African violets, as well as streptocarpus, rex begonias, and gloxinias, are easy to propagate from leaf cuttings.

If you grow your African violets under light, you can take cuttings at any time. If your African violets are growing in natural sunlight, you will get faster results taking cuttings in the spring and summer.

Since African violets have a fleshy stem, they are very susceptible to root rot, so it is important that your tools, soil, and equipment be absolutely clean.

Use a quality soil mix and soak it up with warm water, allowing it to drain so that it is moist but not sopping.

Select a healthy young leaf that has reached it full size. Using a clean, very sharp knife or razor blade, make a diagonal cut in the stem one and a half to two inches from the base of the leaf.

Poke a shallow hole in the soil mix at a low angle and insert the leaf stem. The leaf should be almost flat against the soil, and up to a half inch of its stem should be in the soil. Firm the soil around the stem, put the container in a plastic bag, close the bag, and set the container in a spot that is warm but not hot, light but not sunny.

In five to six weeks, new shoots should appear. When these new plantlets are about one-third the height of the original leaf, open the bag, and allow them to adjust to room conditions for a few days. Afterwards, separate the plantlets from the parent and transplant them to their own containers. Taking cuttings is an easy way to propagate the African violet.

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Last updated: Tuesday, February 01, 2005