Violet lovers can talk about these flowers for hours. And they will call the object of their admiration with the correct botanical term - Saintpaulia. Describing the varieties, they will definitely advise you to start the Babylon violet, which won the hearts of flower growers thanks to its huge delicate flowers.
Who gave the world the luxurious Babylon?
Selective breeding of violets is an exciting and painstaking work. It is necessary not only to have a good understanding of pistils and stamens, but to have information about the genetic characteristics of plants, be able to choose the right "parents", master pollination and other subtleties that allow you to get a new exhibition form.
The author of the violet "Babylon" is a Ukrainian breeder from Lugansk Svetlana Repkina. The name and varieties of the great Saintpaulia lover are known not only in Ukraine, but also in Russia, the USA and other countries. In trade and information catalogs, the creations of Svetlana Repkina are indicated by the abbreviation "RS-". These letters are indicated as a prefix to the name of each variety.
Svetlana has been fond of Saintpaulia since 1999, and her collectionincludes over 500 varieties. As the author says, since 2001, a wonderful hobby has become a job. More than 100 bred varieties adorn exhibitions and houses of Saintpaulia fans, and the flower, named after the main city of Ancient Mesopotamia, is without a doubt one of the best creations of the breeder.
What is the famous collection "Babylon"
If you are seriously interested in the Babylon violet, the photo and description will allow you to get to know the plant better. Like any hybrid and wild Saintpaulias, the variety belongs to the Gesneriaceae family. Its closest relatives are streptocarpus, nematanthus, gloxinia and other plants popular in home floriculture.
The leaves of "Babylon" are large, moderately green, like any violet, leathery, abundantly strewn with small villi. They form a fairly large socket. The edges of young leaves are first tucked up, as they grow, they straighten and acquire the usual oval shape.
The main advantage that delights fans of "Babylon" is gorgeous semi-double flowers with elongated petals. At the peak of growth, their diameter reaches 8 cm, which is not typical for most violets. The main color is white with rich cherry strokes.
Looking at the violet "Babylon" in the photo, one gets the impression of abundant flowering. To be fair, it should be noted that this is not the case. Her peduncles are rare, strong and short, which is not surprising given the size of the inflorescences. Sometimes the buds hide under the leaves. Therefore, before flowering, they must be carefully released.
Like any hybrid variety, "Babylon" has its own characteristics that are common to a group of flowers of a particular breeder.
Subtleties of content
As admirers of Svetlana Repkina's violets note, her plants are excellently adapted both for window sills and for growing on shelves. And this, by the way, is important when creating interior designs.
The first flowering of the young violet "Babylon" is simply pleasing, and the subsequent ones are already striking in their beauty, when the plant fully reveals its potential. Another interesting pattern: in cooler conditions, the saintpaulias of Svetlana Repkina bloom especially brightly.
It is worth noting that "Babylon" refers to slow-growing hybrids. To wait for flowering, you will have to be patient and, of course, remember the basic rules of agricultural practices for violets.
Do not flood, do not catch a cold, do not forget to communicate
It's nice to grow a violet from one small leaf. If you have friends who are happy owners of Babylon, ask for a couple. Put in the water, wait for the roots and plant. There is nothing complicated in caring for a violet if you follow the basic rules:
- Saintpaulias grow in large containers at the expense of flowering, so the pot is chosen small and shallow;
- you can buy ready-made soil for violets or take turfy soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 4:1:1;
- should not be allowed to hit the flowers in direct sunlight;
- violets do not toleratewaterlogging of the soil, wither and quickly die;
- they get sick in drafts, they get fat from an overabundance of fertilizers and lose their decorative effect.
After getting acquainted with the "Babylon" violet, take one important advice from Svetlana Repkina: take the pot in your hands more often, talk to your flower, and it will repay you with gratitude, luxurious flowering, and give you a lot of positive emotions.
