How to Grow and Care for African Violets

African violets are a favorite for their beautiful blooms, but they're also easy to grow.

Grow African violets indoors in bright, indirect light.
Plant African violets in African violet pots filled with Miracle-Gro® Indoor Potting Mix.
Repot when plants develop a bare "neck" between the leaves and soil line.
African violets should be watered from below, using a self-watering or ceramic African violet pot.
Feed regularly with Miracle-Gro® Indoor Plant Food.
Split the parent plant into smaller plants when your African violet becomes large and crowded.

African violets are common houseplants because they flower reliably and are easy to grow. Plants have fuzzy leaves with flowers in various shades of blue, purple, pink, red, white, and even green. They grow well in the low humidity and moderate temperature of most home and office environments. With good care, plants can live and bloom for decades. It's no wonder these sweet little plants are a favorite for indoor growers!

How and When to Repot African Violets

African violets grow best in a well-drained, lightweight soil. For best results, plant African violets in African violet pots, which are small (4- to 5-inch) ceramic or plastic self-watering containers. Growing in these pots will provide the proper amount of continuous moisture to the plants.

Select a pot that's 4 to 5 inches in diameter, either a self-watering pot or a ceramic pot with a drainage hole.
Fill the container about ⅓ full with Miracle-Gro® Indoor Potting Mix.
Place your African violet in the soil so that the lowest ring of leaves is even with the edge of the pot. Add more soil to fill in around the plant roots as needed.
Water and let drain. If you have a pot with a drainage hole, place a saucer under the pot. Move your African violet to its new home and enjoy!

As the lower leaves on an African violet plant begin to die back, the lower portion of the stem may become bare (this is sometimes called a "neck"). Remove the plant from the pot, cut off the bottom of the root ball (the amount of root ball removed should be equal to the length of the bare stem), and repot the plant in the same container using the directions above, fully covering the neck with soil. Place the plant in a spot with high humidity (or temporarily cover it with a plastic bag) for a week after planting to help lessen the shock from having part of the root ball removed.

How to Water African Violets

The easiest way to make sure you give African violets the right amount of water is to grow them in the self-watering African violet pots mentioned above. These pots have a top part in which the plant grows, and a bottom part (or reservoir) that holds water. Ceramic pots are usually glazed on the outside, but the bottom of the planting section is unglazed so that water can easily soak through from the reservoir. Plastic African violet pots usually have a fibrous wick connecting the planting pot to the reservoir. Be sure to monitor the water level and change the water weekly.

If you are not growing plants in African violet pots, water just enough to keep the soil about as damp as a wrung-out sponge. Take care to use room-temperature water and don't get water on the leaves as that can cause spots to form.

How to Feed African Violets

To support all their beautiful blooms, African violets benefit from regular feeding with Miracle-Gro® Indoor Plant Food. Be sure to follow label directions. To prevent fertilizer salts from building up, it’s a good idea to remove your African violet from its water reservoir, water it thoroughly from the top, taking care to avoid the leaves, and then replace the pot in the reservoir after the soil has thoroughly drained.

How to Prune African Violets

Aside from the repotting directions for when your African violet loses its bottom leaves, these plants don't require heavy pruning, but removing spent flowers and dead leaves regularly is a must. Pinch off blooms once they die to encourage more flowers (a practice called deadheading), and remove dead leaves using sharp scissors or pruning sheers as needed.

How to Propagate African Violets

With time, African violets may become overgrown and begin to crowd their pots. Use leaf cuttings from these plants to propagate, or start, new African violet plants. Simply snip off a leaf where it meets the plant stem and stick the cut end in a small container filled with Miracle-Gro® Seed Starting Potting Mix. Keep the soil evenly moist. New leaves should sprout in a few weeks. Once plants have 4-5 leaves, they can be repotted into African violet pots using the directions in the “How to Repot” section above.

Troubleshooting Common Problems with African Violets

Many common problems with African violets come down to overwatering, underwatering, and poor light conditions. Adjusting these factors using our instructions above will typically help your plant recover. Cool air can also cause problems for African violets, so make sure the temperature stays above 65 °F.

No blooms: This usually means your plant is stressed from a lack of light, food, water, or a combination of these. Try adjusting these factors one at a time to find the cause. Review your plant food label directions to ensure you're giving the right amount, and move your African violet where it gets plenty of bright, indirect light. If these aren't the cause, try giving your African violet a little more water.
Pale, bleached-out leaves: African violet leaves should have a rich, green color. If your leaves are looking pale, your plant may be getting too much sunlight. Move your African violet further away from the window or to a new home where it's out of the direct rays of the sun.
Brown leaves: This typically means you're underwatering. Start giving your African violet more water, but take it easy! You don't want to overwhelm the plant with too much water all at once.
Leaf spots: Spots on the leaves are usually caused by water. If you're not using a self-watering pot, make sure you're not getting the leaves wet when you water. You may also be overwatering, so make small adjustments to your watering practices and keep an eye out for new spots.
Fungal disease: African violets are unfortunately prone to diseases like powdery mildew and root rot. These diseases are often the result of overwatering, so slowly pull back on your watering routine. Also, remove any dead or diseased leaves when you spot them.

There's a reason so many indoor plant enthusiasts love this plant: when properly cared for, African violets can give you sweet little blooms all year long! These plants add color and texture to your houseplant collection, meaning you'll want to make a little room for African violets in your space.