Fuzzy by the touch, olive green leaves sprouted within my small pot. These tear-drop-shaped leaves have a red undertone that just barely seeps through when viewed from above.
In my biotechnology class, we were cloning African violets through plant tissue culture in a tube. Using a sterile cuvette, we each cut out a small disk that included the center vein. The disk was placed in a tube with its abaxial, bottom side of a leaf, facing up not to suffocate the clone, then moved to the light room to get 24 hours of light. These would stay there for six weeks before being transplanted into a pot.
After I moved my African violet into a pot with soil, I put it in a bag with some sprayed water. Combining the bag with moisture and light creates a humid environment which can increase the growth rate. Every week after, I sprayed my little plant with water and left it in the classroom to grow.
African violets are low-maintenance plants that are easy to propagate indoors asexually; however, they are not as easy to propagate outdoors or by seeds. They are a popular houseplant for its showy flowers. Not only are African violets beautiful after the flowers sprout, but they are also similar to hydrangea plants, as the petals can change colors based on the soil pH. The more acidic the soil is, the more violets will become more purple. This shows that African violets can be an indicator of the health of your soil.
Once the last day of school came, I took my almost 3-month-old African violet plant home. I can’t wait to see the first bud bloom and see the beautiful rich purple petals.
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