Regarding buying a leaf of a fantasy from Lyon's, I have never done that. For fantasies, I buy only the plant. Lyon's ships large starter plants in small pots with potting medium. They do not have to be repotted until they outgrow the pot, based on leaf spread. Sometimes they ship smaller plants if the plant is rare. You can always ask their recommendation. They aim to please. Joanne

If not a chimera (ie genetically unstable), leaves should produce roughly what the parent plant was. AVs are apparently VERY prone to mutation, so it isn't absolutely sure that every one will be exactly the same. That's a good reason to start several and bloom them before being sure of what they are.

Fantasies are nearly as bad as chimeras, but not quite (lol) and best propagated by bloom stems or suckers just as chimeras are. But if you have a number of babies (and bear in mind you can often let the mother leaf reproduce again) you should get one very close if not identical to the parent.

That's part of the fun of it...if you like gambling and games of chance (lol).

Joanne - you are doing just right... without my noisy interference. You are a well seasoned AV grower!

Anyway - some fantasy varieties are more stable, some are less. Croteau varieties are pretty good. I grew 5 'Jee-Pee' this year from a leaf - only one turned solid, rest bloomed with a gorgeous puff fantasy.

Anything bi-color or multicolor will sport when started - it can be 10% sports or 90% sports.

Any kind of stress rocks the genetics... Neglected Chimeras turn solid. Keeping Chimera in shape requires good culture and vigilance, but I digress,

To improve the ratio of plants blooming true - reduce the stress. Good quality fresh leaves, consistent light and humidity, good pH, normal temperatures - will give you strong babies and you will get them fast. If the culture suffers - you get stunted babies and lots of sports.

Stan Ko in Hong Kong creates chimeras out of multicolors by growing babies in acid soil and with 95F temperature. Genetics goes bonkers from such abuse. Probably 99% of his babies are horrid, but he consistently registers new Chimeras.

I do not start leaves in water, I start them in soil. Cannot say if water is better or worse for sporting - but leaves in soil give more babies.

You buy a starter plant (fry me for an oyster if I know the difference between a plug and a starter) - and until it blooms - you do not know. If it takes 6 months for a starter plant to bloom - you need to improve the culture. Something is off. Not all plants start blooming young... but most do.

If you start with a leaf - you will end with a bunch of babies - and with good culture - they will start to bloom in 6 months - and you can select the best for your pride and joy - and gift the rest to friends and family. Normal non-violet-crazy people enjoy them even they do not have fantasy.