Aegis1000, Thank you for taking the time to post your experience with certain varieties. I've read & seen how successful you are on this forum a year now & hold your results with great respect. I know you are a seasoned grower & always enjoy pictures you post of your beauties. I've learned from your wisdom.

I had great success with Arapahoe but boy did it get big (12" high & across) in less than a year from starting with a leaf. It bloomed a lot so I gave it to someone that only had a couple & the room for it. I prefer Tomahawk which hasn't gotten that large & has a true red flower I prefer, too. Trudy

Arapahoe, Allison's Laughter, Arctic Frost, and Crimson Frost were all attempted during the years I was unknowingly dealing with Chloramine in my water.

I may give Arctic Frost another try ... it bloomed magnificently, ... and maybe Tomahawk, as well.

Thanks, Trudy ...

Elizabeth grows well for me on the wick, mat and in a cooler basement. Powder Keg - I bet it was something with a clone. I had it before - and it never took off. I got it again - and it grew to a monster with lots of blooms. Finally I gave it to friend - it took half of my shelf..

I think sometimes if we get a really good clone - we need to hold to it and never really give it away - put leaves down - share with as many friends as you can - because - if you get rid of it - comes time you want it again - and whatever you get is not the same. I had Irish Flirt that grew like a semi-mini - and lost it - now everybody around grows a tight curly plant that is never bigger than a mini and has flowers that are tinted dirty pink. Not exactly Sassy Sister - if I am not mistaken - this is a sport of Irish Flirt in pink .

Since some of the plants that did not grow well for aegis do/did grow well for irina and Trudy, do you think it's more the actual plant or the growing conditions? More than likely the water issue was a major problem for aegis, but what about other reasons? I bought Playful Spectrum at a nursery for my daughter-in-law because it was pink. Of course, I've found out since then that it isn't supposed to be pink! I repotted it before I gave it to her and kept 2 leaves. I now have 2 plantlets. Irina, was the issue with growing from leaves just that they didn't bloom true? Being a very casual grower, that isn't a concern of mine, but for you more serious growers, I can see why it would be. My daughter-in -law is looking forward to her mystery blooms!

Irina, what about Irish Laughter? Have you tried that one? Aegis, have you tried Arctic Bliss? Royals, it sounds like you know what you are doing with the success you have experienced. It is probably the plant itself, not the conditions. Many of us have to grow out plants for a long time before we begin to comment about our success or failure. So it can take a few years to know what to recommend to one another. Aegis and Irina have good growing habits and maintain good conditions, even though living in opposite sides of the country.

A fantasy plant can revert to almost anything, with Playful Spectrum often reverting to pink. The more recent the introduction of the fantasy, variety the more unstable the color due to the complicated genetics. So, old time fantasies are more stable. You can tell by the dates in the vendor's descriptions. Also, the name Playful Spectrum seems to hint at instability. Some people like that, others seek something more true.

If you read through the descriptions on the Lyon's website, you will notice many sports that came from fantasies or chimeras. Sometimes, the sport is more stable than the fantasy. We have commented here in the past of the instability of white violets, often reverting to blue or purple edging or thumbprints. It can be lovely, but if we really wanted pure white, we then try a different variety.

Thank you for the list Aegis, and comments, Irina. Very helpful as I was thinking of trying some of the varieties mentioned and now have crossed them off my shopping list. In fact, it is a very good idea to post comments on varieties. The write ups the vendors post do not indicate with are easier to grow than others. As for difficulty, it is the varieties themselves that are difficult. I am not as skilled a grower as Irina and Aegis and have had similar results with some of the varieties mentioned above. At the time, I was also unknowingly dealing with chloramine in the water when moving to a new house with a different water source.

For a new grower, the safest varieties to succeed with are the purples, blues, and fantasy purples if you want some variety. With solid green leaves. Red backed leaves are strong. If you want variegation, a minimal amount of edge variegation is the strongest.

The best sizes for a new grower to learn with are standards and semis. Playful Specturm is a difficult AV, so is Elizabeth. I did fine with Powder Keg and still have it but the color is not attractive.

Apaches did great for a while, but declined after a move to a new house with a different light source. Irina is a star grower, doing well with Elizabeth. It does not do well for me.

Reds are difficult. Tomahawk was my best, and Christmas Dream. I have tried many of the others with not much success. Rob's has a red mini that is excellent in color and growth habit. I am not a mini grower, so I eventually donated it to my club. Some of the Mac's "almost reds" are strong growers. But hard to find Mac's these days.

I would be happy to find a strong white with variegated leaves. So far, have not had a pure white. I also have not done well with the white mentioned in Aegis' list. I got some leaves from Optimara of whites, they suggested an additional white I had not selected.

I often wonder if the newer varieties produced each season are more hearty or more fragile, due to the complicated blossom patterns. Hybridizers have suggested to me plants that are older as being the most stable. I would rather have a well-grown, basic AV rather than an overly fragile one that cannot thrive with my somewhat casual care.

Finally, people have very personal opinions about the varieties they like to grow. We we are talking here more about the ease of growth and what the adult plant looks like rather than our personal preference. I generally prefer AVs in the middle range that complement the natural growing pattern of the plant itself. However, some of my club members like to try the exotic and unusual. They have been growing for many years and seek out the novelties. So I will try growing out a few of those as well. But for non-club members, to introduce them to violets, I give them something that is easier to grow. Joanne

Thank you, Joanne, for all of this information. I can tell from all of the posts that I've read over the last few months that Aegis and Irina are both expert growers. And the pictures that all of you post! Beautiful! I remember Annie from All About African Violets talking about plants that grow better for her in Illinois than in California and vice versa. I thought perhaps since Aegis and Irina live in different areas that the growing conditions might be instrumental in why different plants grow well for one but not the other. At this time last year, I knew next to nothing about African violets other than their blooms are pretty and I couldn't get one to bloom! I mentioned in another post that I finally got one to bloom when we moved to a different home that has better light. I still didn't know what I was or wasn't doing. All of you are so knowledgable! I've learned a tremendous amount from you and look forward to learning more.

Light is the main factor for me growing mostly in natural light and a dry climate.

No - I never tried Irish Laughter.

I find a problem with red and white combination - they eventualy mutate to the point when the red is bleeding into the white. And tie-dyed effect is not appealing for me.

Red - dark red with a white geneva edge - of Powder Keg - looks gorgeous under the lights. in the natural light.. dead meat.

I do not grow Playful Spectrum right now, did before - I do not think it is specifically difficult - but it is very unstable propagation wise. It wouldn't pass 3 generations test for sure - but it is very beautiful -and should be treated as a chimera - suckers only.

Mutation is often a result of the stress - you do not repot it for a year and more - strange things start happening. It is too cold, it is too hot, it dried up, or almost drowned - plant will start suckering like crazy and the the leaves will start developing birthmarks...next thing it will bloom - and you will have different blossoms.

Out of variegated whites I grew Northern Beauty and Northern Exposure - both hybridized by my late friend and AV mentor Nelly Levine - we just had a Council Show dedicated to her memory. Both - very good plants, Northern Beauty is easier, Exposure is tricky.

Top growers are not born this way - they learn through making mistakes and killing their share of plants. And curiosity and persistence eventually pay off. And after being a member of the club, Council and AV Society for over 15 years, attending the Shows and Conventions - something rubs in... eventually... but then you start forgetting things...

Top plants do not come from windowsills, top growers without exception grow plants under the lights and on wicks. If the climate is drier - on mats - like we in Colorado, if the climate is more humid - on wicks and reservoirs. Deli containers with holes in the lids - and yarn wicks threaded through the holes. Constant feeding, wick watering. Every good grower has his own little secrets - by finding what works best for his conditions. (His-hers - majority of the growers are ladies, but many top growers are men.)

Controlled environment - is the answer to all our AV troubles. A plant with a strong variegation will do significantly better under lights and on wicks. You can grow pretty decent Optimaras on natural light, if you turn the plants just a bit every day or so to prevent stretching to the window.

Yes - plants in nature are not pampered and nobody provides them with an artificial light. And they have holes from caterpillars, birds stain them with their droppings and they use these droppings as a natural fertilizer. Nothing wrong with them, they are lovely - but it is not a show quality - plays do not care about being in a show - success in nature - survive and set plenty of seeds for the future generations.

Yes - if you picked the plant that is hybridized locally, it will give you some advantage. If you grow your plants under lights and on wicks - it is not that important. Plants adjust.

I talk too much...

I'm not really an expert grower, ... I occasionally have some success which particular varieties. I have yet to have any real success with minis or semi's, ... and I'm still tossing plants that aren't doing well.

Joanne ... I'm having pretty good success with Jersey Snowflake. I've propageted a couple starter plants ... and have grown a vendor supplied starter to a pretty good size ... about 9" - 10" across. Depending on the plant, the variegation varies, with the largest plant having the least. It's bloomed a bit, but nothing really significant yet.

This has been a very informative post. Any newer grower should read it. Thank you for sharing.

Aegis -

you have something that is still a challenge to you - it is WONDERFUL! Otherwise you will decide that you can do it real well, nothing new to learn - and it will become so boring - that you will compost all your violets and dedicate yourself to the exciting new task of raising Madagascar cockroaches and training them to sing blues. ( if you guys are not familiar - these exotic insects are very large and they squeak if you disturb them.)

Obviously, part of my problem is numbers.

I've got too many plants to sustain well.

I'm in the process of trimming my numbers this year, and into the future.

I've, typically, added maybe 20 violets per year for the last few years. This year, I'm intent upon discarding around 20. That will give me a little more time to tend to the plants that I really like. And, there are a few that have passed off of the scene ... that I would most likely, try again.

I've already mentioned Arctic Frost. (And BTW, Joanne, I'm growing Arctic Bliss fairly successfully right now).

Do-overs would also include Apache Daydream - It has a really lovely magenta-violet double bloom. I may also retry Optimara EverPrecious.

There are a couple other "new" plants that have caught my eye, as well. Optimara Affection (a variegated pink) and Lacey's Determination ...

... from the Violet Voice "AV Talk" page ...

I'm really enjoying this thread & like to see which varieties grow well or don't for various growers.

Of Aegis plants, I have attempted these: Arapahoe grew well for me but I didn't keep it during a culling a couple of years ago. I have plants on the leaf for Elizabeth & Lady in Red, so they are still a mystery. I so wanted to grow Playful Spectrum but it never liked my conditions so I gave up on it. I do have a small plant of Powder Keg yet to bloom.

I haven't grown Apache Daydream or Jewel but I will go the extra mile for any Apache because they can be so spectacular when grown well.

Overall, I am not too fond of large blossoms but I could make an exception for that Lacey's Determination. Its a beauty! And I have grown Optimara EverPrecious. It is somewhere on my top twenty list of varieties. Someday I will grow it again along with a few other varieties that have slipped away.

Terri

Irina, you can talk all you want, we appreciate. But I hope Madagascar roaches are found only in the area by that name. This is a fun thread, lots of great ideas and sharing. Now, where's that charge card? Terri, I believd Arapahoe is getting rare. As Irina points out, the Reds look best under lights. Except for Optimara. They look fine in daylight. Joanne

Hear, hear! Red Optimaras - are for window growers, the rest of them reds - are for ... how to say it politely...die hard AV growers who turn their living space into an indoor light garden, pay high electric bills, walk sidewise between the shelving units and are generaly considered borderline insane by the rest of population.

Crazy Me.

The key is high electric bills. That's my main deterrent to getting lights in again. Only slightly less insane about AV....j

An LED shoplight from Costco is $29, it only uses 38wt and it lasts forever. It is a bit too high for AV - but Polina managed to to train her AVs to grow under it - and she only uses it for 6 hours.

You need to grow some reds ;-)))

A light garden afficionado. $250 electric/gas for now. Much higher in summer - and higher in winter.

I.