Variegated African Violets: Grown for Foliage as Much as Flowers

African violets (Saintpaulia) are beloved for their blooms, but variegated varieties offer year-round beauty—even when not in flower. Their leaves display stunning patterns of white, cream, pink, and green, often with striking red undersides ("red reverse") that make the plant glow.

Types of Variegation

• Edge (Tommie-Lou) variegation: Color on leaf margins, green midribs. Named for hybridizer Tommie Louise Oden.
• Crown (Champion) variegation: Color concentrated in the center rosette, fading as leaves mature. Associated with hybridizer Ethyl Champion.
• Mosaic variegation: Fine streaks and splashes across the entire leaf surface.

Why Variegation Comes and Goes

Variegation is often temperature-sensitive: many varieties "green up" in summer heat and revert to colorful patterns in cooler winter conditions. Excessive light or fertilizer can also suppress variegation. If your plant looks all green, don't despair—it likely will color up again with seasonal changes.

Propagation Tips

When rooting leaf cuttings, choose leaves with maximum green chlorophyll to fuel plantlet development. All-white or all-pink plantlets lack chlorophyll and usually fail unless supplemented with weak fertilizer or fish emulsion to encourage greening.

Light Requirements

Highly variegated plants need less light than green-leaved types—they burn easily. Place them further from windows or at the cooler ends of fluorescent tubes.

Sources

While sometimes found at nurseries, the best selections come from specialty mail-order vendors (many rated in the Garden Watchdog) and leaf/plantlet trades through African violet forums. The African Violet Society of America (AVSA.org) is an excellent resource.

With their jewel-toned foliage and charming blooms, variegated African violets turn any windowsill into a living tapestry. Pick one up, and you may find yourself enjoying the leaves as much as the flowers.