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Kenyan Violet Wikimedia Commons
Gesneriaceae

Kenyan Violet

Saintpaulia rupicola

Faithfulness and devotion.

Family
Gesneriaceae
Genus
Streptocarpus
Native to
Kenya, Tanzania
Bloom season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Type
perennial
Height
4-6 in
Sunlight
bright indirect light
Soil
well-drained, peat-based
Water
moderate
Hardiness
11-12
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Kenyan Violets are close relatives of African Violets and were only discovered in the wild in the late 20th century.
  • They grow naturally on shaded cliff faces and rocky outcrops in the coastal mountains of East Africa.
  • The plants are critically endangered in the wild due to habitat destruction from logging and agriculture.
  • They can bloom year-round indoors when given consistent bright indirect light and proper watering.
  • Recent DNA analysis reclassified Saintpaulia species into the larger genus Streptocarpus, surprising many horticulturists.

Color meanings

0

faithfulness

1

devotion

2

modesty

Uses

  • houseplant
  • indoor ornamental
  • collector plant
  • conservation cultivation