Wow, what a difference. Just curious, what source are you getting leaves to propagate from -- online ordering, friends, or ??? You seem to have quite a wide variety of plants.

I got the two pictured plant material from separate online vendors whom I have purchased from previously without issue.

Over the last few years, I have purchased AV plant material from ...

Bloomlovers

Lyndon Lyon

PJ's Violets

Jack's Violets

Bloomin' Jungle

Fancy Bloomers

I've had no more than maybe one misidentification from any of these vendors.

I didn't mean to suggest that there's an issue with any online vendor, Aegis. Those are all reputable sellers. I was just genuinely curious about the wide variety of leaves you get. Well, it does sound like fun if you have the room to grow them!

I understand, dviolet. I just wanted to give a picture of the range of my AV sources.

I have been growing and collecting violets for 10-15 years on and off, and I think, at a recent point, that I counted 300 different varieties I had tried at one time or another.

I prefer standards, with fairly bright colors. I've just grown a few of the Russians, including Blue Mist, Frosty Cherry, Amour Elite, EK Blue Skirts, and LE Ognennyj Tsvetok.

300 varieties and you've had 'off' years. You must have gone through the pain of violet withdrawal symptoms to have stopped feeding such a serious violet habit you have.

Carolyn, that second flush has such unusual beautiful flowers! Maybe you could post another pic when it's in full bloom?

I see a similarity between the flowers (as stated in the ad that made you buy them). As though they are twins but a different color. They are beautiful. Heck I would have bought them also.

I do agree with Carolyn. Whether you are growing a Russian or an Optimara I believe that sometimes the first flush of blooms aren't the true blooms. It has happened to me also all thru the years,,,not all the time,,,,but it has happened. Don't know why but as long as they are beautiful,,,,,well,,,,,.

And Carolyn, I love the 2nd flush of flowers better than the first on yours also! Rosie

Longtime lurker here. I think you need to wait for cooler weather. I grow a few bicolored Russians and the summer blooms are always absent any of the white that's "supposed" to be there in the advertised photos. Nice plants, btw!

I have a few russians. On one or two occasions I have been given a special treat w blooms that are as good or better than available photos. The rest of the time, my russian plants are just ok.

I have a few non-russian plants that are equally as fickle. I live in Florida. My house is air conditioned 11 months out of the year. Rarely more than a degree or two of temp change. This really works well for the plants but even then, some stinkers!

I feel certain that the internet photos are of the various growers best efforts and hardly the average plant that he or she might end up with, in spite of absolutely perfect and professional growing circumstances.

I watched a video on the internet of some guy who shows AV's. He was making some sort of point, can't really remember but in the background were his show plants. He had at least 6 or 7 of the same plant but from what I could see, they did not all have exactly the same flowers. My guess is that he will pick the best of the six or seven to take to the show.

I only have one of each! I have to pray for luck!

That is entirely a possibility Jeff!!!! Rosie

I grow many of mine under a 4-ft shop light setup in a climate-controlled room, but that light setup is on the floor under a large window. In the winter, I think a great deal of cooler air permeates down to the floor under this window. It certainly FEELS cooler, there, anyway. So I think, for me, that variation in temps, despite the thermostat setting, makes a big difference on the color expression of the Russians.

Snezhni Edelveis is one that does this to me, for sure. In the winter: great blossom! Summer? Meh. All fantasy and no white.

Here, hopefully, is a picture of the Snezhni Edelveis that I took this morning. It's showing a little white in the center of the blooms, which is much different than what the blooms looked like a couple months ago, but is still a ways from the beautifully bicolored bloom currently shown on Violet Barn's online catalog. I expect it will have increasing amounts of white back in its blooms starting in about a month or so...it has been unseasonably warm here but I think this is a good pic of its "transitional" bloom color. Hope you post pics of your Russians again in a few months' time, Aegis...I would be interested to see what happens.

Beautiful!

It is now on my list!!!!! lol Rosie

Dviolet1 - it did take awhile but here is my violet in full bloom.

That is beautiful Carolyn! Rosie

Thank you Rosie.

It would be easier for you to make note of the AV's that you DON'T have on your list.

I do like the sneezeknees elvis. Its going to have to go on my list.

You're welcome Carolyn!

Jeff what are "sneezeknees elvis"????? Never heard of that before. Rosie

I didn't want to take the time to remember how to spell the russian AV shown above. I thought it was close enough. Apparently not.

Oh no,,,,I don't know whether to laugh (which I am sooooo doing right now) or apologize for not making the connection!!!! You mean Snezhni Edelveis?? (sorry still laughing out loud a LOT). So sorry.....(just bust out laughing again). I like "sneeezeknees elvis"!!!!!!! Rosie (my eyes are tearing up!!!, sorry again just struck my funny bone!!!!!!)

The English translation is "Snow Edelweiss" ...

Thanks Aegis!!!! Man that was just too funny for me! Rosie

Carolyn, that's so unusual with the green edge! Very pretty!

Thank you Dviolet1