The soft, fuzzy leaves of your African Violet make it look more snuggly than most plants. Is it safe to pet the foliage? Or will this damage your Saintpaulia? Indoor gardeners are often tempted to touch African Violet leaves, but there are good reasons to keep your distance. Here’s why you should limit contact with your Saintpaulia – and how to touch it safely when you need to clean it.
Researchers have found that if you touch African Violet leaves repeatedly, it can stunt their growth. Occasional contact won’t have much impact, but you should avoid petting and stroking a Saintpaulia’s leaves. However, dusting them off with a soft paintbrush once a month or so will help keep them healthy.
Certain kinds of contact will be worse for your African Violet’s health than others. This post will give you some more detail on the sensitivities of your Saintpaulia, along with some tips on tidying it up. Read on to find out how you can keep your African Violet clean while giving it enough the right amount of personal space.
Is It Okay To Touch African Violet Leaves?
African Violets get a lot of attention for their flowers, but their leaves are intriguing too. They’re covered with fine, downy hairs that give them a soft texture. But just because your plant feels like a stuffed animal doesn’t mean you should pet it.
While many plants can benefit from regular contact, at least one study suggests that African Violets respond differently. A team of researchers at Oklahoma State University tested the effects of rubbing Saintpaulias a few times a week. After just 5 weeks, they found that the plants they had handled were smaller, with fewer leaves and more signs of damage.
The scientists also looked at the effects of hand lotion, since commercial African Violet growers often deal with dry skin. As it turns out, petting a Saintpaulia seems to do more damage if you’re wearing lotion. But any kind of repeated touch appears to place some strain on the plant.
Does this mean you can never touch African Violet leaves? Well, it would be pretty tricky to care for your Saintpaulia while avoiding all physical contact. You don’t need to worry about handling it for ordinary care and upkeep. You can water, prune, and repot your African Violet without fear.
Still, the safest course of action is to treat your African Violet like a plant, not a pet. Avoid touching it except when you have a good reason to do so.
Take special care if you’re wearing creamy skin products, or if you’ve recently handled any kind of chemicals. It’s not clear exactly why the African Violets in the study reacted badly to lotion. But you’re better off playing it safe.
Give Your African Violet Leaves Some Space
While we’re on the subject, your fingers aren’t the only things you should keep away from your African Violet’s leaves. If you have more than one of these plants, don’t put them so close together that their leaves touch. A bit of space in between allows for much-needed airflow. And pests can spread more quickly when plants are in close contact.
That doesn’t mean your plants need to be far away from each other. Actually, clustering African Violets (and other moisture-loving species) helps keep them humid, which is good for their health. Just make sure to leave gaps between the plants.
You also shouldn’t place your Saintpaulia so close to a window that its leaves reach the glass. African Violet leaves are sensitive to temperature as well as touch. And window panes tend to get cold in the winter and heat up in the summer. Contact with that hot or cold surface can damage your plant’s foliage.
Finally, try not to get African Violet leaves wet. Cold water is a particular problem – it can harm the leaves and create unsightly spotting on their surfaces. But even lukewarm water isn’t great if it sits on the leaves or in the crown for too long. Standing water on the foliage can sometimes give a foothold to fungal infections, causing crown rot. You should be especially watchful for wet leaves on cold and cloudy days when evaporation is slower.
Can You Touch African Violet Leaves to Clean Them?
If you’re an experienced houseplant grower, you may know that plants benefit from regular cleanings to remove dust and grime. Oils and detritus can clog leaf pores, and it reduces the amount of sunlight and energy a plant can absorb.
African Violets are particularly likely to get dusty since those hairs on their foliage can trap debris. But how do you clean these sensitive plants?
Don’t worry – it’s okay to touch African Violet leaves for an occasional cleaning. It should only be necessary every 1-2 months. This kind of infrequent contact won’t put much stress on your plant.
Still, it’s best to use a light touch. One option is to gently whisk any dust off your African Violet’s leaves with a soft paintbrush or microfiber cloth. Use your free hand to prop up each leaf from below as you dust it.
You may want to wear gloves, especially if you use skin products that might not gel with your plant’s chemistry. Cleaning African Violets this way is a slow process, but it can be meditative and soothing if you approach it with patience.
A quicker option is to wash the foliage off with water. Hold on, though – didn’t we just say not to get African Violet leaves wet? Yes, there is some risk associated with this method. But if you’re careful, your plant should be fine.
Use a gentle stream of water at a mild temperature, and tilt the plant a bit, so moisture doesn’t pool in the crown. Then place your African Violet in a warm location (temperature in the high 70s) that direct sunlight can’t reach. This should ensure that it dries off before the water can get cold or allow fungus to build up.
Why Do African Violets Have Fuzzy Leaves?
Okay, so the softness of African Violet leaves isn’t an invitation to cuddle. But what is the purpose of all that fuzz?
According to the African Violet Society of America, Saintpaulias get a few perks from their fluffy leaves:
- Moisture control. The hairs on an African Violet’s leaves tilt out, toward the leaf tips. This helps to guide raindrops and dew away from the center of the plant. That way, moisture is less likely to collect in the middle where it might cause crown rot.
- Temperature regulation. That layer of fuzz offers a little bit of insulation against heat and cold. The temperature around the hairy leaf surface won’t fluctuate as much as the air around it. Your African Violet’s leaves are wrapped in a natural blanket!
- Discouraging pests. An African Violet’s hair may offer a defense against large insects that like to munch on plant leaves. The furry coating pushes them back slightly, making it hard for their mandibles to reach the juicy leaf. Instead, they’ll chomp down on a bunch of tough hairs. This may cause the pests to look for easier meals.
Keep in mind that if your African Violet is extremely hairy, it may actually be bad news. Microscopic pests called cyclamen mites can mess up the development of your plant’s leaves, causing them to grow longer hairs.
If your African Violet’s foliage looks shaggier than normal, look for other warning signs. These include stunted growth and tight, twisted, brittle central leaves. A grayish color is another classic symptom of cyclamen mites. Read this article for suggestions on combating cyclamen mites.
Final Thoughts
You shouldn’t touch African Violet leaves more than you have to, but don’t get too paranoid about it. Your Saintpaulia won’t wither up and die just because you accidentally bump its leaves with your hand. And you definitely shouldn’t neglect its care in order to avoid contact.
Brush your African Violet’s leaves clean every once in a while, and tend to its other needs as normal. Your plant won’t mind a bit of contact as part of a diligent care routine, as long as it’s infrequent and gentle.
