Saintpaulias are so diverse that their collections can be replenished and changed endlessly. Each exhibition turns into a real show of novelties. Bright color combinations, unusual flower shape or ruffle are favorite features of rare varieties. But it is unlikely that their variations really surprise anyone. If you want to look at the familiar Usambara violets from a new perspective, pay attention to a small but extravagant group of varieties – non-flowering Saintpaulias. They are called that, of course, only conditionally. The outlandish structure and appearance of genuine exotics are combined in such varieties with some features of the cultivation technique.
Non-blooming Saintpaulias are favorites of modern interiors. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com T. Bobina
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Description of non-flowering Saintpaulias
Non-flowering, or green-flowered varieties of a familiar, beloved and classic indoor plant Saintia (Saintpaulia) are so unusual that at first glance it is not always possible to recognize their belonging to the legendary Uzambar violets. Only the leaves and the general shape of the bushes arouse suspicions of “kinship” with Saintpaulias, which is quickly confirmed upon closer acquaintance.
Strange, unearthly, irregular, extravagant, innovative, underdeveloped – like the non-flowering varieties of Saintpaulias, name it, this only confirms their status as the most unusual group of varieties of Usambara violets. All violets are called non-flowering, which, as a result of selection, have lost the ability to typical flowering, but not the formation of peduncles and buds.
The non-expanding, or reduced, defective flowers of such violets, together with the pedicels, form an amazing effect of either green lace or bizarre avant-garde “bunches”. The epithet “underdeveloped” reflects their flowering best, but this does not mean at all that such Saintpaulias are not very decorative.
In them, the structure of the inflorescences and the originality of the buds come to the fore, giving rise to amazing effects. An outlandish, as if tangled, bizarre mass of inflorescences of these very strange Saintpaulias seems more an artificial decoration than a bloom.
All non-flowering Saintpaulias, in addition to extravagant “underflow”, can boast of improved characteristics of the leaves, and many of them – and their unusual shape. Neat, strikingly symmetrical rosettes of some varieties and spreading loose asymmetric bushes of others, the unchanging and unique density of the edge, originality and richness of colors, and so distinguish them against the background of any, even the most fashionable classic Saintpaulias. These are compact, very neat, not like small bouquets, but like living sculptures of a plant.
Non-flowering varieties of Saintpaulias are one of the most popular in floristry and interior design. These saintpaulias belong to the semi-mini and standard categories. At a height of up to 20 cm, the main surprise of the non-flowering Saintpaulias is quite unexpected: unlike the classic Saintpaulias, they actively release axillary shoots. Grasshopping helps keep the plants compact.
But the same quality ensures the ease of reproduction of such uzambar violets. Another pleasant property of non-flowering Saintpaulias is that they very rarely “bare the bottom” and rise above the soil, do not require such frequent re-deepening or filling of the substrate.
The controversial status of non-flowering Saintpaulias is simply explained: such varieties cannot but cause strong emotions. Despite the status of the Saintpaulias themselves, the non-flowering ones are rather exotic. These are some of the indoor plants that you either really like or don’t like at all.
Before deciding to buy non-flowering Saintpaulias, you should take a closer look at them and weigh your emotions: indoor plants should not only come to heart, but also fit into the interior. Unlike all other Saintpaulias, which look like living bouquets with proper care, non-flowering ones look good only in a modern setting. Most of all, their appearance will suit interiors with a focus on minimalism or hi-tech, with the dominance of white or black in the palette.
Saintpaulia, cultivar Neverfloris (“Never blooming”). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com AfricanViolet.co.uk
The best varieties of non-flowering Saintpaulias
The number of varieties of these strange Saintpaulias can be counted on the fingers of one hand. But this does not diminish their status as very prestigious for any collection of fairly expensive items. Such violets cannot be found in any catalog, but even at any exhibition of violets.
In our country, varieties with reduced flowering are considered a great rarity, and only relatively recently, about ten years ago, they attracted attention. But on the other hand, originality quickly changed their status from “obscure” varieties to favorites in the design of modern interiors.
Never blooming violet Neverfloris
The most prestigious non-flowering variety, which caused general surprise at one time and received many prestigious awards – Neverfloris (“Never blooming”, a selection of the legendary center Holtkamp), which is considered to be a kind of ancestor of the fashion for non-flowering violets.
His appearance at European exhibitions in 2009 was a sensation. This avant-garde variety got its name from the non-flowering buds in the inflorescences: while retaining the ability to form flower stalks and release buds, this non-flowering Saintpaulia variety never opens flowers. The inflorescences branch so densely that they form clusters, and together with small, kidney-shaped green buds, they form a continuous original lace, somewhat reminiscent of either corals, or the original cauliflower or bouquets of mini-artichokes.
Everyone who is faced with the flowering of this original violet has their own associations. The most amazing thing about this Saintpaulia is the ability to preserve the decorativeness of these pseudo-inflorescences and the shape of a green lace wreath lying on an ornamental rosette for months. New buds emerge and develop relentlessly over several months; in general, the flowering period of the Neverfloris Saintpaulia is rarely shorter than 6 months.
The dark, emerald-black velvet of the leaves in the right light, which just pulls to iron, thanks to the unique “fur” edge, seems even more luxurious thanks to the light green-emerald inflorescences. The symmetry of the cultivar rosette is considered exemplary.
With normal care, this non-flowering violet leaves almost the same size and color, smooth, classic shape. In diameter, the rosette will grow up to 30 cm and the variety is rightly referred to as standard violets.
Neverfloris White Violet
Neverfloris-derived variety Neverfloris White (in some directories it appears as Neverfloris Variegatum) differs from the usual one. The large, swollen buds seem to be about to bloom in creamy white flowers, creating a much more massive pillow over the less strict rosettes.
The leaves of this variety lose their neatness, the rosettes – symmetry, but on the very edge of the leaf plates, you can notice an uneven, thin white border close up. The plant looks sloppy, fully reveals its beauty only in splendid isolation and, unlike the original Saintpaulia variety Neverfloris, looks unprofitable next to other plants, not to mention a group of bushes of uzambar violets.
Saintpaulia “Botanica”. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com violets-odessa
Non-blooming violet “Botanica”
Almost the same legend is the cultivar Saintpaulia. “Botany” (Botanica
) Is not a completely non-flowering variety, but with reduced petals and modified, but blossoming flowers. At “Botanica” the upper petals do not develop and the lower ones are almost invisible, which is why the exotic effect of half-open or underdeveloped flowers remains. But, unlike the previous variety, “Botanica” allows you to enjoy bright colors.
The stamens seem to be very large and surprise with the richness of the color. And miniature, almost reduced purple-violet lower petals are decorated along the edge with a thin irregular yellow border. It is believed that the flowers always bloom exactly to a size of 1 cm.This violet belongs to the semi-mini category, in diameter, even at a very significant age, the rosette will not exceed 15 cm.
The leaves are classic, medium-sized, muted green, very densely pubescent. The rosette is often not quite symmetrical, but very lush. Brown stalks branch sparsely, surprise with straight lines and further emphasize the unique “muzzles” of flowers.
It takes two years to wait for the first flowers from plants, but every year Botanica blooms more and more abundantly. The flowering is uneven, stretched, after blooming, the flowers fade quite quickly, but even after that they do not lose their decorative effect, complementing the new blooming flowers with fancy brown “dried flowers” with anthers retaining brightness on the stamens.
Non-Blooming Violet Senk’s Anemone
Grade Five’s Anemone Is one of the rarest violet varieties to hunt for. This is an original miniature non-flowering variety, in which from not so many buds only a few nondescript and very unusual in shape flowers with inconspicuous petals bloom, the beauty of which can only be appreciated close, admiring the unique light lilac shade and variegated ripples.
But such flowers bloom very rarely, and each is literally a piece decoration. This plant is bred only because of the leaves. Thick long leaf stalks emphasize their original shape, which is why the variety was even nicknamed in catalogs “Shrek’s ears” (Shrek’s Ears). The leaves are rounded, curled into a funnel, with an unusual “pharynx”. Due to the length, the petioles twist intricately, allowing the violet to look even more unconventional.
Senk’s Anemone. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Nathalia G
Non-blooming violet SK-Lunatic
In the form of leaves, this rare Saintpaulia is very similar to an equally rare variety – SK-Lunatic, which at most exhibitions appears as unnamed. Brown-purple-green, unusual, rounded-rolled leaves on strikingly long, twisting and fleshy petioles create an unearthly-looking bush. And the peduncles seem to be completely “broken” – the pedicels are spread in different directions, some of the flowers are reduced, and some fancifully bloom with long, bright purple petals and bright anthers.
Sometimes non-flowering or inadequately flowering violets are the result of growing errors. Plants that do not develop full-fledged flowers are also counted among the marriage with independent cross-pollination of varieties and experiments with seed reproduction. But if varieties and bushes that did not meet expectations still form inflorescences and buds, it is worth waiting and assessing whether such a plant can not be counted among the original non-flowering violets.
Growing conditions for green Saintpaulias
Since non-flowering Saintpaulias still remain Saintpaulias, they are considered plants similar in the required lighting and temperatures to all other Usambara violets. But they also prepared a lot of surprises: non-flowering Saintpaulias are original even in their endurance, and when buying them it is worth remembering that, unlike all other violets, they will not be content with shading, but they will not require moderately cool temperatures either.
Lighting for all non-flowering Saintpaulias, without exception, should be bright. Plants still cannot stand the direct sun, but their special leaves with “improved” edging will not show all their beauty even in light shading.
Many flowering Saintpaulias are less demanding on lighting, but non-flowering violets will need to be provided with fairly bright lighting. In winter, they respond very well to moving to more illuminated places. These plants are not afraid of artificial supplementary lighting and can grow even in completely artificial lighting, suitable for florariums, flower showcases, and other original landscaping options for modern interiors.
The combination with decorative lighting allows you to place these violets even where there are no windows, turning them into one of the main decorations of the interior. Such varieties are less light dependent and do not bend in the absence of regular rotation in relation to the light source.
The main advantage of non-flowering Saintpaulias is that they tolerate high air temperatures much better than their counterparts. If the decorativeness of standard varieties in high air temperatures usually suffers, then in non-flowering ones, hot temperatures have almost no effect even on the leaves. Tolerance to air temperatures above 25 degrees is maintained both in summer and in winter.
Such violets are more sensitive to hypothermia, do not tolerate sudden temperature jumps. Fans of unusual plants, who decided to start this green miracle, will be pleasantly surprised by the fact that they tolerate drafts much easier, feeling comfortable even in large office premises with active air flow and working air conditioners.
Such varieties of Saintpaulias are exclusively indoor plants. They can be grown only indoors and it is desirable to adapt for a long time to changing conditions, arranging “buffer zones” during the transfer. Slow adaptation to new “housing” is the main secret of their decorative effect after purchase. The quarantine period for these violets should be at least 3 weeks.
Non-blooming violet SK-Lunatic. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Mariya
Caring for non-flowering Saintpaulias at home
Irrigation and humidity for this violet should be standard, but for fans of easier care and those who do not want to “play” with drip or wick irrigation systems, Neverfloris & Co. will pleasantly surprise you with the ability to carry out simple overhead irrigation. The main thing is to avoid pouring water onto the leaves or into the base of the outlet.
For this violet, soft settled water is used, watering is carried out at such a frequency that the soil remains slightly moist. Overdrying, like waterlogging, is equally disliked by Saintpaulias.
These violets, as a rule, do not need increased air humidity, but when close to heating devices, it is better to take care of compensating for too dry air – by installing temporary humidifiers or bowls of water.
Top dressing for non-flowering Saintpaulias is carried out throughout the year, with the exception of a period of one month after each transplant, with a frequency of 1 every 4 weeks. For non-flowering Saintpaulias, special fertilizers are still used – for violets or flowering plants. The absence of full-fledged flowers and an unusual appearance does not mean at all that Saintpaulias have passed into the category of decorative deciduous plants.
Pruning and formation of green Saintpaulias, unlike ordinary flowering ones, is carried out according to slightly different principles:
- the leaves are removed after damage or the beginning of wilting (those that affect the decorative effect of the bushes), gently breaking off, without waiting for the complete yellowing or drying out of most of the leaf plate;
- when pruning inflorescences, they are not guided by individual flowers (they retain their beauty for an amazingly long time), and if there are no signs of yellowing or drying of individual buds and parts, the inflorescences are removed entirely after the loss of decorativeness;
- These saintpaulias are less sensitive to pruning, so the question of how to remove damaged, dry or faded parts can be decided to your taste – both breaking off and cutting are fine, but only if you use a clean, sanitized and sharp tool.
In addition to the usual pruning, non-flowering Saintpaulias will need pinching. Axillary shoots, if you do not plan to propagate the plant and increase your collections, you need to remove not only regularly, but also as early as possible, preventing them from growing.
If you want to get new bushes, then it is better to leave no more than 2 or 3 stepsons on the plant, allowing them to develop to separation in order to speed up their rooting. The development of axillary shoots usually negatively affects the shape of the rosette and the decorativeness of the adult Saintpaulia as a whole.
The problems in growing saintpaulias with reduced flowers are absolutely similar to those that threaten flowering varieties. Plants often suffer from rot, mold, fungal diseases associated primarily with hypothermia and improper watering.
But they are a little more resistant to pests. The greatest danger to non-flowering Saintpaulias is represented by mealybugs and spider mites, which are quite difficult to fight on a thick pillow of these Saintpaulias.
For non-standard, or extravagant, non-flowering Saintpaulias, the choice of containers is critical. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Ball
Transplant, containers and substrate
For non-standard, or extravagant, non-flowering Saintpaulias, the choice of containers is critical. These plants need to be presented correctly by choosing bright, catchy and trendy containers. Such saintpaulias, due to the far from catchy appearance of unblown inflorescences, will seem inconspicuous in any boring and carelessly selected pots.
Despite the strict symmetry of the outlet, such Saintpaulias look good in non-standard containers. The main thing is that they are wide, but not deep, not too large and have several drainage holes.
The substrate for non-flowering Saintpaulias is selected according to standard requirements – from the number of special soil mixtures for Uzambara violets with a light, homogeneous texture. Drainage is laid at the bottom of the tanks, and the rest of the transplant is carried out, as for any other Saintpaulia – annually or as the tank is developed, carefully, monitoring the level of deepening.
Reproduction of non-flowering Saintpaulias
The optimal breeding method for any Saintpaulias from the non-flowering category is the rooting of stepchildren. They are allowed to release the fourth leaf, carefully separated and rooted in a mixture of sand and peat or in crushed sphagnum. It is possible to root the stepchildren of non-flowering Saintpaulias only under a hood, in diffused lighting and at an air temperature of 21 to 25 degrees.
If the plant does not form stepchildren, or they are removed to maintain the symmetry of the mother bush, then non-flowering violets can be propagated by standard methods – by rooting leafy cuttings in water or light soil and separating large bushes consisting of several rosettes.
