Sorry I can't help you but holy tacos is that gorgeous!

I have read of people putting down a leaf that had the stem totally broken off - and having success. Why not try it? (And let us know how it turns out.)

Another method is to flip the leaf over and cut upwards on both sides of the middle vein. Remove those side leaf portions that you've cut out and you will have a mini looking leaf with a stem for planting. Or you could slice off the top of the leaf & plant that. I admit that most of my attempts at this method fail as the portions either drys up or rots. Maybe you would have better luck.

Terri

Anne, just lay the leaf on moist soil central vein down?

Terri, cut the very bottom of the lead away so the the central vein forms a pseudo stem and plant up right?

To muddy the water further, I put the leaf cut end in a drop of water to keep it from drying out while I waited answers. Lo and behold, the drop of water (a tiny puddle actually) evaporated over night. I put it in a slightly large puddle this morning. Thank you both for your reply. I'll wait a bit for your new answers before I do anything. Anyone else have a suggestion?

Fred

Yes! I have done it! Ok, no stem, not a problem. Plant it like normal just nestling it in the soil. Just make sure bottom of the leaf make contact with the soil. Water only enough to moisten the top of the soil. Treat it like any other leaf you are rooting.

Watch it carefully and it eventually will make babies! Rosie

PS. That is a beautiful plant! Do you know the name??? Looks like it is in the Optimara Victorian series. Rosie

LOL, that is the second time you have asked and for the second time I must confess my total ignorance, LOL. Fred

Oh sorry Fred. I should have read the previous posts! I had one in that series called Optimara Tradition Victorian Series. The foliage is beautiful. And on yours also! If it is that one, it will have beautiful pink double to semi double flowers. I was (and still am) unhappy when she finally died. Not my fault, furnace went out for too many days and she held on until about a month or so ago.

Since it is recovering so nicely here is what I would do. Just my opinion, but I like my violets to be evenly spaced rosettes! Or sort of evenly spaced.

I would (looking at your photo the way it is) take off leaves that are in the one o'clock, twelve o'clock, eleven o'clock and ten o'clock positions. AND of course root them.

If any of your other leaves are out of position use a toothpick to gently guide them back over time. With leaves in the sort of right position it allows the light to get in between the leaves and produce blossoms.

Take a pix and let us see the flowers when she blooms! Good luck! Rosie

my plan is to put some root tone on the cut then use potting soil heavy on perlite in a small container, sound good? yes or no, please any advise?

I never use rooting hormone on AV's; never needed it. But in this instance, maybe...I will say this: be very sparing with how much you use. More is not better.

I'd forgotten the technique that Terri mentioned where you actually create "a stem" using the mid-rib of the leaf which gives you something to put down into the soil. But if Rosie says she has done it just nestling the bottom of the stemless leaf into the soil, then why not do that. Knowing me, I'd slip with the Exacto knife anyway trying to make my own stem and mess it all up. Just planting it as is sounds easier. ;-)

Yes, light and moist (not soaking wet) potting mix in a small container and I personally would use a cover over it for a while - a clear plastic shell of some kind (lots of recycling options) or the top of a clear plastic soda bottle over the pot, or putting the whole thing inside a zip-lock baggie. You need to help the leaf stay hydrated until it can push out roots.

Fred, Rootone is a judgment call. Your call. Sometimes I use it sometimes I don't, half the time I just plain forget, but if you do, use it sparingly.

I fresh cut at an angle and then I put the stem in the Rootone and tap off what I can. Then follow Anne's directions. Or plant the way you are used to.

I would recommend fresh cutting the leaf without the stem from the back at a slant. I know it is the opposite of the way you would do it if it had a stem but I fresh cut everything before I plant it. Then (If you wish) dab a little Rootone on it and plant it.

When you plant it kinda lay it at a 45 degree angle in the medium. I usually put a stone behind it or a few marbles or something like that to hold it at the angle I want it at. Just make sure that the cut end is in firm contact with the medium! A Keurig cup or a pudding cup type thing works great.

Sure the babies may still come up from the back but I will guarantee they will push mama leaf out of the way to get to the light. I have had it happen. Good luck! and let us know what happens! Rosie

Well what I did was this: root tone on the cut, my standard Miracle Grow with additional perlite, an old yogurt container that had an added cup for granola so the container forms a mini green house! I put the cutting in the dirt bottom of the leaf edge is submerged in soil and covered it the soil is moist. it is at 90 degree angle. Hope my solution to the problem is correct, but it is done now. fingers crossed. currently 78 degress inside my house, so that should help.

Sorry rosie, I did not wait for your reply The poor thing had been waiting scince

yesterday afternoon and the puddle it was in dried up over night. So I was anxious to do some thing. Your advise is very good all of you! Rosie check your messages. Fred

Oh Fred it sounds good to me. 90 degrees is also fine I have done that also. I could have given you at least 4 different ways to do it. So many ways to do things and most of them successful! Good luck and yes I will check my messages! Rosie

Well done, Fred. The yogurt cup with the clear lid sounds perfect. Let us know how it goes.

Rosie, if Fred removed all those green leaves then there would not be enough chlorophyll in the remaining central crown of white leaves to support the plant. The white leaves are basically inert. I suggest leaving the plant alone to recover from its one lost leaf. As the plant grows out more, the center leaves will green up. That would be a better time to remove leaves. With heavily variegated plants, the root system is very small, much smaller than on most AVs, so it alone cannot support a plant. It would be best to remove just one green leaf at a time, for example, once every two weeks to make sure the plant is recovering from the loss. When the plant has grown out another circle of leaves would also be a good time to remove another leaf. That is usually how I groom my heavily variegated plants--very slowly--as I learned the hard way. Joanne

You know Joanne, thanks for that save. She's right Fred. I was looking at the total pix not the individual make up of the singular leaves.

Whew! Yep, removal has to be as Joanne said. Slllooowww! One at a time. Absolutely not enough solid color to sustain growth.

Now about that little terrarium you made. That is so so so cute! I am glad you did it that way! And believe it or not when I dome that is the way I do it as long as I can find "matching" openings! I have a friend who saves yogurt cups for me but they are not clear at all. They are Dannon, but I do have a few jello containers that are clear and they fit almost great. They go on top and actually fit "just" inside the Dannon cups!

Well, all I have to say in closing is GOOD JOB FRED!!!!!!! Now remember,,,,,,pix! Rosie

It was the kind that had a granola mix in the little cup you mixed with the yogurt so the whole thing fits together. I'm not even sure if they still sell these.

Well, I'd take good care of them! lol Rosie

For the future, you can soak a leaf in sugar water to firm it up. I do what you did

I did not know that! Thanks. The poor leaf was half broken off for a while before I cut it off. I hope It will root, but I'm not counting on it.

I use Root Tone. I dampen the perlite mixed with a small portion of potting mix. I don't recut, I let the tip harden off. I coat lightly in hormone. Make a small indent in the perlite so the rooting hormone stays on the stem tip. Insert in the hole then mound up around it. What you did looks perfect. Because I have the rooting hormone, I use it every time. If there is no stem tip at all, I tear off a bit of the bottom leaf and dust with hormone. Variegated leaves take much longer to root and need watching until they root. Lift the lid and check for moisture once every few days. If the perlite stays too wet, keep the lid off for a few hours. Over watering is a bigger danger with variegated AVs.

Joanne, is there a specific proportion of sugar to water? Why do you let your leaf "harden" as opposed to slant cut, dip in rootone if you choose, and then plant immediately.

Is there an advantage to hardening off the stem? And how long do you leave it to harden off ? I have read this on various threads but never understood why you should do it.

I do it for Epi's, cactus and succulents but I don't understand for violets. Thanks! Rosie

very interesting comment that "over watering is a bigger problem for variegated AF" as this plant is the most finicky of the small collection I have.

What makes a variegated violet "less thirsty" than a plain one? I have not found them to be "finicky". Rosie

This plant has given me trouble ever since I over watered it years ago. It has been repoted several time since. I get this guy going nice then some thing happens and I'm scrambling to stabilize it again. It seams to have a fine margin on moisture,step out side that either way and trouble soon follows. Maybe it not as bad as I'm saying . It is just that this plant is unique in my AV collection. Just seams to me more finicky or fussy.

best of luck with it!

I really can't help you but I just wanted you to know that the wifey and I thinks it is beautiful. As of yet, we have no fancy leafed violets. Mike & Bunny in Missouri

Hi, Terri, I don't know why we struggle with a few stubborn ones. I have done the same. Did you send away for another of the same plant? The replacement might be stronger. Rosie, just a pinch of sugar in a small bowl of warmed spring water. I keep white sugar packets on hand and pour out just a bit into the water. I was told to let the stem tip harden by someone who has a lot of experience. But I also dip in Rootone. If you are not using the rooting hormone, then maybe you should make a fresh cut and dip the end in cinnamon. I have found it works well. Fred, the variegated seem to demand an exact balance of moisture. If they develop a multiple crown, I don't even divide them. They are fragile. Rosie, They have very small root systems so that is why they don't need much water. However, when they need it, they really need it! Joanne

Thanks Joanne! Sometimes I use Rootone and sometimes not. Have never used cinnamon except for cooking. Still trying to wrap around that one!

I do have white sugar ( I gotta make kool aid!) but again I have never soaked a violet in sugar water either.

Ok with letting the stem harden, how long do you let it "sit" somewhere to harden? Then just dip the dry end in Rootone or cinnamon and plant as usual? Rosie

yes. Even if the leaf is soaked to firm it up, the stem end remains sealed over. I was advised to do that by a very experienced member of my club. I have forgotten the theory behind it. If the end is hardened, it does not need to be dusted with cinnamon, that is only for open, moist end to avoid bacteria forming. Because I have the rootone, I make it habit to use it, otherwise, I would forget. It is just extra insurance, that's all. Joanne

Thanks Joanne! I will have to try it sometime. Usually if I get a leaf, and can't get it in water or planted right away I wrap the stem end in a damp napkin to keep it hydrated till I get home. Then I give a fresh cut and plant it asap (with Rootone if I remember to grab it out of the bag. Rosie