Kenya Violet Streptocarpus ionanthus
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Saintpaulia ionantha
- Phonetic Spelling
- strep-toh-KAR-pus eye-oh-NAN-thus
- Description
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Evergreen tropical perennial herb to 15 cm. Very popular house pot plant, easily distinguished from other desktop plants by its rosette of fuzzy leaves with long petioles and by its flowers in anthocyanin pigments. Numerous cultivars. Prefers interior sites with bright light, east or south windows in winter; moist soil, but allow the surface to dry before watering, occasionally immerse; prefers high humidity, mist with tepid water when not in flower; requires high fertility medium for continued rebloom; intolerant of dry air or very cold water; pest/disease-prone.
Quick ID
- Flowers are in anthocyanin pigments
- Leaves are in basal rosettes & emerge from center
- Inflorescence is a compound dichasium
- Leaves are pubescent with red, pink, or purple undersides
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Streptocarpus
- Species:
- ionanthus
- Family:
- Gesneriaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern & South Western Tanzania
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Houseplant
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Shape:
- Lipped
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Inflorescence dichasium to small cyme on a scape that rises above the leaves, flowers 3-10. Flowers light blue to purple to white, to .9 inches diameter, single to double; calyx 5-parted; corolla tube short, cylindrical, opening to 2 lips, upper lip 2-lobed, lower lip 3-lobed; stamens 2 (-5), anthers yellow, style exserted. Buds, pedicels, and sepals are pubescent.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Feel:
- Soft
- Velvety
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Orbicular
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenulate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are in basal rosettes, simple, ovate to orbicular, obtuse, crenate, highly pubescent, medium to dark green above, red, pink, or purple beneath. Petioles are long in proportion to the leaf blade and may be green or red.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- green acaulescent
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Problems:
- Frequent Disease Problems
- Frequent Insect Problems
