My Willodene. :) this plant literally takes FOREVER to grow and bloom. it was a 10" plant when it started going downhill about 1.5 years ago. I saved and put down three leaves and it took at least 10 months until they were big enough to separate. Now this is its first bloom... And it's nearly 2 years old! Drives me crazy, but I can't part with her. She's a favorite. :)

This is my wranglers Cowboy Blues. Her first bloom. She usually blooms like this the first time around and then just languishes until I finally take leaves and restart. Not much success here but I'm stubbornly trying again.

Here's W. Cowboy Blues with Picasso, Cirelda, and an optimara back in the corner that's a noid. Gorgeous deep purple/white/almost black in places. Semi double. I'm eager for her to bloom!

I also have Grandifolia 299, but she is resting at the moment. I actually have multiple plants of her because I'm scared of loosing her. :)

That about sums up my standards!

Most of my minis are resting... The first one in line here is Lithuanique... I am dying for her to bloom but she's taking her good old time.

The only blooming mini I have at the moment... Painted silk.

And I am SO EXCITED. I just saw this! This plant is at least three years old and has never bloomed for me! Robs Cool Fruit. She's going to bloom!!!

No kidding! I never thought I would know the names. How exciting! Thank you for commenting. ;) i will post the names here in a few! :D

The cowboy blues is a standard. :)

I'm back. :) I looked for an option to PM you, Natayla Mason, but I didn't see any options for that. So here's the list... :) I hope I didn't mispell anything! :]

N avatar sport

Balchug meehta

Sk vevnisazh

Sk pered gvozoi

Sk tvopikanka

N ozhidanie

Sk utvoz liubimoi

Tikhyi omut

Lithuanika (lithuanique?)

Hi suyoder!

First of all, please mind that I'm not a pro - all credit goes to my favorite forum http://miniviolets.ru/forum/index.php (copy the link if you are curious, it does not work properly in comments. But everything is in Russian)

I am using it as an encyclopedia, there is sooo much experience in one place!

Well, the names (I fixed some transcriptions for you in case you want to call them by the name:)))

Sk utro s liubimoi - Wrote about this one in my previous comment.

N Avatar sport - "н аватар спорт" by Nadezhda Berdnikova (N in the name stands for her first name). The name means, well, Avatar:) Sport means that your plant is most likely not going to look like the original description, but I think it looks even better than the original: https://florapiter.ru/page-490.html

Many owners say it tend's to be a late bloomer and sometimes takes its time to grow.

Balchug Mechta - ("Балчуг мечта") by Igor Milekhin. Balchug is an old name of a district in Moscow, but it is not the name of the plant - Igor uses this to identify all his varieties. The name is "Mechta" and translates as "Daydream".

The plant looks pretty! If your plant decides to surprise you, there are two types of sports for this variety - a sport with intense purple blooms and a mutation with very large curly leaves. The first one look great, but if you get the second type, you will have to ditch it, because it does not bloom properly at all. Cannot see too many people complaining about the second type though.

Sk Vernisazh - "ск вернисаж" by Alexei Kuznetzov (he abbriviates himself as SK). The name means literally "the opening day of an art exhibition". Yes, this long:) It is a cutie! I believe it is a new variety and has been a rarety up until recently.

Sk Pered gvozoi - "ск перед грозой" by Alexei Kuznetzov - "Before the Thunderstorm".

Sk Tropikanka - "ск тропиканка" by Alexei Kuznetzov - "Tropicana". Coloring depends on the temperature (higher temp = darker color). Quick bloomer, easy to care.

N Ozhidanie - "н ожидание" by Nadezhda Berdnikova - "Anticipation". Little foliage + large blooms, looks a bit like begonia - lovely!

N Tikhyi omut - "тихий омут" by by Nadezhda Berdnikova - "Still Waters", as in "Still waters run deep". There is a rather similar expression in Russian, so your plant name means something mysterious:)

Lithuanika (Lithuanique) - "литуаника" by Fatina Butene. Lithuanique is another appropriate name for the variety, because the breeder comes from Lithuania. The story is romantic: the plant is named after the first Lithuanian plane to _almost_ cross Athlantic in 1933 (it crashed during the very last leg of the journey). The plant looks awesome, it is almost a hanging variety with beautiful pink rose-like blooms. I keep considering it for my collection, but freak out when I read how whimsical it can be:) All depends on conditions though.

This is basically it.

Hopefully you will be able to google them now and enjoy your future plants!

Good luck with your collection!

Thank you Thank you a thousand times!! :D I copy pasted all of that to my African violet file.

Update:

It suddenly dawned on me that I had overpotted my kitchen window sill miniatures. I had mindlessly and methodically repotted them in January, and upon looking at pictures here I realized that I had over potted them all.

So while I was at it, I decided to try these on a wick system like I had them on a year ago. We shall see if this works. :)

P.s. for those who remember me... Formerly I was: shihtzu4su.

Sue, really enjoyed this post so far (and the wonderful translations/comments by Natalia, thank you!) May I ask where you obtained all these wonderful Russian varieties? Your first three photos of your tray of baby plants - they all look terrific! We need to see more as they bloom. :-)

Hi Anne! :)

Thanks for commenting. ;)

I ordered two batches of leaves off eBay last spring... From two different sellers. One was an American seller, one from somewhere else. I can't remember which country anymore. Most of the Russisn miniatures came from the overseas seller... Tho the Lithuania one was a special request from the American seller. She was awesome enough to send it to me! :) :)

I will keep y'all posted with pics!!, :)

Wonderful post and wonderful pictures. I also have Willodene which I had to restart and it is also taking forever. I almost tossed it, so I am glad that you said its one of your favorites. Thanks so much for all the great photos.

perle, so glad you decided to keep Willodene! She is so rewarding to grow... Especially when she gets to be large!! :D

Here's what my original willodene plant looked like back in 2015!

Russian.. "morning with the woman you love" is just opening up! :)

I bought a large Willowdene at a show last year, but when I got it home it declined. I think it was a ph issue. Anyway, I put a leaf down and it has mouse ears now, but they are barely growing. I have been so tempted to toss it, but will hang on.

"Morning with the woman you love"... Opened up... :D such a sweet little flower! It's kinda bell shaped. Look at all the blooms coming on!

And Painted Silk...

And Lithuania... I moved her to a little more shady spot because it looked to me that her crown is too flat and close... Like maybe she's getting too much light. was I right??

And the whole row of them... On wicks! This is 14 of my semi and miniatures... I have 32 total. :] (I think most of them are semi actually.)

Random question... Does anyone know.. is the trailer, Cirelda a semi? Here's mine in a 3" pot.

Sue so happy to see all of your photos ! You reminded me I need to start using my quilted jelly jars for wicking! Will look a lot nicer than margarine containers.

And the Russian translations, oh my ! Natalya, thank you so much ! Such an interesting thread !!!!! Rosie