commonly grown African Violet Species
    • Information contacts (ie: nurseries, seed, clubs etc.)
  2. Culture
    • Understanding how plants grow
    • Soils ad nutrition
    • African Violet potting mixes
    • Other cultural practices -Planting, watering, feeding, etc.
    • Review of Gesneriad Genera -Columnea, Streptocarpus, Episcia, Aeschynanthus etc
  3. Propagation
    • Sexual and asexual explained
    • Propagation aids -greenhouses, hotbeds, cold frames, misting etc.
    • Cuttings
    • Seed
    • Division
  4. Pests & Disease
    • Plant maintenance and health
    • Identifying problems
    • Controlling problems
    • Reviewing pest, disease and environmental issues that can confront African Violets
  5. Light and its Affects
    • Understanding light affects on African violet flowering
    • Artificial lighting
  6. Greenhouse Culture
    • The greenhouse system
    • Components of a greenhouse (floor, structure, ventilation, heating, etc)
    • Types off Greenhouses
    • Shade houses
    • Cold frames
    • Heated propagators
    • Environmental controls
    • Heaters, Ventilators, etc
  7. Ways to Use African Violets
    • Containers, in the ground, in greenhouses, growing for profit (to sell etc.)
    • Review of popular cultivars
  8. Special Assignment
    • PBL Project: Planning the establishment of a collection of Gesneriads, for a specific (real or hypothetical) location.

Aims

  • Describe how African Violets and related plants are classified and the plant naming system
  • Describe the cultural requirements of African violets
  • Select appropriate propagating materials and using them, propagate African violets.
  • Identify and control pest and diseases of African violets
  • Discuss the role that light plays in the growth of African violets
  • Describe greenhouses and other environmental control equipment used for growing African violets.
  • Describe the various ways in which African violets can be grown
  • Demonstrate the knowledge acquired for a specific group or individual plant in the Gesneriaceae family through research.

Cultivars of African Violets

There are over 40,000 varieties of African Violets known to be in existence, and new ones are being developed all the time.

The following are some of the more popular African Violet cultivars that have been grown around the world.

Pink Flowers

Georgia  -Single flower, Deep pink; dark green leaf

Rococo Pink –Double flower, Iridescent pink

Swan Lake  - Large flowers, Ruffled edges to petals, Deep pink flower

Blue Flowers

Bright Eyes  -Single flower, Dark blue with prominent yellow anthers on flowers; Dark green leaves

Delft   -Very large semi double flowers; Cornflower blue colour, mid green foliage, relatively vigorous variety

Wonderland  -Large semi double flowers, Light blue, Olive green wavy leaves

Purple Toned Flowers

Diana Blue  -Single, mid purple with contrasting yellow anthers

Fusspot  -Double flowers, Lilac with richer colour on edges of petals

Tessa  -Frilled petals, Rich purple colour, Floriferous. Lush mid green leaves

Red and White Flowers

Fancy Pants   -Single flower, Frilled red and white. Very popular and prized variety by many enthusiasts.

Silver Milestone Star   -Huge single star Flowers, Magenta with white edges

Mystic Moment   -Semi Double and striking; Magenta with white edges, Deep green leaves

Blue and White Flowers

Alabama  -Single, Frilled petals, White flowers edged with blue

Ballet Silver –Large single star flowers, Deep royal blue with white edge to petals

Blue Nymph  -Blue and white pansy like flowers

Pink and White Flowers

Celebration  -Large single flowers, Ruffled petals, White banded with rich pink

Crimson Frost  -Frilled petals, Dark pink with white edges and prominent yellow stamens

Fancy Pants –Single flowers, white with frilled red margins, Mid green leaves

Miss Pretty  -Single, frilled flowers, Pale pink and white, Pale green leaves

 
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Who Can Benefit From This Course?

  • Passionate amateur gardeners
  • Plant collectors
  • Commercial growers
  • Horticulturist
  • Garden centre staff
  • Florists
  • Indoor Plantscapers

 

 

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