Violet Black Prince, like all indoor violets, belongs to the Gesneriaceae family from the genus Saintpaulia. Due to its beauty and unpretentiousness, this flower can be confidently called one of the most popular among both professional flower growers and ordinary houseplant lovers.
Violet Black Prince: photo and variety description
This saintpaulia is a short, short-stemmed perennial with numerous fleshy dark green leaves tinged with red on the underside.
One of the features of the Black Prince violet variety is the shape of its flowers. Large and double, they consist of many wavy petals, which gives the impression of elegance and sophistication of the plant.
In the first bloom, this violet has a red-burgundy color, but gradually the color becomes darker and deeper, and the petals become velvety, which can be seen in the photo of the Black Prince violet below.
The rules for caring for this variety of Saintpaulia are the same as for all types of indoor violets. For stable growth and flowering, theyneed good lighting, comfortable room temperature, regular moistening and fertilization. With the right combination of these conditions, growing the Black Prince violet at home does not present any difficulty even for a novice grower.
Lighting and violet location
Saintpaulia The Black Prince needs good lighting, but at the same time does not tolerate direct sunlight. In winter, it is preferable to place plant pots on the windowsills of south-facing windows.
If there is a draft from the windows or the windows are often open, then it is better to move containers with flowers from the windowsill to shelves or a table close to the window.
In the warm season, the ideal place for the plant will be western or eastern window sills. The Black Prince also feels comfortable in a warm and bright kitchen.
Direct sunlight is detrimental to decorative violets, and threatens to burn the plant. Therefore, if it is not possible to remove a flower pot from a sunny windowsill, then it must be shaded.
Insufficient lighting will cause the plant to start stretching upwards, and the outlet will become light and lethargic. In order to prevent this from happening, the daylight hours of home violets should last about 14 hours. In winter, it is simply necessary to provide the Black Prince with additional lighting using fluorescent lamps.
Room temperature
Violet Black Prince can't stand too muchhigh temperatures. The most favorable temperature for its growth is considered to be between 18-21 degrees.
At a higher temperature, its varietal characteristics will change - the color will fade, the leaves will turn pale, the flowers will begin to shrink.
Since this saintpaulia does not tolerate drafts and temperature changes, it is not recommended to take it out to the balcony or leave it near open windows.
Humidity
The birthplace of violets is Tanzania, a country with a very humid climate. Therefore, Saintpaulia should be kept in conditions as close as possible to those familiar to them. The optimum level of humidity in the room in which the Black Prince violet is located should be about 60%.
For beginner flower growers, it is worth recalling that saintpaulias categorically do not tolerate traditional spraying from a spray bottle. Water droplets are not able to drain from their pubescent leaves, as a result of which the liquid, lingering in the outlet, can lead to the development of fungal diseases on the leaves and even to the death of the entire plant.
The way out of the situation can be found using pallets with wet stones or expanded clay. Violet pots should be placed on wet pebbles so that the bottom of the pot does not touch the water - Saintpaulia roots do not like excess moisture.
Irrigation
Watering violets Black Prince is carried out with settled water at room temperature. As is the case with all indoor plants, when watering homemade violets, you need to follow the golden mean. Do not excessively waterlog the soil, but also the drying of the soilno need to wait.
When watering Saintpaulia, avoid getting water on the leaves and growing point. Therefore, it is better to avoid watering the plant under the root. After all, moisture on the leaves can destroy the violet.
For Saintpaulia Black Prince, alternative watering methods are better:
- drip method;
- via pallet;
- using a wick;
- through immersion.
Special attention must be paid to the quality of water, because the harmful impurities contained in it will linger in the soil, which can render the soil unusable.
Soil
Violet Black Prince prefers light loose soil, being in which, its root system will not lack oxygen. The soil for Saintpaulia should retain moisture well and have low acidity.
Today you can easily buy any soil mixture in a garden store. Growers who prefer to make their own soil can take just the right amount of regular garden soil and mix it with some sand.
This mixture must be sieved and then heat treated. It is enough just to ignite the soil in the oven. This will get rid of the harmful larvae and fungal spores present in the soil.
Experienced gardeners add a small amount of peat, pine or leaf soil to the soil for violets. Do not forget about drainage, which will allow you to regulate soil moisture.
Drainage fill one thirdpot. Small pebbles, expanded clay and pieces of charcoal are well suited for this.
The Black Prince violet is not very whimsical in care, but requires regular fertilization with minerals. Young saintpaulias need nitrogenous top dressing. This contributes to the growth of green mass and the formation of a rosette.
Violets ready to bloom require phosphate and potash fertilizer. Liquid complex fertilizers for ornamental plants, which can be purchased at specialized stores, have proven themselves well for these purposes.
Planting in a pot
The photo and description of the Black Prince violet make it clear that this ornamental plant does not come in large sizes, which means it does not require spacious pots and significant amounts of land.
Plastic pots with a diameter of 5 cm are well suited for a young Saintpaulia. Adult specimens of the Black Prince will need a pot of 9 cm in diameter.
Violets are propagated by cuttings. At the same time, due to its good rooting ability, a Saintpaulia leaf can be planted directly into the ground. The cutting should be 3-5 cm long.
Rooting is performed by planting a leaf at an angle of 40 ° and substituting a toothpick under its leg as a support. Then covered with a glass jar, creating the effect of a greenhouse. Set the pot in a bright and warm place, moistening regularly.
When the young leaves of the violet reach 3 cm, you can remove the greenhouse. Soil renewal at Saintpaulia is carried out every 2-3 years.
