Can African Violets Change Color?

Hybrid African Violets

• African violets have been hybridized from the original plants discovered by Baron Walter von St. Paul in the late 18th century. Over the years, growers have cross-pollinated plants to cultivate varieties that include, new colors and multicolored blooms with single, double, semi-double, fringed and ruffled flowers. Leaves on these plants are now found with ruffled, scalloped and even variegated colors. Plants have now been divided into four classes based on size.

Color Changes

• Hybridized plants run the risk of not being stable, or staying true to bloom type and plant form. Inexperienced gardeners may become frustrated when they purchase a plant, only to find that the color they selected is not as vibrant, no longer is bi-color or variegated, or has changed color completely. Even experienced gardeners are surprised when an African violet suddenly switches colors. After a bloom cycle the plant may return to the color it was when purchased, or it may continue to bloom in the new color. The color it switches to, is often the color of one of the parent plants used to create the hybrid.

Plant Care Considerations

• To preserve bloom color, follow basic care instructions for African violets. This includes lighting, watering, temperature and potting soil mix. A stressed plant may revert back to its parent color, or the color could become washed out looking or pale. It's believed that pH in soil or water can also affect bloom color, as it does with some other blooming plants. Inadequate light may also cause blooms to become a paler version of the original.

Sporting

• Plants of all kinds will at times mutate, causing foliage or blooms to become different than the parent plant, this is known as "sporting." In some cases it can be linked to cross pollination, but in other cases the cause is unknown. Over the years gardeners have used these mutations to cultivate new varieties by cross pollinating and from cuttings. Even with perfect care an African violet can sport and start to bloom in another color or variation of the original color.