Wow! Isn't it amazing how good phone cameras can be nowadays? It's the only reason I have for wanting to upgrade...someday. Perfectly beautiful photo of a perfectly beautiful bloom. Thanks!

Ah, that does look like perfection. Just beautiful.

Seeing a mature plant with new blooms, variegated leaves, has got to be really something.

My favorite stage of this flower. I wish it would stay that way.

Thank you. Cold, nasty, grey winter days here so I cherish the days when the sun is out. Sooo looking forward to selling our home and finally making an offer on the log house we want. If we can get it, I am planning to build a walapini in ground greenhouse and use a rocket mass heating system to keep it warm in deep winter. My plants and I can hardly wait!

Wow - that's a major construction plan!

We've been planning it for years but our only option at our last home was to put it out in the horse pasture, and that wasn't ideal. Nor did we intend to stay at that home once my husband's PHD was finished, so we have been waiting. I hope to do it at this next home and then stay there until we are too old to stay self sufficient.

Gorgeous flower! Twould be awesome if it stayed that color.

Hyn sounds like a plan.....a very big formidible (IMO!!!) plan, at least for me. But I wish you luck and glad to hear from you now and again. BTW,,,,still trying to find a few more mini's for my project! I do have one that I am growing from a little piece. It is not a violet, but I like what I did with it,,,so we will go a little off topic here!

The plant is a mini oak leaf weeping fig. So cute! And grows fast.

The entire bowl is about 4 inches across. I sent for it and a matching mug back in the 1970's for proofs of purchase and $1. I put the little snail family in there with my very large petosky stone right in the middle! The glass container is actually the world globe. Kind of unique! AND the best part is, a condiment lid fits on the top perfectly to keep in the humidity! This pix was taken this past summer and there is much more green vines in there now. I will need a larger container shortly.

Sorry about the off topic,,,,,,,,,Rosie

I like it, Rosie. Go off topic with me any time you like. ;)

You could try some micro minis in there like sinningia pusilla, which you can get seeds of cheaply on Ebay. Or you could take a micro or mini AV and pot a tiny baby into a 1/2 inch pot just larger than a thimble with a little wick and nestle it down into your terrarium with moss around it to keep the tiny pot concealed. Constricting the roots on a mini like that keeps it smaller and forces blooming while it's tiny.

Here's a photo of a 1 inch pot with a slightly over 1 inch wide EK Before the Storm that you may have seen before. I could easily have removed older leaves and kept it a lot smaller still, or have planted it into a pot half that size. I've grown and bloomed AV's well under 1 inch wide several times now with this method. The only trick is keeping them domed or wicked so they don't dry out.

I'm sure you have seen this famous photo on the internet, advertising it as the smallest blooming African Violet in the world:

It's Pixie Runaround which can get to be a fair sized bushy trailer. Unless you grow it in a /tiny/ pot. ;) I have the chimeric version myself called Pixie Runaround Sport. Micro minis like Kissaway Trail and Lil' Periscope are all good choices, as well as D. Tamiana which I've also bloomed at around 1 inch wide or smaller plants.

Thanks Hyn! Oh my,,,I have just added all of those little cuties to my "Littles Wish List"!!!! And yes! I have a regular Wish List and one for "Littles"!!!!! Sinningia Pusilla was the first sinningia I ever had way back in the day. I will have it again someday!!! Rosie

It's a tiny jewel. I got a tiny tuber from Kathy Spissman and since it has grown into a colony of plants. The little seed pods are so tiny and open up over the moss, making the colony larger and larger. Pretty soon my 4 inch wide dish is going to be full and need to be either broken up or repotted into a larger dish again. I'd really like to get sinningia 'Li'l Georgie', Snowflake, and Jeremy Stevens has bred an entirely new micro mini that's pink with spots and tiny scalloped petals! So cute.

Same tiny 1 inch wide micro mini sinningia as seen from above with a seed pod, mosses, and gravel. Rob's Lucky Charm leaf at top right. It's also a good one for a small terrarium as I have no problem keeping that AV small. I beheaded one of mine and now I have bunches of them.

Wonder how many non-Michigan folks would recognize that stone, Rosie? :-)

I'm not a Michigan person but I can see it's fossilized coral, or looks like it.

Only if they are a rockhound Paul! But that stone is a beauty and she is very large. Because it is enclosed the moisture keeps it damp and you can always see the beautiful "patterns" that she has.

Had trouble getting her in the glass globe though. Actually there is very little soil in there. I also put a couple other smaller rocks of some sort in there also. Along with my little snail trio! I am not looking forward to taking it apart and repotting in a larger container. But at the rate it is growing, this spring will probably be the time.

Hyn, so sorry!!! I misspoke! I DO have Sinningia pusilla! Looked at her just tonight and she is blooming again. Still have 3 main plants all together and am working on that colony!

It is S. white sprite that I wish to have. SHE was my first sinningia. My second was S. Dollbaby. Would love to have a lot of teensy different varieties. I'm workin' on it!!! Rosie

Have you seen sinningia Snowflake, Rosie? It's a cutie but pricey.

OMG! I just goggled it. How cute! Definitly on my "Littles List" !!!!! Unfortunately at $20 out of my league. sigh. Rosie

Haha, exactly my reaction. But I may be able to trade for it. Not worried about it if I don't though as there are a lot of other nice things out there. But a lot of Chimeric AV's sell in that range or more so a swap of babies may be possible.

Yeah.......trade is always a possibility. Rosie

That 'Edge Of DarkNess' is a TERRIFIC violet. WOW!!!! Where did you get it? The only one I EVER saw for sale, was from a grower in the Russian Federation on EBay! And the ONLY USA seller I saw was on EBay, wants $12 for the plant, in a 2in Solo cup, not to bad, but $11 to ship it ?! Year round price, not winter prices. TO much!!

Did you find a USA grower a bit more affordable?....or was it a trade? I want that one so much, but cant get it!!

I got mine from a friend who gave me the plant but it's fairly common in the USA. It's a Lyndon Lyons hybrid if I recall and they usually have it or leaves available. Also Terri Vicenzi who you can look up on Facebook regularly offers AV leaves and sometimes babies on the FB AV sales pages. She and I are close friends and she has super quality plants and sends nice beautiful leaves very cheaply. Or if by spring if you haven't located any, hit me up and I can probably send a few leaves if you'll pay shipping. Unfortunately they have to be sent in a small box and if sent Priority Mail for quick delivery will start at at least $7, more if you are far away from me or out away from a city.

Normally this plant's flowers in warm weather get HUGE and turn a medium red-wine purple color as they expand, only being blackish when the flowers first open. But in cool winter weather down in my basement the flowers are staying medium sized and quite black. I like it both ways. In warm weather the flowers can easily reach or exceed 3 inches wide on a healthy, mature plant and last two or more weeks per flower if your humidity isn't too low.

Usually Fancy Bloomers has it, though sold out atm:
http://www.fancy-bloomers.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1664

http://www.fancy-bloomers.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1715

Tropial World has leaves in stock here:

http://www.tropicalworldusa.com/African-Violet-Edge-of-Darkness-pair-of-leaves_p_1614.html

Lydon Lyons is a good source but as you say, their winter shipping costs are crazy so you'd do better to check with them in the spring. When they have it in stock they sell the plant for $14.99 but you'll also get a good sized plant, not a tiny baby. I'll also have babies by spring as I put down a few leaves when I groomed it last week.

The Violet Barn currently has it in stock for $10 for a plant, though it'll be a smaller plant usually but not tiny.
https://www.violetbarn.com/store/edge-of-darkness-new.html

Very likely there are growers in FL who have them as well if you want to toss up a wanted add on Facebook's AV sales pages.

Lyndon Lyon has leaves for $2.99, If you start form a leaf- it is fast growing, not prone to sporting, huge size AV. Cute velvety round leaves with a touch of variegation. Flowers are stunning - but for me it doesn't bloom until it reaches a hefty size. There are many place you can get it - but it is winter - so wait till April.

Well where did YOU get it from? I am TRYING to root leaves now, been over 3 weeks now, no sign of roots or tiny leaves yet. I HATE growing from leaves. I would be thrilled to get a 'plug' size,at least it is half way to blooming! But where did YOU get yours?

Mine blooms fine when kept to a smaller size. As Irina says, it can get to be a large plant but mine bloomed at about 4 inches wide and I remove the outer leaves to keep it around 8 inches or less.

Sorry, PoohBearLvr but I was gifted mine from a friend at my local AVSA club in Atlanta. It was a surprise gift after I had mentioned wanting to get leaves. I'm good with leaves and I have more than enough other things to keep me occupied (hybridizing hibiscus lately) that I don't even care how long they take. 4 to 8 weeks is pretty usual for babies to come up but it varies. Patience is worth cultivating. ;)

I’m so glad u mentioned the4-8 weeks. Mine is at 6 wks. I am relieved that it still might develop babies. Like a hopeful mother waiting, waiting........then some of the tiny ones die. It was worth the try. Still learning

Cheryl - you are right - some take 10 days - some 4 months. And miniatures take longer and produce one baby - they do not have as much energy stashed. If you provide good light, warmth and decent humidity - it takes less time. Your own leaves will produce much faster than the ones that were in a mail for a week or two. In spring everything wants to grow and propagate - you will get your babies faster.

We all have different energy - some are good for starting plants - and some for pulling weeds. And some have such energy - that even mosquitoes do not bite them. My mother is like this. No mosquito bites - and dandelions never come back.

Let's count our blessings and use our gifts!

Irna_co - haha, well said. Love the encouraging thoughts. I do want babies, lots of babies. Babies, babies, babies, then I can gift them to friends and grow them big.

How warm should the room be?

ur mom sounds awesome! The earlier generation def had powerful energy n strength. My Dad at 70 was in better shape than me. - haha He would insist to push me in the wheelchair ( he would refuse to ride) ( we were supposed to share the thing!} with his cane n gray hair after my surgery. Sure made for a sight. Miss him loads. Live that mom of urs!

I am thinking about this cool room of yours. If you keep your started leaves on the trays covered - if you have domes - fine, if not just throw a light plastic on the top of them - cut a piece from a dry cleaners bag... switch your lights from day to night - to raise the temperature in a coolest time - who cares if the lights are on when you sleep - it is not your bedroom. I think the temperature around 70F is fine, humidity - just do not keep them too soggy, For leaves you can have high humidity if the soil is not too wet. If your room is colder - you can buy heat mats for seedlings and stick them under the trays.

And then you will have babies... and each leaf will give you 10, and they will push you out if house and home...

My mother is 92... .. She bosses everybody all her life. Do you want to be ordered around 24/7? Mosquitoes do not bite her because they die on approach. Toxic is the word.

Your Dad was a really good guy! They do not make them like this any more....

Irna_co

definatly want babies. Where to buy heat mat? It is not one from pharmacy I hope. -it’ll have double uses. - haha

i found a moisture measuring device for soil. What r ur thoughts on using it? I’m constantly checking for sogginess. This may sound mad but if I find that it is too wet I will put plant on glass bowl and place on a cup warmer for coffee to warm it up n remove moisture. So far no casualties. Only for a few minutes. Don’t want to cook the roots.

Irna_co

found heated mat n then found germinator dome... goodness. My new life n new hobby. This w b useful for the garden too. No more buying plants. Now that I have time to grow. Mb hubs will join the life and sport me/ - haha ( us ) a kit. He likes my flowers so far n of course he likes to eat.

I currently have the flu n he is away so my internet time is becoming expensive to support. When he returns, I might have some splanin to do. Lots of giggling and smiling also helps. MB a blueberry pie from last yrs berries. Won’t hurt.

Could keep a eye out at Goodwill’s too. Wouldn’t that b nice n sporadic! Could we have a RR on temp unused germinating kits? I would think they can’t b used constantly! Lol

Haha, I loved your responses, Irina! Good points and made me laugh, too. ;) I need to replace my heat mat as well. It went kaput and my other ones are packed up, Irina is right. You can be over run with flats of leaves and babies. I've been there, done that. It was fun but it's also a lot of work. Great way to lure your friends over for repotting parties and give away/share some of your plants.

Btw, tell your husband that your hobbies are cheaper and more fun than anti-depressant drugs. Nobody wants a stressed, crazy and depressed wife, right?

I just saw a heat mat, domed flats etc for sale at Lowe's!!!! HEY!!! Spring is almost here!!!!!!!! Rosie

Yay for Lowe’s!!! As soon as fever breaks, I’ll take a look.

Geeze, if we lived closer I would bring it to you! And then you could show me your plants, and then,,,,and then,,,,WOW. What a dream! Rosie

They are usually a lot cheaper by mail order if you are a careful shopper, but there is something to be said for convenience if you only want one and don't need several.

Hyn Patty

He definitely wants a happy wifey. It’s good for his peace and brings pleasure,..... kinda like African Violets!!

Maybe with all the babies, we can start a Southern Va club here. I’m in/near Roanoke. My friends have green thumbs too. They love my minis. Most have never seen such tiny ones before.

You’re always welcome Rosie. We can swap leaves. Without that germinator my propagation is nilt. Pictures soon.

Next AV Convention in Buffalo is a bit too far from Denver for me - but we can delegate Rosie to drive there with a truck...and buy all the new ones. And then spread them.

I’d go with you Rosie!!!!! But, think I’m a bit out of your way.