Gorgeous! If it came like this...the trick will be to keep it like this. In my experience, Optimaras NEVER stay the way they are bought.

It was about half this size when purchased.

I've had the plant for about a year, I think. It started blooming about four months ago.

Modesty would be a good variegated plant to take on. It has the hardiness of an Optimara, plus the beauty of more specialized violets.

The real trick is to get them growing. Blooming happens as the plant grows. The simpler the routine, the better.

Good watering, good lighting, good soil will get you halfway there ... and, when you get there, add just a little fertilizer.

Beautiful plant! This one was a strong grower for me.

Waow...then this is a great achievement! :-) I thought you just brought it from the store. :-)

Aegis,

Just wanted to clarify: are you saying that it is best to grow the plants WITHOUT fertilizer when they are very young/small - UNTIL they reach a larger size and only THEN start applying fertilizer?

I am not sure how to proceed with my small new collection from Travis Violets. They are all young and pretty fragile and I am not sure whether I should fertilize or wait a few months until they become more established.

I thought the fertilizer helped AV-s grow - wouldn't it be useful to use it as they develop? Or are they still too young to withstand the harsh fertilizer salts?...

I tend to wait on fertilization ... until I can see that the plant has adjusted to my growing conditions and environment.

Smaller plants are a bit more fragile ... and are more subject to stresses which could be caused by fertilization.

I would wait at least a month or two.

The only time that I fertilized plants quite soon after acquiring them ... I ended up burning out the crowns ...

Thank you aegis, this is an important and timely tip.

I was ready to start watering my new plants with fertilizer but now I will definitely wait a month or two to make sure they get used to my place and grow healthy.

So beautiful! Kudos! I have a leaf with one baby coming up from it. I've got my fingers crossed all goes well. It's such a lovely violet!

STUNNING! Great job! She is one of my favorites and I am really not a fan of blue, but somehow with the color of the leaves and the variegation it just all pulls together for me! Rosie

What is your favorite AV colo, Rosie ?

Mine are the blues - the closest to blue and further away from purple, the better. :)

And next the pinks - those close to Bubble gum.

I thought I liked reds but AV red always seems too dark.

Aegis, Beautifully grown Modesty! Begonia, Fun question about fave color!

Optimara Modesty blooms are deep blue-violet, and, along with your comments about your variegation, I would conclude that your pant is not Modesty.

Modesty's variegation is pretty natural. I really didn't do anything special to achieve that.

Fortunately, Modesty is pretty easy to come by, and I'm sure you'll eventually find her.

Thank you for the feedback! I deleted my comment because I thought it was too wordy!! Did you stick with your resolve to keep your collection to a manageable size?

AV reds are, typically, dark, though you will occasionally get brighter individual blooms.

Also, I've found that the red in Frosty Cherry is "brightened" by the white which is also in the flower.

I've grown Red Lantern, Red Rocket, Hot Spot, and Pow Wow, ... and have enjoyed growing each one of them.

Hot Spot has an especially velvety quality that really accents the blossom.

Oh Begonia,,,if I name a favorite color it's only because I haven't seen the next color yet! In other words,,,,I can't pin it to favorite, next favorite etc. I have never seen a violet I didn't fall in love with. So I really cannot, with conviction, answer that question! Rosie

That is gorgeous. I might get a normal sized one if I could find one that pretty.

Hey fortyseven ...

I'm still working on my management efforts. I've discarded a few more plants over the summer that weren't growing or blooming well.

I really do want to grow some of these plants out to maybe triple their current size, so I'm going to continue to make more room.

I also just repotted half of the collection and cleaned up the growing areas.

Aegis, Maybe if you try some of the vintage plants. I have a Blue Barry that has enormous leaves and double deep blue blooms. I don't know much about it except the name and that it is vintage.

For that matter, my plant was not labeled Optimara Modesty either.

Optimara no longer labels the plants it sells in retail outlets.

We both could just have one of the many variations ...

Your violet looks like the one on the O website as to the description of the flower, a dark blue star with a fringed edge. Mine was bought at an AV club show and sale where the club has its own greenhouse and I believe raises their own plants. However, the one I got was not labelled, the grower said it looked like it was probably O Modesty.

O MyViolet page shows a violet called O Devotion that looks like the one I have. It is discontinued. However, the greenhouse that sold it may have had it for years and started their own from leaves. Joanne

I just scored an O. Modesty from a Fresh Market! Woo hoo!

Good for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rosie

Thanks Rosie! :)