Previously, violets were rare, but now you can buy any variety . But not everyone can grow and achieve lush flowering like a collector.
Is there a secret to caring for violets? Everything is very simple, you need to know the features when growing a particular variety.
Read the recommendations for caring for the PT-Katerina variety and the violet will thank you for this with long and lush flowering.
Violet PT-Katerina (T. Pugacheva)
Genus, family
Saintpaulia PT-Katerina (T. Pugacheva) is an Uzambara violet of the Gesneriev family.
Origin story
The PT-Katerina variety is the work of the famous domestic breeder Tatyana Pugacheva. This variety was first introduced in 2016 .
Breeder Tatyana Pugacheva always tries to make her violets unusual, bright, openwork, with neat rosettes.
Photo and description of the variety
PT-Katerina.
The PT-Katerina variety can be safely classified as a stuffed pompon variety . From the first flowering it shows itself and shows wonderful huge flowers . They look great, like balls, about 6 cm in size, densely double, raspberry-fuchsia in color with a white wavy, corrugated border along the edge of the petals.
The rosette of this variety is standard , but very compact and neat. Green castings. Flowering is abundant and long lasting.
Sports
The PT-Katerina variety conveys maternal characteristics well. The most common sport is a pure raspberry-fuchsia color.
The flowers of the sport are densely double, ruffled, with petals corrugated along the edge. Standard socket.
Sport violets PT-Katerina.
Botanical description of the plant
A distinctive characteristic of the Zephyr violet is semi-double, large cup-shaped flowers, 4–7 cm in diameter. The fringed white petals are complemented by soft pink strokes, which increase in size as the flower grows. Violet blooms profusely and for a long time; several buds can appear on one peduncle at once. Thanks to this, even a small flower will seem like an elegant miniature bouquet.
Did you know? Today, people around the world grow about 500 species of violets, and the largest concentrations of these flowers are concentrated in North America, Japan and the Andes.
External features of the variety include:
- wavy, light green leaves;
- strong, erect peduncles;
- a large but flat rosette with slight pubescence in the lower row;
- large light flowers with corrugated petals.
The leaves of the plant resemble a piece of quilted fabric, along the edge of which there is a ruffle. The violet rosette is compact, but at the same time quite powerful, distinguished by its attractiveness even after the plant has flowered. The period of appearance and development of flowers of the Zephyr variety occurs at the beginning or middle of spring and continues until winter. At this time, the violet needs good lighting and a warm room. The fruit of the plant is a capsule containing small seeds.
Home care
Saintpaulia, like any other indoor flower, needs proper care. For it, you need to choose a suitable place and create favorable conditions for growing. If poorly cared for, the violet will become sick and may die.
Conditions of detention
It is necessary to monitor the daylight hours and room temperature , then the varietal violet will thank you with lush and abundant flowering.
Proper watering and fertilizing
Watering is carried out with settled water at room temperature . The PT-Katerina variety can be grown both with top watering and using wick watering.
During the period of active growth or before laying buds, Saintpaulia must be fed with complex fertilizer . This feeding is alternated with watering with regular water and carried out once every two weeks.
Important! The earth ball should always be slightly moist; drying out of the soil leads to the death of the tender roots. By flooding the soil too much or not enough soil, the root system disappears and rot appears, which leads to the death of the violet.
Lighting and temperature
When growing the PT-Katerina variety, it is better to give preference to cool conditions . At a temperature of 20 degrees, violet reveals all the beauty of varietal flowering.
The PT-Katerina variety is dependent on temperature conditions; in cooler conditions, the white border along the edge of the corrugated petals becomes richer and thicker.
The lower the temperature, the wider the white border on the flowers.
Air humidity
In winter, Saintpaulias most often suffer from insufficient indoor humidity. Turning on the heating dries out the air in the room. The optimal humidity is considered to be 50%.
To increase humidity, you can place pots of violets on trays with damp moss or expanded clay. Also place decorative containers with water between the violets, which will additionally increase the humidity in the room.
Important! You cannot spray violets, otherwise they will be susceptible to rot.
What kind of soil does he prefer?
Saintpaulia requires loose soil that is well permeable to moisture and oxygen. Add to the substrate for airiness:
- perlite;
- vermiculite;
- foam balls.
There is no universal recipe for preparing the substrate; the proportions of the components depend on the conditions of each grower.
The substrate may include:
- perlite;
- vermiculite;
- sphagnum moss;
- foam balls;
- charcoal.
Pruning and hygiene
Once a month, carefully wash off the dust from the violet leaves with warm running water. At the same time, being careful not to wet the center.
After bathing, the Saintpaulia is left to dry in a dark room, and after drying, it is returned to its permanent place. This is done so that the rays of the sun due to drops of water do not leave burns on the delicate leaves of the violet.
All stepsons, old and juvenile leaves are trimmed. When forming a rosette, it is necessary to immediately remove asymmetrical leaves.
Reproduction methods
The PT-Katerina variety is propagated in three ways:
- rooting leaf cuttings;
- stepchildren;
- rooting of the peduncle.
Most often, this violet is propagated by leaf cuttings . Mother cuttings convey varietal characteristics well.
Leaf propagation step by step.
Advice! When choosing a leaf cutting, it is better to give preference to the leaf near the most beautiful peduncle.
Transplant rules, rejuvenation
Young grown rosettes are transplanted using the transshipment method , trying as much as possible not to damage the existing earthen lump.
The diameter of the pot should not exceed 2/3 of the diameter of the rosette , otherwise the root violet will not be able to cope with the volume of soil, and the soil will become acidic. This will harm the nutrition of the root system.
An adult rosette is rejuvenated every two years . Cut off the bare stem and remove the unnecessary tier of leaves. Clean the barrel. And they are placed for rooting in new soil under a greenhouse.
Reproduction
As with other violets, it is advisable to propagate the Zephyr variety by cuttings. Rooting of leaf cuttings is much faster than germination of seeds, which means that very soon you will have a new flowering plant.
The process of propagation by cuttings is carried out according to the following scheme:
- Select a healthy, mature mother plant and cut off a leaf (preferably from the bottom row).
- Stepping back 3 cm from the sheet plate, make an oblique cut.
- Immerse the cutting in the soil mixture or in water for rooting, and take the container with planting material to a warm and well-lit place, but without direct exposure to the sun.
- Cover the cutting with film and ventilate regularly over the next 2-3 weeks (this is how long rooting will take).
- After a sufficient number of roots have appeared, prepare a permanent pot, place a drainage layer in it and, filling it with soil mixture, plant the young plant.
When transplanting cuttings from water, all actions must be performed extremely carefully, since their roots are more fragile than those of specimens removed from the soil substrate. If the transplanted young plants are very weak and there is a possibility of the stem breaking, you can support them with a support, giving additional stability.
Video: propagation of violets by cuttings
Propagation by seeds is a labor-intensive process that involves preliminary mixing of the seed with crushed charcoal (after vigorous shaking together, the seeds are not only separated from each other, but also disinfected in coal dust).
The prepared seeds are laid on the surface of a moistened substrate and, covered with glass, placed in a warm place for germination. At temperatures not lower than +20°C, it will take at least 20–25 days for the first shoots to appear. When caring for seedlings, moisten the soil with a syringe or pipette and regularly lift the glass for ventilation.
Important! When buying seeds, pay attention to the expiration date, because expired seed is unlikely to produce good seedlings.
Nuances of growth and flowering
Time to grow up
The variety develops quickly and in less than 10 months , grown from the mother leaf, it will bloom.
Violet PT-Katerina blooms 10 months after planting.
How are varietal characteristics transmitted?
The variety conveys varietal characteristics well to children. Children raised from the mother's cuttings rarely go into sports. Therefore, the method of propagation by cuttings is one of the simplest and most popular.
This variety is also propagated by stepsons or rooted peduncles.
Flowering in hot and cool conditions
The variety does not tolerate heat very well . High room temperature affects the quality and duration of flowering of the variety. In cool growing conditions, the violet variety PT-Katerina has a white border along the edge of the wavy petals that becomes wide and clear.
What do flower stalks look like?
The peduncles are not very long and strong enough to support a dense cap of huge double flowers . About three large flowers develop on each peduncle.
Is it possible to achieve cap flowering?
The PT-Katerina variety is grateful; with good care, it develops many buds and pleases with long-lasting flowering.
Cap flowering is possible with good care.
Bud lifespan
At low temperatures, each bud blooms for about three weeks.
Information about the breeder
Charming violets with large flowers of rich hues were created in the process of breeding development of Saintpaulia varieties by Kursk violet grower Natalya Skornyakova and have the common abbreviation “RM” in their name.
For almost twenty years now, since the beginning of the new century, an experienced master has been breeding his own varietal violets.
The selection line of her Saintpaulias is dedicated to her mother, Raisa Mikhailovna , whose name appears in the branded prefix.
All varieties are different:
- Original decorative configuration of the rims;
- And good repeatability of varietal characteristics.
In the article we will look in more detail at these varieties of violets from the Republic of Moldova: Daisy Harvey, Road to the Stars, Peterhof (N. Skornyakova).
ATTENTION! Specimens of violets of these varieties constantly appear at numerous exhibitions, have earned the approval of specialists in the field of violet growing and are loved by many flower growers.
Reviews
Hope. “I can’t get enough of the variety. Such big pompoms are simply stunning. The violet is bright, elegant and the rosette is neat.”
Sofia. “I really liked the compact rosette of this variety, but most of all I loved this variety for its flowers. They are adorable, big, terry and so bright. I look, I can’t stop admiring it. Blooms often and for a long time. I put it on the windowsill, the neighbors keep asking where I got such beauty.”
Alexander. “The leaves of this variety disperse instantly. Very beautiful rich color of terry pompoms, captivates at first sight. I’ve been growing it for several years now, and it will definitely remain a favorite in my collection.”
Systematics of varieties
In accordance with the official hierarchical rules, the taxonomic periodization of botanical cultures assigns all three violets to:
- Extremely large-scale in terms of the range of varietal diversity that organizes it;
- And the Saintpaulia family, which is part of the Gesneriev family, is rare in its comprehensive picturesqueness of silhouettes.
Varietal specimens of these violets:
- According to the average values of the parameters of their overall bush characteristics, they are in the group of the standard section;
- And according to the characteristics of the size typology of the corollas, they belong to the large-flowered subspecies.
Lighting
Saintpaulias or violets are considered quite demanding plants, so it is very important to create comfortable conditions for them in order to achieve the most abundant flowering. Caring for them means providing high-quality lighting. The ideal option is natural light that falls on the windowsills. However, if it is not enough, it is necessary to organize artificial lighting. For this, fluorescent lamps are used, the rays of light of which are directed towards the plants. They are often used in winter, when natural parameters are not enough, because daylight hours for violets should be about 13–14 hours.
Despite the fact that Saintpaulia is a light-loving plant, it does not tolerate direct sunlight. For this reason, it is recommended to slightly shade it from aggressive solar radiation. For shading window sills, short curtains made of translucent materials are best suited, which only slightly cover the flowers, letting in a sufficient amount of daylight.
Violet RM-Light of the Rising Sun (N. Skornyakova)
Bright violet Light of the Rising Sun.
Uzambara violet N. Skoryakova RM-Light of the Rising Sun, belongs to the Gesneriev family, a genus of hybrid Saintpaulias .
rosette :
- Standard;
- Flat;
- Neat.
Leaves on cuttings:
- Medium size;
- Round in shape with a heart-shaped base.
color :
- Smooth;
- Without variegation;
- Light green with light green veins that create a clear but not deep pattern.
Flower varieties:
- Large;
- Up to 7 cm;
- They rise above the rosette with a beautiful cap on strong peduncles.
Semi-double stars have a beautiful color, the main tone is peach-coral , different:
- Incredible tenderness;
- And a palette of shades that replace each other depending on: The degree of flower blooming;
- And conditions of detention.
In the center of each flower is a slightly fuzzy white spot , the size of which varies from a point to half a petal.
Important! If there are differences from the variety, and they are repeated not only in the first flowering, the individual is considered a sport from the variety.
The flowers are pink with a white spot in the center.
Photo
RS-Zh a r Pt i tsa, S. R e pkina, photo by I. Polishchuk:
RS-Firebird, RS-Repkina. Photo by Svetlana Sazykina:
RS-Firebird, S. Repkina, photo by T. Lysikova (sport flowering option, no yellow and very little white)
Correct flowering:
Transfer
Violet Tristan (the photo shows a plant transplant) requires replacing the substrate in the pot twice a year in order to make the most of its nutrients.
The most suitable time for transplantation is autumn (September to November) and spring (February-March). Transplantation is done to allow new roots to grow. The root system of violets ages quickly and therefore needs to be updated. New roots appear only from the fresh part of the trunk, located above the ground. When replanting, old leaves are removed from the trunk and it is placed in the soil. The emergence of new roots will produce fresh leaves and strong flower stalks. Sometimes flowering plants are also replanted. With proper care, this procedure will not harm the violet, it will only slow down the flowering slightly.
When replanting, you should not increase the volume of the pot. Violet variety Tristan feels great in small pots. They stimulate flowering, and large ones promote rapid leaf growth and delay the formation of buds. When replanting, you should ensure good drainage in the pot; violets do not like stagnant water.
