Temperature
65–80°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
African violet
Streptocarpus ionanthus
African violet wants bright indirect light and water every 5 to 10 days, once the top of the soil is dry to the touch. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Light
Bright indirect
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
A north or east window, within two feet. Leaves reaching upward mean too little light; pale flat leaves mean too much.
Water
Every 5–10 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top of the soil is dry to the touch, not on a schedule.
Humidity
40% and up
Wants 60%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Moderate
Scores 3 of 5: Scores 3 of 5: it flowers for months in a north window, but cold water on the leaves marks them permanently and it must be watered from below.
Habit
Rosette
Grows to 4–8 inches. No support needed.
Non-toxic to cats and dogs
Eating a large amount of any plant can still cause mild stomach upset.
Detail for cats → Detail for dogs →
What each authority says
- ASPCA
- No record page found under any name tested.
- NC State Extension
- Entry exists and records no poison data.
DISPLAY — in-content responsive
Light
Bright indirect light. A north or east window, within two feet. Leaves reaching upward mean too little light; pale flat leaves mean too much.
Water
Every 5 to 10 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top of the soil is dry to the touch.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | bottom water |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the top of the soil is dry to the touch |
Soil and potting
Two parts African violet mix, one part perlite.
Repot roughly every 1 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. The individual diagnosis pages are not built yet.
- No flowers page not written yet
- Leaf spots page not written yet
- Root rot page not written yet
Propagation
Leaf cutting in soil or water. Roots in 28 to 56 days.
| Preferred method | leaf cutting |
|---|---|
| Medium | soil, water |
| Time to root | 28–56 days |
| Node required | No |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Streptocarpus ionanthus (consulted; entry exists and records no poison data.) Checked 2026-09-11.
- Wikidata entity Q50870323 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Streptocarpus ionanthus Accepted name; family Gesneriaceae. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Photograph: Clyde Charles Brown, Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 4.0.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02