Native Plants

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A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

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Thursday - April 26, 2007

From: highland lakes, NJ
Region: Northeast
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: About African Violets
Answered by: Joe Marcus

QUESTION:

I have an African Violet. i clipped a leaf off and rooted it and i have a baby pink-leafed African Violet now, not pink flowers, pink leaves. It struck me as odd. i never saw one like this before. it came from a green and white leaved one. Basicaly my question is, have you ever seen or heard of this before?

ANSWER:

Our focus and expertise at the Wildflower Center is in plants native to North America. African violets, as the name would indicate, are native to Africa and not to North America. I can refer you to the answer to a previous question about variegated leaves that explains how they occur. You can also read specifically about Variegated Foliage in African Violets.