History and natural habitat of African violets

African violets, or Saintpaulias are endemic to Tanzania and southeastern Kenya in eastern tropical Africa.  It means that you will not find them anywhere else in nature. They grow in the moist and shaded rainforests, or on the north side of shaded streams. Very often they grow in the rifts between the rocks in just a small amount of humus, on rocks or steep surfaces. They always grow in slightly acid soil.

Understanding how African violets grow in their natural habitat is very important as it helps you understand the conditions they need, so you can make them grow well, thrive, bloom all year long, and most importantly, make you happy.

They were named Saintpaulias, after the German colonial officer Walter von Saint Paul-Illaire, who identified them in 1892, and sent seeds back to Germany to his father.