African violets are popular houseplants, well-loved for their compact size, stunning blooms, and low maintenance. Like other houseplants, however, they can experience problems with their leaves. That is why it is important to know what to look out for so you can prevent it from occurring.
Problems with African violet leaves (how to fix) can range from an annoyance to a serious issue that could kill your plant. Some of the most common leaf problems that they have are caused by too much or too little watering, fungal disease, improper lighting, and over-fertilization.
African Violet Leaves Are Purple, Is It A Problem, How To Fix?
While purple leaves may not sound like a bad thing, it can be a problem that requires fixing when it appears on your African violets.
When an African violet’s leaves start turning purple, it is typically due to low phosphorus. Feeding the plant fertilizer designed for African violets is the first step in correcting the problem. Apply the fertilizer at ½ strength once a month during the plant’s active growing season.
Regular use of fertilizer will go a long way to preventing nutrient deficiency in the future. Additionally, consider testing the soil every so often to learn what the current nutrient levels are of the plant’s soil..
African Violet Leaves Turning White And Very Pale Light Green
When your African violet leaves start turning white and a very pale light green, that is the sign that the plant is not getting the right amount of light that it needs.
Too much light will cause the African violet leaves to start turning white and very pale light green. This is because the chlorophyll inside the plant’s foliage starts to become destroyed due to the excessive amount of light. Flower production may also decrease.
How Do I Stop African Violet Leaves From Drooping?
Drooping leaves can turn your once attractive African violet into an unsightly and depressing plant. The good news is that, in most cases, you can easily fix the problem by addressing how much you water the plant.
Drooping leaves are caused by either overwatering or underwatering the African violet. Ensuring the plant is watered correctly will stop the leaves from drooping. African violets like moist but not soggy soil. On average, you can expect to water the plant every week.
What Are The White Spots On African Violet Leaves?
Even though you are growing the plant indoors, it can still develop diseases that discolor the leaves. Powdery mildew, for example, is a common disease that can affect both indoor and outdoor plants, including the African violet. But does it cause white spots to form on the leaves?
White spots on African violet leaves are probably powdery mildew. This fungal disease is a common problem for houseplants and typically occurs during early spring and winter. It is caused by poor air circulation, low light, and mild temperatures.
The good news is that powdery mildew is more of an annoying issue and not a serious problem. That doesn’t mean you should ignore it. If the powdery mildew is just on a leaf or two, simply wipe it off with a damp paper towel and improve the airflow around your plants.
For larger infestations, mix 1 quart of water with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Liberally spray the African violet with the mixture, making sure to cover the top and underside of the leaves and the stems. Repeat the treatment every 3 days until the powdery mildew is no longer present.
African Violet Leaves Turning Soft
While the African violet leaves are already ample and soft, they can become too soft, which is a sign that something is not right with your houseplant.
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An African violet with soft leaves is a tell-tale sign that the plant has been overwatered. This will also cause the leaves to droop and wilt, water blisters to form on the leaves and stems, and the crown, stems, and roots will start to rot.
African Violet Leaves Curling And Limp
African violet leaves are naturally a little plump, so when you start to see them curl and become limp, you know that there is a problem that you need to fix ASAP.
African violet leaves that are curling and limp are typically caused by overwatering. Overwatering is one of the quickest ways to kill your houseplants. Thankfully, you can prevent this problem by only watering the plant about once a week.
African Violet Leaves Turning Pink
While African violet blooms do come in hues of pink, the leaves do not. This houseplant has deep and vibrant leaves in various shades of green. So what could cause its leaves to start turning pink?
If your African violet leaves are turning pink, the plant has either been subjected to temperatures that are too low or it is getting too much sunlight. Either way, you will need to correct the problem to ensure your plant doesn’t suffer any further.
African violets need a temperature that falls between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temps fall below 65, the plant will start to get chilled and the leaves can begin to discolor. If the plant isn’t moved to the correct temperature, it can go into shock and eventually die.
Another cause of an African violet’s leaves turning pink is too much sunlight. While the African violet does need an abundance of light, 12 to 16 hours a day, for optimal growth, it cannot survive if there is too much light or if it is placed in direct sunlight.
African Violet Yellow Leaves
For most plants, yellowing leaves is one of the first symptoms of various problems that can be potentially serious for the plant. That is why it is important not to turn a blind eye when your African violet leaves start to turn yellow.
The most common culprit that will cause your African violet leaves to turn yellow is improper watering. Giving the plant too much or too little water will cause the leaves to discolor and become yellow. You can stop the discoloration by ensuring the plant has moist but not soggy soil.
Other causes of yellowing leaves are too much fertilizer or using poor quality fertilizer.
African Violet Leaves Turning Brown
Brown leaves are another common sign that your African violet is in distress. Act quickly to figure out the issue causing the discolored leaves so you can get your violet plant back to its once healthy state.
Air that is too dry will cause the African violet leaves to turn brown. African violets need a humidity level of about 80-percent, which is typically higher than the average indoor temperature for most homes. Thankfully, you can correct this problem by increasing the humidity level around the plant.
A drip tray or humidifier are two useful tools that you can use to get that humidity level on par with what the African violet needs.
African Violet Too Many Leaves
Some problems may not seem like a problem until it is too late. That is the case with an African violet having too many leaves. The plant may appear healthy with a boost in growth, but this could actually be a serious problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
An African violet that has too many leaves is experiencing leaf crowding, which is also known as a tight crown. While it may not look like a bad thing at first, it is actually a serious problem that can put stress on the plant.
The article owner is Plants To Trees dot Com and this article was first published on November 2, 2022.
Leaf crowding is caused by overfertilization, and it can also cause the leaves to become brittle and snap off. You may also notice excess salt deposits forming on the top of the soil. This is another common sign of overfeeding the African violet.
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PlantsToTrees.com is the owner of this article and we first published this on November 2, 2022.