Violet lifts its leaves up: why and what to do?

Among indoor ornamental plants, violet occupies a dominant place, despite some difficulties in growing and caring for it. The tenderness of the plant and its appearance depend on the condition of the petals collected in rosettes. And the leaves only frame the beauty of the flowers, located around them. The velvety quality of the leaf blade and its bright greenery are inseparable from the beauty of the inflorescences. The flower discovered in Africa is called both Saintpaulia after the discoverer, and Usambara violet after the area where it was first discovered.

After the discovery of the violet, breeders improved the plant so much that gardeners can choose varieties with miniature petals and large ones. And the color range of the plant is so diverse that you are amazed at the imagination of man and nature. The variety of shades affected not only the flower petals, but also the leaves. The decorative effect of indoor culture largely depends on their condition.

Incorrect lighting

Saintpaulia is a delicate and sensitive flower that requires attention. One of the reasons why violet leaves rise up is improper lighting.

Lack of light

Saintpaulia quickly reacts to a lack of light by changing its appearance: it fades and fades.

To get as much sunlight as possible, the violet lifts its leaves up, the petioles become long and thin, the rosette loses its beauty and is shaped like a large spider.

The solution to the problem is to artificially increase the lighting time of violets to 14 hours a day. For this purpose, they are illuminated with fluorescent lamps. Improvement soon comes: new leaves grow in proportionate size and step by step displace the faded ones.

Leaves with elongated petioles are gradually removed and a neat rosette is formed.

In case of prolonged lack of lighting, Saintpaulia suffers from chlorosis (iron deficiency). This disease is characterized by:

• impaired chlorophyll production;
• reduction in photosynthetic activity;
• premature yellowing and falling of leaves;
• drying shoot tips;
• growth retardation;
• death of roots.

In such a situation, the flower needs full treatment using iron chelate.

Excessive illumination

The flower does not tolerate direct sunlight. Excess light causes the leaves to stretch upward, trying to cover the growing point from the sun. In the center the rosette thickens and becomes brittle.

The underside of the leaf blades becomes burgundy. Shortened pedicels are not able to break out and break easily. If you do not move the plant to another place, it will certainly die.

Violet loves diffused lighting. The best option for placing flowers is on an eastern or western windowsill. If located on the south side, the pot with Saintpaulia is shaded with a curtain on the window.

Why did the violet leaves rise up?

Let's find out in more detail why violet leaves rise.

Varietal feature

Now selection does not stand still, and experienced breeders are developing new varieties of violets . Some of them have a varietal feature - raised leaves. Some gardeners do not like this type of growing rosette, others can put up with it as the flowers can be beautifully colored.

Some violet varieties have raised leaves.

Popular varieties of violets with a raised rosette:

1. Favorite daughter;
2. Blue Dragon;
3. Blue Lagoon.

If the leaves are raised up in other varieties, it is necessary to reconsider the conditions for keeping violets.

IMPORTANT! All violets can lift their leaves upward, so they require special care.

Errors in agricultural technology

The leaves of the plant can tell you what exactly the violet is missing , and what mistakes the gardener makes in care. Because a healthy rosette of a plant places its foliage horizontally relative to the surface on which it is located. Therefore, you can often notice that violets have raised their leaves.

Incorrect lighting

Incorrect lighting can cause leaves to point upward. So in winter, when there is little sunlight, the leaves are drawn towards the light, so the violet stands with its foliage raised.

If in winter a florist has organized lighting for his collection, and the “handles” of the violet still stretch upward, although it receives additional lighting for 12 hours, then this indicates that the lamps used to illuminate the collection are too powerful. Need to:

• Reduce their power;
• Or move the flowers further away.

Also, in a sunny, bright summer, the foliage tries to find shade and shade the center of the rosette from excess light. At this moment, the flower is on the verge of death, because the summer sun's rays can burn the plant in a matter of minutes spent in the sun.

Therefore, rosettes of violets for the summer period :

• They are carried deeper into the room;
• Or curtain the window with two layers of white paper.

This will help reduce the intensity of sunlight.

Due to improper lighting, violet leaves may stretch upward.

IMPORTANT! Choose a place in the room where the lighting will fully meet the needs of the violet.

Irrigation quality

Often, due to improper watering, violet leaves rise up.

Flower growers often worry that they might flood their flower , and this leads to infrequent, meager watering. Combined with dry air, this causes the plant to stretch upward. If you water a violet using low-quality cold water, this can lead to the death of the plant.

Thickening of the plant rosette beyond the norm

Certain varieties of violets produce many stepsons . Sometimes there are up to 5 of them on one adult outlet. With this growth mode, the green “handles” of the main rosette will be directed upward.

Chlorosis

Chlorosis in violets is caused by two factors :

1. Excessive lighting;
2. Incorrectly selected soil.

These factors also influence the improper development of the plant. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to:

• This is an infectious disease;
• Or is it a consequence of improper care.

But, in any case, we need to start treating the socket.

Poor soil mixture

If the soil was initially poorly selected, or if the plant has not been replanted for more than a year, the leaf mass raised upward will indicate that the violet:

• Not enough nutrients;
• And the acid-base balance of the soil is greatly disturbed.

IMPORTANT! It is necessary to replant Saintpaulia bushes in a timely manner.

Incorrect temperature

Violets prefer to grow at room temperature +20 – 22℃. In such conditions, the plant is comfortable, it develops normally, blooms long and profusely. In a cooler room, the edges on the petals appear more expressive and brighter.

At temperatures from +28 to +30℃, violets usually:

• the number of flowers decreases;
• their size decreases;
• the border on the leaves disappears;
• leaves rise up.

If Saintpaulia is left in such conditions for a long time, it may die. In this case, a wide-open window, an air conditioner or a fan can help.

However, the plant does not tolerate drafts at all. The blast of cold winter air causes light, creamy spots to appear on the leaves. Excessive cooling causes root rot, which can be corrected by replanting.

How to properly care for a flower?

Proper care plays a big role in the development of indoor flowers. Violet requires a lot to fully develop.

• First of all, you need a small pot with optimal dimensions of 7x7 centimeters. The container must have drainage and nutrient soil with an optimal ratio of useful elements. If the composition is prepared independently, then the substrate contains peat, compost, and perlite. You can add coconut fiber for looseness.
• Water the violets as the top layer of soil in the pot dries. To prevent water from getting on the leaves, it is better to organize watering through a tray. Take water at room temperature, carefully settled.
• The violet is afraid of drafts and does not like heat. An air temperature of 16–18 degrees is enough for her.
• Feed the flower once a month. Flower growers believe that for fertilizer it is necessary to take one part of rotted manure, small sawdust from deciduous trees, and wood ash. After adding a little coarse river sand, add a teaspoon of ready-made fertilizer under the bush.

The violet will bloom all year round, delighting you with flowers and fresh foliage, if you properly care for it and provide the plant with comfortable conditions.

More information can be found in the video:

Dry air

Saintpaulias do not tolerate dry environments at all. They grow and bloom poorly. To protect the newly formed buds from drying out, violets raise their leaves. Therefore, it is not advisable to place pots with plants indoors in winter near heating devices and radiators.

Important! For good development of violets, a humidity of at least 50% is required.

Humidify the air by placing a vessel with water near the flower. An aquarium is quite appropriate in this case. Humidifiers are a very successful solution to the problem of dry air.

Reader Questions

Why do violet leaves stretch upward and turn yellow?

Experienced gardeners believe that the rosette lacks nitrogen in the soil plus a lack of light. Therefore, you need to take care of Saintpaulia by transplanting it into the soil necessary for the plant. After which it is placed on the windowsill closer to the lighting.

Do not place the violet in direct sunlight.

But if this is a southern window sill and the season is summer, then the socket is placed closer to the window, but not on the window sill itself, in order to avoid burning the foliage .

How does frequent change of location affect the plant?

The move itself has no effect on a healthy violet. The main thing is that the main parameters coincide with the previous conditions:

• Illumination;
• Humidity;
• Temperature.

If the difference is too strong, then Saintpaulia may stop blooming , but after a month it will form buds again in conditions suitable for it.

Why do flower leaves stretch upward when air humidity is low?

When the room is too dry, violets begin to stretch their leaves upward. They seem to be trying to cover their buds and flowers from drying out from the dry air. Solving this problem is quite easy :

• In winter, a wet cloth is hung on a hot radiator, which dries by evaporating the moisture. This increases the humidity level on the windowsill;
• In summer, vessels with water are placed between the flowers, into which water must be added periodically. Because, as it evaporates, it increases the humidity on the windowsill.

Soil composition

Sometimes violet leaves not only grow upward, but also curl. This indicates poor soil. To solve the problem, the plant is fed with nitrogenous fertilizers after it has flowered.

When choosing soil, you need to remember that Saintpaulias love breathable, moisture-absorbing soil. It should be slightly acidic, closer to neutral.

Proper care

Why do geranium leaves turn yellow at home - causes and treatment

Proper care of Saintpaulias is the key to success. If you follow all the recommendations of professionals, you can be sure that the flower will grow and develop.

Lush violets

Basic provisions that must be observed at different stages of flower development

1. At the very beginning, after purchasing a violet, it must be quarantined for two weeks in a separate room.
2. At the stage of the beginning of vegetative development after a period of rest, fertilizing with nitrogenous fertilizers is necessary.
3. During the period of bud formation and flowering, potassium-phosphorus fertilizers will come to the rescue.
4. During the flowering period, it is necessary to remove fading buds and flowers.

Regardless of the stage of development, wick watering is recommended for all violets. Fertilizers are also added to the soil in the same way.

Varietal affiliation

In some violets, raised leaves are a varietal feature and do not indicate a defect in the plant. These varieties include:

• King's Ransom has dense green foliage and light pink, purple-edged inflorescences edged with white.
• Neptune's Jewels features large double and semi-double frilled star-shaped flowers in a light pink shade with a white edge. The rosette is formed by large green leaves stretched upward.
• Happy Feet features a bouquet of dark green leaves and star-shaped lavender blossoms edged with blue and flecked with red.

With proper care, Saintpaulias delight owners with their grace, variety of shapes and colors. However, violation of growing conditions leads to a change in their appearance: the plant takes on an unattractive appearance. To eliminate the problem, it is necessary to adjust the conditions of detention.

Why do violets' leaves rise up? Finding out the reasons

Proper lighting is very important for these flowers. It should not be excessive, nor, indeed, insufficient. In most cases, it is lighting that can answer the question of why violet leaves rise up.

The second reason may be a varietal feature. Experienced gardeners know that some varieties are predisposed to lifting leaves. These varieties include King's Ransom, Neptune's Jewels, Happy Feet and some others, less common in our country. Louisiana Lullaby is distinguished by a rather large, but somewhat sloppy rosette, although the leaves of the flower are not raised up.

“Cutting off the head” of the bush

This plant needs to be rejuvenated . You can go the hard way - cut leaf cuttings, root each one and wait a long time for flowering. Or you can make it simpler by simply “chicking off” the plant’s root system and pushing the violet to grow a new one. Of course, after this it will need to be planted in a smaller pot than the old one.

Everything is done simply:

1. The violet is cut with a small piece of the stem. Its roots don’t even need to be removed from the soil.
2. The stem is trimmed around the edges, even if you do not see rot on it. The cut should be completely clean.
3. Place the violet in a glass so that the stem is in water but the leaves are not. Be careful: the violet will begin to actively drink (especially in the first days) + the heat, and tomorrow its stem may be hanging in the air. It makes sense to check the plant every day and add more water if necessary.

In the video below, the girl shows the entire process of pruning and rooting a violet. But she sticks the plant directly into the ground and germinates it in a homemade greenhouse. I prefer to keep the flower in water for 2 weeks, like this:

And when the roots grow and seem worthy of trust, plant this flower in the soil.

But overall the video is very informative and useful:

Let's summarize

• If the leaves of Saintpaulia (indoor violet) stretch upward, this means that something is wrong with the plant. Most likely, an error was made in care.
• In most cases, the flower does not have enough lighting. This problem will be solved by purchasing a phytolamp.
• Less commonly, the cause of leaf stretching is excess light, improper watering, dry air in the room, or poorly selected soil.
• If the violet is old, perhaps its root system cannot properly nourish the bush, and pulling out the leaves is only the first “swallow”. It is better to rejuvenate such a plant by cutting off the entire old root system and growing a new one.

And sometimes the situation turns out to be diametrically opposite: the leaves do not stretch upward, but fall down and seem to wither. In this case, the problem may lie in the care. More details in this video:

The best varieties of violets, their features

The selection of violets has produced different types of indoor culture. Industrial production of the plant involves its use in perfumery and cosmetology. Plantations cultivate crops that can decorate official receptions, indoor and outdoor celebrations.

Collectible types of Saintpaulias are characterized by the volume of inflorescences and the sophistication of the color palette. And the leaves of violets in this series come in both light green and different emerald shades. The variegated variety of violet has wide leaves and represents the entire palette of green in color.

The best varieties of violets are considered:

• The bride's bouquet. Snow-white double flowers are united in inflorescences and form a basket of delicate petals. And velvety dark green leaves highlight the tenderness of Saintpaulia.
• Magenta. The complex petals are burgundy inside, and the wavy edges are smoky white. Hidden inside is a yellow center.
• The pink violet Liens Pirates Treasure has a crimson edging along the edges of its petals. Against this background, small purple dots are visible. Below are leaves, dark green, with dark veins painted on them.
• Winter rose. Deep blue wavy flower petals are decorated with a white border. The composition is completed by medium-sized leaves with a pubescent surface.
• A gift for a loved one. One of the types of blue Saintpaulia, on top of which there is a bouquet of double inflorescences, and at the bottom they are supported by leaves with a cream edging.
• Magdalene. The inflorescences of the variety with delicate pink petals are located close to each other. Violet leaves are ordinary round and light green in color.
• Elise Blizzard Baths. In addition to the delicate white flowers, the foliage adds sophistication to the plant. Heart-shaped leaves highlight the beauty of the violet.

Not only lush or modest small inflorescences adorn Saintpaulia. Without the leaves that form a rosette at the bottom of the plant, the violet would lose its elegance and uniqueness.