Hi Sandra,

Congratulations! You are now the proud parent of new baby African violet. I'm not sure if you are making a statement or asking the question. Violets propagate very easily by leaf cuttings as you can see. I remember the first time I propagated a violet from a leaf cutting. I just thought it was amazing.

Good luck on growing your violets. You are obviously on the right track.

Larry

Hi Sandra,

So I see you are from the Philippines. Is it very easy to find African violets in your country? I know that in some East Asian countries the selection is not as good as in the United States or Europe. I have seen people in Taiwan bid tremendous amounts of money for rare violets on eBay.

Just curious,

Larry

I know a lady that lives in Anchorage, Alaska who grows beautiful violets. I wouldn't think your conditions are any tougher than those. Do you have high humidity in the Philippeans?

Nancy

Hi Sanda, good to hear about your success. I can totally share with you the "hardship" in keeping violets alive in our countries and the amazement of seeing them grow! Congratulations!

Xuan

thanks to everybody's encouragement!

Larry, from where I live here in the Philippines, finding african violets is not that easy, sometimes they don't even know them, they would just show me flowers with violet color- hahahaha...but, from where i grew up, up north, they really have many, last november i brought home 2 when i visited my relatives, but i don't think they are named varieties.so far, they are still surviving, just no blooms.

Nancy, i think humidity here is high, right now, since we
are experiencing cold weather, its around 65%, but most the time we could experience 90% humidity.

Xuan, you are such an encouragement....all the time...thanks...

Hi Sandra, the simple fact youve grown babies indicates that you can grow avs. The simple fact is avs originated in Tanzania , east Africa. Tanzania is located in east Arica and bordered by water and just below the equator as you are just above the equator. AVs were found growing in these conditions although were shaded by rock or foliage. So these conditions that are hot and humid, must be required , we are always told to create more moisture around our avs so we may similate what the avs really thrive in. Most likely someone who told you that where you lived and couldnt grow avs, lives in an area if they put the avs outside they could not exist even one day. Heres the lowdown:

Here is a link that might be useful: african violet origination

Actually Saintpaulia's native habitat is temperate forest; that's why they like low to mid F 70s temps, moderate light, and 60-70% humidity. Tanzania is near the equator so they don't get real seasons, which is why they will grow and flower pretty much all year. So there. ;-P

Sandra, you might try some of the more tropical Gesneriads (African violet family); Sinningia speciosa (aka florist's gloxinia), Episcia, Nematanthus (Guppy plant), Aeschynanthus (Lipstick plant), and Columnea (Goldfish plant).

There are others, but those are the ones that come to mind.

Korina

Hello, I'm Josie here in the Philippines, I would like to have an African violet,but don't know where to buy one.could please help me where I can buy this beautiful flower?thank you very much.

Josie, do you have EBay there ?

That's a very popular source of AV's internationally, or at least in the US and Europe.

Hi Josie,

In addition to ebay, you might look at www.Bloomlovers.com, which operates out of Canada. They do international shipping to the Philippines, I believe ...

Jamaica has a local grower, you might too, if you look around.

Hi, Josephine! My boyfriend and I managed to buy a couple AVs from Greenhills - the open area near the chapel. Hope this helps! :)

Hi Josie! You can get AVs at Farmers, Cubao and QC Memorial Circle. Price is from 50-150.