I think you got a darker sport of it. This is a photo from a hybridizer Svetlana Repkina site. The shape of the blossom and leaves seem to be in the same ballpark - but yours are much darker.

You have a very pretty plant as well, you can keep under the name of Sport off Masha... it is not as festive as the original but pretty in its own way. Of course it can be something totally else. You can try to contact your seller if he can advise if it mislabeled. In a perfect world it never happens - in reality... all the time.

Both AVs are beautiful. Irina, I enjoy your word "festive!" Also, your knowledge of Rusian/Uk's. I will have to look for that when I am ready to order again. Joanne

Irina, thank you! That's interesting. It's from Violet Barn, I suppose they should know. I won't be complaining, and I sure wouldn't ask for a replacement. Enough already, hah!

Joan

Update: I'm not sure that eBay photo (I found the same one, by using Google, which is not my default search engine - I use DuckDuckGo because they don't track you) is the definitively accurate representation of what this violet should be. It doesn't attract me in any way, and I don't think I would have ordered something that didn't whack me in the eye. So I've sent a pic of my Masha vs. that other eBay photo to Violet Barn, with a request that they let me know what *they* think Masha Rasterasha should look like. I await response, and will post here when they get back to me.

Here is the link. to the hybrdizer site

http://shop.violaclub.lg.ua/katalog/fialki/novinki-rs/standartyi/rs-masha-rasteryasha

On the other side - the blossom is quite complex, with all the nuances of color and frills...and we all experienced enough sports in our collections... the closer we are to the basic blue of the Saintpaulia species, the less variation we have in a progeny. The more elaborate the original - the more sports it will produce.

This is an example - Saintpaulia confusa Mather ... really easy to grow, ALWAYS reproduces true from the leaves, tough as an army boot, floriferous... love it

I am very grateful for 88 years of dedicated efforts of AV hybridizers... it is a totally different universe of hybrid AVs.

Ooh, those are actually much clearer photos, and I especially like that one shows the form of the entire plant. Thank you very much! And yes, it's interesting to know that the more complex the background, the more likely are sports. I see this happening in some of my hostas, sometimes. It fits in with what you said also about ruffly foliage going with ruffly flowers. Complexity leads to, well, complexity.

That is a very sweet little violet. It makes me happy to see it. Is it hard to find?

Not that very many people grow Saintpaulia species, but usually somebody in AV club or gesneriad club carries several. They disappear in nature with a scary speed mostly due to the loss of habitat so I think it is interesting to preserve a piece of wild in a collection.

VB carries some, you can find some on ebay. Though the AV selling season is pretty much over, winter shipping is not cheap ... at all.

Yeah, I saw some on VB. I was attracted to S ionantha white. But going to hold off until I sort out any and all potential thrip problems. I just want to make sure we're safe, here, before adding anything new.

Just spray everything green in a house. With something efficient. Avid will work, Imidacloprid will work - I think nowadays you can purchase AVID under the name Minx 2 in a small bottle - or search on abamectin - it is an active ingredient. Imidacloprid is an actve ingredient in many formulations, I think you can buy a drench with it in Home Depot - but make 4 times lighter solution. Thrips is a twice a summer come from outside thing. Have something on your hands always - you see one thrips - spray the works. Before they become a legion.

I do not think a plain S.ionantha is that interesting... it is a regular rosette plant with medium green leaves and smallish blossoms. I think VB has Ionantha House of Amani - this ia a spectacular plant - dark leaves, shiny, potential of a large head of blooms. Ionantha Sigi Falls grows as a tight trailer with think elongated hairy leaves and pale blossoms. Both S. tongwensis = regular and t. Uppsala - have distinct vein pattern on the leaves. S. grotei Silvert clone - is an absoolute delight of a semi-mini trailer - super floriferous.

This is a regular S.tongwensis - lovely leaves, aren't they?

Joan, Irina, In California, we can legally only use organic on thrips. Neem works. Soap and water and repotting also.

Lovely speimens, Irina!

Joan, the species are making a comeback, and trailers, too. Follow Annie from the podcasts, send her an email. She will help you find what you are looking for.

Also, some older vintage plants from Kent Stork mimic species. If you have a club you can call, ask them, even if they can do mail only.

Also try Fancy Bloomers in NJ. Donna Brining sells vintage. And PJ in FL on ebay.

Joanne

OMG Irina and Joanne, thank you! Almost too many ideas to digest.

I don't have a club around here.

Still think I'm going to just hold the line for now and observe my plants, instead of spraying everything in sight. There is already a systemic (Imidacloprid) in every pot, and I'm not a fan of aerosolizing any toxic substance.

Everything I have has been triaged and separated into different rooms on the basis of known/unknown health right now. I plan to keep it that way until the whole collection is safe, and only then consider introducing anything new. I can be patient.

Because, honest to goodness, my last order from Selective Gardener was a total fire ship. Everything was fine until then, but wow. Everything was NOT fine afterwards.

Re S ionantha: the VB pic of the lavender one was definitely underwhelming, but something white might be another story. Or... not... but it would be a risk I was willing to take. This is a hobby. I could spend some money on this, or on a better wine. Hmmm..... THIS, I think.

I saw House of Amani at VB, but "meh," I am not attracted by a medium lavender. Whereas what I really WOULD like to have is a white violet. All white. If possible, a single all-white, with good-sized faces. I'm not really a fan of the doubles, though these seem to be taking the AVSA by storm. Sigh.

I have an increasing yen for Jersey Snow Flakes. "Annie" has shown it on her podcast, repeatedly. I almost go there just to look. Not sure where to look for it, but I suppose I could drop her an email.

I like Jersey SF and am growing it. I also like anything by that NJ hybridizer. Donna Brining of Fancy Bloomers in NJ has JSF plus others by him. I am glad Annie features that AV. Good choice. Joanne

Thanks for the lead, Joanne. JSF is out of stock (of course) at Fancy Bloomers, and they stop all shipping tomorrow anyway, until March. I've put in requests for notification of availability on all the possible sizes (I prefer plants of the "plug" size, they grow fast enough for me and come with less threat of thrips and less greenhouse damage), and I do hope it's on my horizon.

Would you want to post a photo of your JSF? 😃 I could do with some eye candy. 😊

Joan

Irina, I saw S confusa at VB, but not "Mather." I do admire that plant. Do you know where it can be found?

The violet shipping season is pretty much done and dusted here. I received a couple of eBay violets in the mail today. OMG they were so cold (but not frozen) by the time I got them out of the mailbox. I'll be wringing my hands over them for a few days, for sure. The shipper should've put in a heat pack; I requested same and said I'd pay extra for it, but it was not done. (Whereas I've ordered amaryllises mid-winter and they've arrived in frickin' MINNESOTA in January/February, with substantial heat packs still radiating warmth when I've opened the boxes. [easytogrowbulbs.com] It can be done.)

Joan

I think we are at loss anyway with winter shipping. Heat pack works for 72 hours - the more expensive one. A year ago we could read the label and see - it will come to the addressee in 2 or 3 business days priority... I shipped 2 boxes with leaves to my AV friends. Both - 2 days Priority. One arrived to Atlanta 5 days later - the second to north of Seattle is still travelling somewhere.

What is the sense in putting a heat pack if it will run its course in the USPS sorting facility in my home state and will arrive to MN 5 days later spent and useless. It will just overheat the plants in the warm storage anyway.

Get in touch with me in spring...