Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
lucky123_gw

Opinion Grandifolia 299

lucky123
9 years ago

I have a Grandifolia 299 and the leaves aren't held out or up. The leaves tend to fold down..almost looks wilted compared to stiffer AV's but healthy, growing with good color and beautiful velvet leaves.

I looked at pictures of show plants of Grandifolia 299 and the leaves do turn down. It is very pretty, folding down over one another.

Could y'all take a look at the show pictures (google grandifolia 299) and confirm that it is a softer, down folding looking AV compared to the stiffer, more upright AV's?

I think I am on the verge of seriously underwatering mine because of that soft, downward shape to the leaves. I keep thinking it is getting root rot or something.
THANKS!

Comments (13)

  • PRO
    Whitelacey
    9 years ago

    Lucky,

    If your violet looks healthy and is growing, keep on, keepin' on. Some violets have down-cast leaves.

    Root rot takes about a day or two to overtake your plant so if it was 'getting' root rot, you would know it. Very quickly. Plus, if it were inflicted, under-watering won't help. The damage would already have invaded.

    Don't hover!!!

    Linda

  • quimoi
    9 years ago

    I've never grown the species, but here is Melvin Robey's description:

    "8. S. grandifolia Number 299

    9. S. grandifolia Number 237

    Both plants usually grow single-crowned. They become quite large, as their name implies, and are most handsome with their very large, crinkled, waferthin, elliptical leaves growing somewhat upright on lengthy pliable petioles. Quite floriferious for a species; the blossoms are crisp, blue-violet in color. Discovered in the Usambara Mountains."

    (edit: This is a very old book and I know they've done some reclassification but the description should be the same for this one.)

    http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/afrviolet/msg1012433828545.html

    Fred Hill mentions the long flexible petiole on G. 299 in the above post. His plant may still be pictured on the AVSA website.

    Diana

    This post was edited by quimoi on Mon, Jul 28, 14 at 10:22

  • lucky123
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    If I could only have one AV, it would be Grandifolia 299

    Linda (whitelacey) LOL...you caught me "hovering" again.

    Diana That description would fit Grandifolia 237, crinkled leaves, more upright but the Grandifolia 299 I have has very velvet leaves that form a mound rather than the pinwheel of most violets.

    I am going to water normally. It was blooming so I know it is a Grandifolia. I have leaves put down so perhaps I will have some mouse ears soon. I had to wait a while for my "plug" to get big enough to trim a leaf.
    Thanks!

  • fortyseven_gw
    9 years ago

    Suggest you not trim leaves, allow the plant to mature first to have its full complement of leaves. On a plant that forms a whorl, that would be three rows or about 15 leaves. Not sure about the Species. Plants need their leaves to grow and thrive. Joanne

    This post was edited by fortyseven on Mon, Jul 28, 14 at 14:59

  • lucky123
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Joanne
    I took a leave that had mechanical damage on the tip. I trimmed a small bit off, put the leaf in a dome, hope for mouse ears.

    I received that plant as a gift and it was dying.

    Desperate Time -- Desperate Measures.

    Then the plant started growing and it is very healthy now, except for mounding but I still want some backup as it tends to be very fussy.

    If I can grow Grandifolia 299, I can grow any AV

  • quimoi
    9 years ago

    FC2 describes them both as "Standard rosette."

    Diana

    This post was edited by quimoi on Mon, Jul 28, 14 at 16:36

  • lucky123
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Diana
    Link to FC2?

    Based on all the information provided by the helpful folks on this forum G-299 is a more upright plant
    Therefore:
    I suspect the light is getting brighter. That might cause the leaves to fold down around the pot. Yes? No?

    I have moved G-299 from the counter to the windowsill. The sun is moving back north.

    The other plants on that counter are still looking good but I seem to remember somewhere Fred Hill stated the S. Grandifolia need a bit less light.

    AV's bloom on that windowsill where I placed G-299 so I usually reserve that space for the "ready to bloom."

    I am going to have to start looking for another place other than that counter if too much light is the problem.

    G-299 is the usually the first to react to cultural conditions. It is a very fussy plant :)

    EDIT NOTE: From The Violet Barn
    It's quite likely that the cause of this is genetic and not cultural. It's a trait especially common among varieties with heavily ruffled or girl foliage. Many of the older varieties also had this characteristic. Fortunately, like many other undesirable traits, it has been "bred out" of most of the current hybrids. Plants with this growth habit don't like to have excess rows of leaves. Regularly removing the outer leaves will allow the remaining foliage to grow flatter and more symmetrically.

    One possible cultural cause may be excessive light.

    This post was edited by lucky123 on Mon, Jul 28, 14 at 17:44

  • quimoi
    9 years ago

    I believe you are probably right about the light issue. I think the species generally need less light.

    First Class 2. $27 for AVSA members; $40 for non-members.

    I don't know what Violet Barn is referring to there but I suspect that it's not about the species.

    Diana

  • lucky123
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    GRRR Light Meter -- So Strange

    OK I tested the counter. It has bright light from all directions at 100 - 150 foot candles all day long (10+ hrs).

    I tested the window sill. It has 200 - 250 ft candles but fewer hours and from one direction only.

    Most Optimara's will thrive and bloom on the window sill.

    But Now I remember: some plants don't do well on that window sill. I put a noid (Wyoming?) which bloomed profusely and then collapsed in a burned heap. Midnight Sun wilted when I put it on that sill so I hesitate to put G-299 on that sill.

    I will look for light location 100-150 for fewer hours a day as G-299 seems to like that light level, just not for so many hours. ???

    Light is a strange subject.

    (These readings are my meter which may be different than your meter)

    This post was edited by lucky123 on Mon, Jul 28, 14 at 19:13

  • fortyseven_gw
    9 years ago

    Lucky, I've been reading some old gardening books about light. It shifts and changes throughout the year. In summer it is much more intense for many more hours. The advertising says that an Optimara can take window sill light because they are trying to say it is a non-fussy type of AV. It can take direct window light in the winter but not the summer, same thing happened here. If you have a different window with indirect light, move them. You might have to move them to the center of the room. You live in a place with much more intense light and heat than almost anywhere else. Making adjustments will help. I pull curtains closed a lot in summer. Joanne

  • quimoi
    9 years ago

    I just went to repot a couple of little noids (kind of Optimara/Anthoflores types). They are both the same variety. I had moved one away from the brighter light. Now I see that it has flattened out while its sibling's leaves are curved around the pot. It appears that too much light did cause this.

    Diana

  • lucky123
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Joanne and Diana
    Thank you very much!
    It is light then. And the species (G-299) are fussy about anything out of a very narrow cultural range.
    I have so many different light levels I will find the right spot!
    Midnight Sun grows well in an area where I swear a mushroom would perish, but who am I to argue? It is growing and healthy.
    Thanks Again!

  • fortyseven_gw
    9 years ago

    Lucky, my computer has a creative version if spell check so I blame any weird words on that .
    Glad to read you got a light meter. When you said you trimmed a leaf, I thought you meant you removed a healthy leaf. Thanks for explaining. The definition of too much light depends on your environment. My plants in west facing rooms with floor to ceiling windows instead of walls and intense afternoon light all have foliage hugging the pot or draping down . The blooms stick up straight and tall. That is normal for them in that room. They are one foot from the window. Others are three feet away because when the light shifts, the rays hit at a 2 foot spot which is too strong. The same varieties on the opposite side of the house with normal windows and bright morning light have leaves that are larger and stick out straight in a wagon wheel. Their blooms come out sideways from under the leaves . The nursery is in a north room with floor to ceiling windows. It is the right amount of light for them in my bright calif environ. They get only a little bright light. For you in Arizona with more light , heat and humidity, it will be necessary to move your plants away from windows during the summer months. Just keep in mind that light rays slant into the room at different angles throughout the year . A spot that works in winter won 't work in summer . My brightest rooms with the windows instead of walls have white curtains that let light through. The normal widows have blinds. Also, you and I are all the way west , with the most intense light, least amount of clouds and longest hours if daylight. Whatever optimara writes is probably based on their Tennessee environ and Violet Barn is on the
    East coast up north . They are probably writing for growers under lights or much different light conditions. Glad to hear you have more time for plants , me , too, hit crazy - busy for a long while. Joanne

Sponsored
Ed Ball Landscape Architecture
Average rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars30 Reviews
Exquisite Landscape Architecture & Design - “Best of Houzz" Winner