Violet Zephyr: photo and description, cultivation and care at home

Violet SM-Zephyr (Seedling Morev)

SM-Zephyr is one of the representatives of indoor Uzambor violets, which belong to the genus of hybrid Saintpaulias from the Gesneriev family. The seedling was bred and registered by Kostantin Morev, who has developed a few varieties, but they are all very beautiful. The breeder himself is very scrupulous about the concept of a variety, and therefore many of his offspring bear names with the notation “seedling”.

A rosette of standard type and size, which has rounded leaves on elongated cuttings. The medium green color of the leaves, which depends on the light and temperature, may darken slightly or approach a light shade.

Delicate violet Zephyr.

Important! The shape of the sheets is very recognizable; they are quilted and have a kind of ruffle along the edge. This is a feature of this variety.

The flower has the shape of a cupped star , most are single flowers, but sometimes semi-double specimens occur. The color of the flowers is quite delicate, gentle and alluring, and also often incomprehensible. In the original, the main shade is white, and in the center of the petals there are pink prints in the form of strokes. But sensitivity to temperature and light conditions changes color from white with a slight pink tint to pure hot pink.

SM-Zephyr has a sport that has curly leaves. There are various sports: photos and descriptions of which you can see on the Internet.

Features of the violet variety Zephyr

Blooming violet Zephyr is white, with many blurry soft pink strokes on the petals. The flowering itself is cup-shaped, star-shaped. Sometimes there are subspecies with semi-double flowers. The average diameter of each flower is 4 centimeters.

The flowering of Zephyr is abundant and long-lasting. This is possible thanks to the strong peduncle, which can have several buds at the same time.

When talking about this violet, one cannot fail to mention the leaves. They have a round shape with a ruffle along the edge. The color of the leaves is light green. The rosette of violet Zephyr is beautiful and neat, at the same time quite compact and strong. This violet is easily propagated by leaves. The leaves quickly take root and produce new rosettes.

Caring for a plant at home

SM-Zephyr is a slightly demanding variety, the color of which is highly dependent on temperature and lighting, which makes it slightly capricious . Otherwise, the variety is very resistant to external, unfavorable factors.

Violet requires proper care.

Place of cultivation

forms a rosette well , but in such conditions the flowers usually lighten. It is imperative, as with all Saintpaulias, to protect it from direct sunlight, because it burns the delicate leaves.

Temperature, no less than light, affects the color of the petals:

• If you create cooler conditions (it is vital to maintain the temperature at least +16°), there is a strong lightening of the colors, which sometimes brings the color to white, with barely noticeable pink prints, more like spraying;
• An increase in temperature (about 26°-28°, but not higher) darkens the color, to pure pink, sometimes even crimson.

The optimal temperature range is considered to be from 22 to 24°.

Increases and decreases in the level of moisture in the air also have a detrimental effect on flowers:

• Humidity above 70% leads to rotting of sheets and growing points;
• And a decrease below 40% dries out the substrate and sheets.

Attention! Both options lead to the death of the flower if measures are not taken in time.

Watering and fertilizing

Like all Saintpaulias, SM-Zephyr can be watered in two ways :

1. Classic (in a tray or under the leaves) - about once every 7 days, water is poured into the tray (under the leaves), and 20 minutes after the procedure, the excess is drained. Mineral fertilizing is applied periodically, alternating watering - once with fertilizer, the next with clean water, and the dosage is halved;
2. Wick – the cord is placed in a pot and brought out through a drainage hole, a container with water is placed under the flowerpot. There is always water in the container, and fertilizers are constantly there, and its concentration decreases by 7-8 times, relative to the instructions.

   
   Saintpaulias are often watered using a wick.

   Read also:  Is it possible to trim the top of a ficus tree? How to trim a ficus to make it fluffy

Replanting and pruning

Before transplanting, it is important to choose soil . You can simply buy a ready-made mixture for Saintpaulia at a flower shop. When making a homemade mixture, you need to consider what type of watering is used. For the classic one, the composition includes:

• 1 part sheet soil;
• 1 part perlite;
• 1 part peat;
• 0.5 parts sphagnum moss.

For the wick type you need only two ingredients in equal proportions :

• Peat;
• And perlite.

Trim the bush as necessary, removing dying ones :

• Sheets;
• Peduncles;
• And during transplantation, the roots.

In addition to hygienic pruning, it is important to obtain material for vegetative propagation:

• Healthy sheets 2-3 rows;
• Blooming flower stalks;
• Stepsons.

Transplantation is a necessity for healthy flower growth; it is carried out :

1. To increase the size of the flowerpot - as the young bush grows, it needs more and more space;
2. Replacing unsuitable soil - the substrate is gradually depleted and requires regular replacement, which is carried out 1-2 times a year;
3. In case of illness , the transplant is carried out as in the previous case, but the flowerpot and plant are additionally processed, sometimes the size of the pot has to be reduced.

Reproduction

This variety reproduces well by any convenient method :

1. Leaf cuttings – sheets of the second and third rows are rooted in soil, water or moss. Sheets consistently produce several children;

   
   Saintpaulia is propagated by leaves.

2. Stepchildren - grown stepsons are separated and planted (provided they have their own roots), or rooted as leaf cuttings;
3. Peduncles - not completely wilted peduncles are rooted in the soil under the film.

Caring for violet Zephyr at home

Although Zephyr violets can sometimes act up, they are not particularly fussy houseplants. It is enough to follow simple rules of care, which we will now try to briefly describe.

Temperature

The violet variety Zephyr, like most other varieties of violets, is a heat-loving plant. The optimal temperature for keeping this flower is 20-25 degrees. This tells us that violets in an apartment are usually comfortable. In winter, it is advisable to reduce the temperature (often, it decreases on its own). A good temperature in winter would be 16 degrees. This helps the violet begin a period of rest and rest before a new cycle.

Lighting

For abundant flowering and a comfortable life cycle, lighting is no less important a factor than temperature or watering. It is important for violets, including Zephyr, to receive a lot of sunlight, without direct sunlight.

A window sill on the east side is well suited for this. You can diffuse the sunlight yourself. A curtain or a regular sheet of paper works well for this. Another option would be artificial lighting, such as fluorescent lamps.

The optimal length of daylight hours for the Zephyr violet is 14-16 hours during the period of growth and flowering. In winter, you need to reduce the duration of illumination to 12 hours (again, in winter it shortens itself, if we are talking about sunlight).

Humidity

Zephyr's homeland is Africa, so it needs high air humidity. This issue is especially relevant during the heating season. Batteries dry out the air very much, which is unpleasant for violets.

Of course, the most convenient way is to use a humidifier, but there are other alternatives. For example, you can lay a layer of sphagnum moss on top of the pot. You can also place several containers with water near the Zephyr violet, the water will evaporate and humidify the air. You can also spray water indoors, but you cannot do this on the violets themselves. This can have a negative effect on their leaves.

However, do not overdo it with humidity. The optimal humidity level is 50-60%. An important point is regular ventilation, but you should be wary of drafts.

The soil

The soil should be loose and nutritious. You should worry about this even at the planting/transplanting stage. One of the required components of the substrate for violets is peat. You can also include sand, perlite, sphagnum moss, and pine bark in the soil. Naturally, all this must be added to the soil, since it is the main part of the substrate. Before planting the plant, it is advisable to cultivate the soil. Heat in the oven or treat with potassium permanganate.

Watering

Watering is one of the main parts of plant care. On average, watering is done 2 times a week for the Zephyr violet, but it can be done less frequently if the top layer of soil does not have time to dry out. During the dormant period, which is usually in winter, watering should be reduced to once every 1-2 weeks. The main thing is that the roots do not dry out. For irrigation you need to use soft water at room temperature. Do not water the violet with cold water. A good option would be settled water. You can also use rain or melt water.

Fertilizer

Violets need to be fertilized only during the period of growth and flowering. Don't do this during the rest period. The most commonly used are complex mineral fertilizers; they can be found in many flower shops. It is necessary to fertilize 2-3 times a month. Some gardeners advise applying organic fertilizers at the end of the dormant period, but this should only be done once per cycle.

Reviews

Victoria. “I bought a nameless flower at the flower shop, and almost immediately got into the discussion of the SM-Zephyr seedling. She fits the description perfectly. While I was delivering it home, I beat it up a little, but I removed the damaged leaves and everything is fine, it has been blooming and feeling great for almost two weeks.

I just have doubts, please tell me an accurate description of the variety for comparison, or even better, a photo of the original.”

This Saintpaulia attracts the attention of flower growers.

Sofia. “My seedling grows well, blooms and reproduces easily. I just can’t understand why Morev didn’t recognize it as a variety, although he has a tendency that seedlings are superior to varieties in beauty.

The description of the variety is only folk. Considering that the author does not give a description of the SM-Zephyr seedling (seedlings are new violets that were rejected by the breeder for various reasons).

I believe that belonging to such violets simplifies many issues. For seedlings, a slight difference in color or shape is not considered a sport (by the way, frequent changes in color during reproduction may be a reason for rejection).”

Violet propagation Zephyr

As already mentioned at the beginning of the article, the Zephyr violet reproduces well by leaves, but this also applies to daughter rosettes. They develop quickly and form a new plant.

Reproduction by petiole. It all starts with the choice of leaves. They must be big and mature. You should not take old leaves, they take root very poorly. Cut the leaves from the bush, but carefully. The cut petiole should be at least 5 cm. The landing itself is quite easy. In a box or even a glass, add a layer of drainage (optional), soil and plant the petiole. In the case of a box, you can plant all the petioles in one. If you use cups, then you need a separate one for each leaf. After planting, the soil needs to be moistened. Place your sprouts in a warm, light place. Water as needed (the soil dries out). A signal that the plant has already established itself will be new small plants around the petioles. When they grow a little, you can transplant the violet into an individual pot.

Reproduction by rosette. This procedure is also not complicated. It is usually done during transplantation. Carefully cut off part of the leaf rosette from the main one, being careful not to damage the roots. Plant the plants in separate containers and give them a greenhouse effect; this can be done by covering them with jars. Ventilate the plants every day by removing the jars for a short time. You can remove the jars altogether after the plants have rooted.

Advice from flower growers

In order for the Zephyr violet to form a beautiful, even rosette and produce abundant flowering, experienced gardeners advise using the following recommendations:

• If the violet produces pale buds, and the rosette loses its decorative appearance, it means that the room has low lighting or low air temperature. And flowers with a bright pink color indicate that the plant is too hot. It is necessary to reconsider the conditions for keeping violets.
• Violets that are constantly exposed to drafts may not form buds.
• When watering, you should not pour water into the center of the outlet, as this will cause it to rot. And if it gets on the flowers, they quickly crumble.
• Dried leaves and flower stalks should be trimmed regularly. This will prolong flowering.
• Daughter rosettes that are not planned to be used for propagation must be removed so that they do not take nutrients from the main one. You should also thin out dense foliage.

Description of the variety and its photographs

Violet Zephyr was bred by breeder K.L. Morev. The description and photo indicate that it has simple or semi-double, large, cup-shaped, star-shaped flowers with a diameter of about 4 centimeters. They have fringed white petals, which are decorated with blurry strokes of delicate pink. As it grows, the fringe begins to become more curly, and the pink spots become brighter.

This variety is characterized by quite abundant and long-lasting flowering. The plants have very strong peduncles, on which several buds can form at the same time. As a result of this, the blooming violet Zephyr becomes like a very elegant miniature bouquet.

[adsp-pro-4]

From the description of the variety it follows that Violet Zephyr has a characteristic feature. Its light green foliage resembles a piece of quilted fabric with a ruffle running along the edge. It forms an original, compact, powerful and even rosette, which is beautiful even after flowering has finished. The leaves of the Zephyr violet take root easily and produce several new rosettes, which quickly grow and begin to bloom.

Transplanting a plant

Prepare the soil before replanting. It should correspond to what was written earlier.

You can replant a violet only if it does not bloom. The best time is spring. The capacity needs to be increased, since the Zephyr violet is constantly growing. As a rule, choose a pot with a diameter three times smaller than the diameter of the rosette. Fill the new pot with drainage and the substrate you prepared earlier.

During replanting, plants are also trimmed with dead or damaged roots and leaves. Place the violet in the soil, lightly compact the soil around the stems. Water the plant and leave for some time (2-3 weeks) in a warm and dark place.

Advice from flower growers

• The variety is very beautiful and almost problem-free. The compact socket is easy to form. Cap flowering pleases almost all year round.
• The variety prefers sunlight. Lightened areas, as if from a sunburn, may appear on the shelves.
• Cutting off dried leaves and flower stalks helps the violet spend less energy, which prolongs flowering.
• Watering must be done very carefully. If water gets into the center of the socket, it can cause it to rot. When it comes into contact with flowers, it accelerates their shedding.

Thank you for your attention. I will be glad for those who share photos of their violets or just join the discussion. I look forward to your comments.

Violet Zephyr, variety description and care

Nowadays it is almost impossible to find a person who does not know what a violet is. Many flower growers incredibly value violets for their delicate foliage and abundant colorful blooms. They also love violets because most species bloom not once or twice a year, but much more often.

Today, many different varieties of violets have been bred. This variety amazes with a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. And, I am sure, everyone can find the violet that suits them best.

Possible difficulties during cultivation

With properly organized care for the Zephyr violet, there should be no difficulties with its cultivation, but you should never exclude the possibility of the appearance of some kind of illness or pest invasion.

The most common problems include:

1. The appearance of powdery mildew is a disease of fungal origin. It is characterized by the accumulation of a white coating on the leaves, reminiscent of dust (difficult to erase). The reason is a combination of low temperature and high humidity in the room with the violet. For elimination, fungicidal preparations (Topaz, Saprol) are used.

2. Development of fusarium - a disease that manifests itself in the form of dark spots on the petioles of a plant, which over time provoke rotting and falling of leaf blades. To save the violet, the affected parts must be removed at the first symptoms, and the remaining plant must be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

3. Gray rot - a disease of fungal origin, the development of which can be explained by water getting on the leaves and petals of flowers. It appears as a fluffy gray coating, which leads to the rotting and death of the violet. To combat it, fungicidal preparations (Fundazol) are used, and in particularly difficult cases, the plant is transplanted into another pot.

Among the pests, the Zephyr violet is threatened by various types of mites, thrips, nematodes, aphids and woodlice, which can cause deformation of the leaf plates, the appearance of spots and shapeless holes on the leaves and stunting of plant growth. Systemic insecticides (Aktara, Calypso, Krutzer) are used to control pests. Heavily damaged parts of the plant will have to be removed.

The growing conditions and features of caring for the Zephyr violet are not particularly different from the requirements for the cultivation of other varieties, so both experienced and novice flower growers can cope with the task. Attention to these delicate and beautiful flowers will be fully rewarded with long and abundant flowering.

Was this article helpful?

Thank you for your opinion!

Write in the comments what questions you have not received an answer to, we will definitely respond!

You can recommend this article to your friends!

Home care

Caring for the Zephyr violet involves watering and fertilizing, pruning and replanting the plant, and in all cases it is necessary to adhere to the existing rules for the procedure.

Watering

The number of waterings when caring for the Zephyr violet is regulated based on the air humidity in the room and the rate of drying of the top layer of the substrate. In summer, you have to moisten the soil at least twice a week, and in winter, when the plant is dormant, you can water it about twice a month, as the top soil layer dries out. Only settled water with a temperature of +18…+26°C is suitable for irrigation. If possible, it is better to filter it. As for the method of watering, only the bottom method will be acceptable, removing excess liquid from the pan after half an hour.

Important! Before watering the violet, it is useful to loosen the soil a little, allowing the roots access to air.

Top dressing

The fertilizer for the Zephyr variety will be the same nutritional compositions that are used to feed other varieties of flowering plants (for example, “Gilea”, “Mister Color”, “Fasco”). For young flowers, they must contain nitrogen, and as the violets age, you will have to buy varieties with a high dosage of potassium and phosphorus. Nitrogen-containing mixtures are not suitable for flowering plants, as this element may cause flowering to stop and decorativeness to decrease.

During active growth and development, the Zephyr violet is fertilized once every 2 weeks, and during winter dormancy, the amount of fertilizing is reduced to once every 2 months. With natural light on the plantings, fertilizing flowers can begin in March and end in September, adding nutrients both through a tray (along with warm water) and through regular overhead watering, the main thing is that the mixture does not fall on the leaves or other parts of the plant.

Trimming

Pruning Zephyr plants is based on the same principles as in other cases, so the gardener only needs to regularly remove faded buds, yellowed or curled leaves. It is advisable to trim the rosette of leaves so that a small stump (“leg”) still remains under the lower leaves, then it can be rooted, thereby renewing the plant. To ensure uniform flower development, even after pruning, regularly rotate the pot so that it receives sunlight from all sides.

Did you know? The people of many countries have revered the violet since ancient times, attributing magical properties to it. Thus, among the ancient Gauls it was considered a symbol of modesty and innocence, the French associated eternal fidelity with it, and modern Germans even organize celebrations in its honor: traditionally, the first Sunday of March in Germany is considered violet day.

Transfer

Transplanting a violet is a vital process for the plant, since the nutritional properties of the soil and the size of the pot itself change along with the growth of the flower. In order not to be mistaken in accurately determining the time of transplantation, you need to be aware of possible signs of the need for this process.

The list of “signaling” factors includes:

1. The appearance of a white coating on the soil surface, which indicates an excessive amount of fertilizer applied and a lack of proper breathability of the substrate.
2. Densely entwined around an earthen ball with the root system of a flower, sometimes with roots emerging through drainage holes.
3. The general depressed and lifeless appearance of violets, expressed in fading foliage color (especially if fertilizing does not bring the desired result).

In addition, newly purchased violets and plants with a new rosette launched by the flower need replanting.

The frequency of performing the procedure for the described variety is approximately once a year, preferably in early spring, before flowering begins.
In the case of cultivation using artificial light sources, the Zephyr violet can be transplanted at other times, with the exception of active flowering. In addition, the abundant appearance of buds indicates that the plant is comfortable in the existing conditions and does not need to change its location. To transplant violets, you can use any planting containers, but do not forget that in ceramic pots the water will evaporate faster and the plant will have to be watered more often. As for the size of the product, the diameter of the new container should be three times smaller than the diameter of the flower rosette, which will provide the optimal amount of nutrient mixture for further flowering of the violet. In addition, in large pots the likelihood of moisture stagnation is higher, which will have a detrimental effect on the plant’s root system.

Learn about the features of violet transplantation at home.

The transplant process takes place according to the following plan:

1. Place a drainage layer of expanded clay, perlite or moss on the bottom of the selected pot (no more than 1/5 of the total volume of the product).
2. Pour a small amount of nutritious, but at the same time loose substrate on top (for example, a mixture of leaf soil, peat and river sand, in a ratio of 4:1:1, with the addition of crushed charcoal or sphagnum). The acidity of the finished soil should not exceed 5.5–6.5 units.
3. Remove the plant from the pot, remove old, rotten roots, yellowed leaves, and shake off any remaining soil.
4. Treat the cut areas with crushed charcoal (can be activated) and, placing the plant in the center of the new pot, straighten the roots.
5. Fill the violet with the remaining soil mixture to the level of the lower leaves, and after a day, water it with water and, if necessary, add soil.

At this point, the process of transplanting a flower can be considered complete, and all you have to do is take the plant to a warm and well-lit place for further adaptation.

Video: violet transplantation