African Violets – Rooting Leaves in Water

Now here are two practical methods developed for leaf propagating by home gardeners. Cover a water-filled glass tumbler with wax paper held in place with a rubber band. Pierce the paper in three places. Insert the leaf stems in these holes and deeply enough for the stems to reach into the water. Set the glass in a fully light but not sunny window. If you use faucet rather than rain wafer, let it stand uncovered for twenty-four hours beforehand so that all chlorine may be released. It is also possible to work even more simply. In a shallow glass dish or soup bowl a number of different varieties can easily be started. Just fill the dish with enough small rounded stones to support the leaf stems, and maintain a sufficient supply of water to keep the ends of the stems moist.

In two to four weeks, depending on variety and location, roots will appear at the ends of the sterns. Change the water then. By the end of another week or so a small green leaf may appear at the base of each parent leaf. If the parent leaf has begun to deteriorate, you can now make a transfer of rooted leaves by potting into 3-inch pots of light soil or pure sand. If the parent leaf remains firm and healthy, wait until a cluster of leaves about one inch long appears.

To make the transfer from water to soil with the least possible danger and best possible results to the developing plant, try this suggested system: “Use a small custard cup containing a small amount of water. Place the rooted leaf in the vessel, spreading the roots. Sift fine soil around them until all the water has been absorbed. Then both the soil and leaf may be lifted out with the aid of a spoon.”

The time of propagation varies, of course. Ionantha leaves root very quickly, while other varieties certainly take their time. No leaves can be depended upon to produce roots very promptly but so long as the parent leaf remains healthy and does not soften and decay, the growth of roots and new leaves will eventually occur. Sometimes it actually takes months.

When quite a cluster of new leaves appears, cut the parent leaf away. Remove it sooner if it shows signs of deterioration but often it is not necessary to discard it for a long time. If a variety is scarce or your supply limited, you may be able to grow a second or even a third crop of saintpaulias from the same treasured leaf. Each time you will, of course, be working with a shorter, sharply cut petiole until a third planting is made perhaps with no petiole at all and only the leaf base to insert in the soil. Even so, you can expect success as many have found from experience that the same leaf will produce as fine a third crop as it did a first.

Expect some little setback at the time of the water-to soil transfer while roots are adjusting to the new medium. In less than five months, however, you will have a well-established, thrifty plant which should in less than a year produce flowers.

Related Articles Of Interest:

• African Violets – Rooting Leaves in Soil
• Hints For Growing Better African Violets
• African Violets – From Leaf to Plant
• African Violets and Humidity