Photo: Daderot / CC0 / Wikimedia Commons

African violet

Streptocarpus ionanthus (syn. Saintpaulia ionantha)

A small, fuzzy-leaved flowering plant that can bloom in any season in bright, filtered light. Non-toxic to pets (ASPCA), but it dislikes dry air, draughts and wet leaves, so it needs a gravel tray and a calm shelf.

Mature size0.1–0.25 m tall, 0.15–0.3 m spreadGrowthSlowSunPart shadeWaterModerate

Drought: 1 of 5

Shade: 3 of 5

Ease of care: 3 of 5

Use in a design Get it looked after

Indoors in Dubai

African violet indoors

Light it grows well in

Low (does not suit it)
Medium (suits it)
Bright (suits it)
Sun (does not suit it)

Bright, filtered light, out of direct sun: a sill behind a sheer curtain, or a desk near a window. It needs about ten hours of light a day to keep flowering (RHS). Keep it off hot summer glass.

Dry, air-conditioned air

2 of 5

1 means it needs humidity help, 5 means it does not mind.

Under air conditioning: AC temperatures of 18 to 24°C suit it, but dry air does not. Stand it on damp gravel, keep it out of vents and draughts, and never mist: the RHS says it marks the leaves and encourages mildew.

Cats and dogs

Pet-safe

Non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, according to the ASPCA (Saintpaulia spp.). As with any plant, eating a lot of foliage can still upset a stomach.

Size: TabletopSits on a table or shelf
Rooms: Home office Bedroom Kitchen Living room
In Dubai shops: Specialist shopsSpecialist plant shops
Outdoors: Indoors only

All indoor plants for Dubai More plants for medium light

Season

Through the Dubai year

How African violet behaves through Dubai's seasons, month by month.

JJan

FFeb

MMar

AApr

MMay

JJun

JJul

AAug

SSep

OOct

NNov

DDec

Avg high °C

24°

26°

29°

34°

38°

40°

42°

40°

36°

31°

27°

Buy and pot up

Feb – Apr

Can flower all year

Jan – Dec

Feed every 3 to 4 weeks

Mar – Sep

Check for mealybugs and thrips

Apr – Oct

Hot glass and dry AC air

Jun – Sep

Buy and pot up: Feb–Apr, Oct–Nov
Cooler months, so the plant is not carried home in summer heat. The RHS says to repot every two to three years in spring.
Can flower all year: Jan–Dec
It needs about ten hours of light and eight hours of darkness a day (RHS).
Feed every 3 to 4 weeks: Mar–Sep
The RHS says a dilute liquid feed in spring and summer.
Check for mealybugs and thrips: Apr–Oct
The RHS lists aphids, mealybugs and thrips among its pests.
Hot glass and dry AC air: Jun–Sep
Keep it out of direct sun and away from the vent; low humidity can stop flowering.

African violet can flower on and off all year when it has enough light (NC State lists all four seasons), so its calendar is about care rather than a bloom window. Feed every three to four weeks in spring and summer (RHS). In the hot months, from about June to September, keep it off hot glass, because the RHS says to keep it out of direct sun, especially in summer. Through the air-conditioning season, from about May to October, humidity is the issue: low humidity can stop flowering and slow growth (RHS). In winter, watch for cold draughts near windows and balcony doors; NC State says temperatures below 60°F (15.6°C) cause stunting, and the airport's average January night minimum is 15.3°C. October to November and February to April are the months to buy and pot up.

Meet the plant

Meet the African violet

Meet African violet, the little plant that flowers on a shelf. A low rosette of soft, fuzzy, rounded leaves carries clusters of purple, blue, pink or white blooms, and NC State Extension says it can flower in spring, summer, autumn and winter. For a flat with no garden it is a cheap, compact way to get colour indoors.

It is also a plant of routine. The RHS says it needs at least ten hours of light and eight hours of darkness a day for sustained flowering, steady 18 to 24°C by day and 16°C at night all year, and water at room temperature that never touches the leaves. A Dubai flat is good at the temperature, because households in one study held their air conditioning between 18 and 26°C. It is poor at humidity, and the RHS says African violets dislike dry air.

Treat it as a desk or shelf companion: a bright windowsill behind a sheer curtain, a saucer of damp gravel under the pot, and no misting.

African violet (Streptocarpus ionanthus, long sold as Saintpaulia ionantha) is a small rosette plant in the gesneriad family, Gesneriaceae. The RHS says African violets were moved into the genus Streptocarpus but the old name is still widely used. NC State gives 6 to 9 inches (15 to 23 cm) tall and wide, and says mature plants take two to five years.

Light: the RHS says to keep it out of direct sun, especially in summer, or to filter it with a thin curtain, and that low light can reduce or stop flowering. NC State says bright, filtered light. In Dubai that means a windowsill behind a sheer curtain or a desk well inside a bright room, not hot glass in summer and not a dim shelf.

Water when the surface of the compost is dry, using room-temperature water poured onto the compost, or stand the pot in a tray of water for half an hour, and avoid wetting the leaves (RHS). Overwatering is the main problem (NC State). Do not mist: the RHS says it marks the leaves and encourages mildew. Low humidity can stop flowering and slow growth (RHS), so stand the pot on damp gravel with the water level below the surface, or run a humidifier in the room.

Feed with a dilute liquid houseplant feed every three to four weeks in spring and summer, or an African-violet feed (RHS). Repot every two to three years in spring into a pot no more than 10 cm wide. A leaf cutting makes a baby plant in about four to five weeks (RHS).

Design

Where to use it

Desk or shelf colourKitchen windowsillBedside shelfGift plant

Place African violet where you will see it and check it: a desk, a kitchen windowsill, a bedside shelf. It wants bright, filtered light, such as a windowsill behind a sheer curtain, with a saucer of damp gravel under the pot and room for air to move but not a vent's stream. Keep it off hot summer glass.

Nerve plant

Nerve plant also wants moist air, so the two can share one wide gravel tray, and its veined leaves set off the violet's flowers. Both are non-toxic on the ASPCA list.

Prayer plant

A low prayer plant gives the same humid-tray companion with patterned foliage, and it too is non-toxic on the ASPCA list.

Peperomia

Peperomia's thick leaves cope with drier air than African violet, so it frames the group when the humidity drops.

Care guide

How to grow it in Dubai

Watering: Summer: Water when the surface of the compost is dry. Pour room-temperature water onto the compost, not the leaves, or stand the pot in a tray of water for half an hour (RHS). Overwatering is the main problem (NC State).
Winter: Follow the same rule: wait until the surface is dry, which may take longer in cooler weather. The RHS wants 18 to 24°C by day and 16°C at night all year, so keep it away from cold glass and draughts.
Soil: A light, free-draining compost. The RHS suggests a 2:1 mix of John Innes No 2 compost and fibrous peat substitute such as coir; NC State says drainage is essential and the crown should sit above the surface.
Feeding: A dilute liquid houseplant feed every three to four weeks in spring and summer, or a feed made for African violets (RHS).
Pruning: Snip off spent flowers, and when the last flower on a stem has faded remove the whole stem at its base (RHS). Remove dead or yellowed leaves regularly (NC State).
Planting: Repot every two to three years in spring into a pot only slightly larger than the rootball, no more than 10 cm across (RHS), keeping the crown above the compost (NC State). Leaf cuttings give new plants in about four to five weeks (RHS).
Pests: MealybugsThripsAphids

Avoid these

Common mistakes

Misting it. The RHS says not to mist African violets, because it marks the leaves and encourages mildew and mould. Use damp gravel, grouping or a humidifier in the room.
Wetting the leaves or watering with very cold water. The RHS says to avoid wetting any part of the plant and to use room-temperature water.
Overwatering. NC State says it is the main problem; wait until the surface of the compost has dried.
Putting it in low light and wondering why it will not flower. The RHS says low light can reduce or stop flowering and that it needs at least ten hours of light a day.
Leaving it on a sunny sill in summer. The RHS says to keep it out of direct sun, especially in summer, and suggests a north- or east-facing sill from spring to autumn.

Extra notes

Good to know

The ASPCA lists African violet (Saintpaulia) as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Eating any plant can still upset a stomach.
AC rooms held at 18 to 24°C match the RHS temperature range for this plant. The problems are dry air and draughts, not the temperature itself.
A leaf cutting with its stalk makes a new plant in four to five weeks (RHS), so one plant can become several.
On 7 October 2026 Plantsworld listed a 20 to 30 cm African violet from AED 35, backordered, and plantshop.me listed a 20 to 25 cm plant at AED 35, out of stock. Dubai Municipality's Warsan nursery also lists African violets, and sells indoor plants from about AED 2 to AED 60, Sunday to Thursday (Emirates 24|7, 13 May 2026). Stock and prices change.

Toxicity: Non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, according to the ASPCA (Saintpaulia spp.). As with any plant, eating a lot of foliage can still upset a stomach.

Pros

Non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses on the ASPCA list
Compact enough for a desk, shelf or windowsill
Can flower in any season with bright light and steady care
Easy to multiply from a single leaf cutting (RHS)
AC room temperatures of 18 to 24°C suit it

Cons

Dislikes dry air, which can stop flowering and slow growth (RHS)
Water on the leaves marks them, and mist invites mildew (RHS)
Needs about ten hours of light a day to keep flowering (RHS)
Overwatering is the main cause of failure (NC State)

FAQ

Common questions

Why won't my African violet flower?

Usually light. The RHS says it needs at least ten hours of light and eight hours of darkness a day for sustained flowering, and that low light can reduce or stop it. Dry air can also stop flowering and slow growth, so check the humidity and keep it away from the vent.

Can I mist my African violet in an air-conditioned room?

No. The RHS says misting marks the leaves and encourages mildew and mould. Stand the pot on damp gravel with the water level below the surface, group it with other plants, or run a humidifier in the room.

How do I water an African violet?

Wait until the surface of the compost is dry, then use room-temperature water on the compost, or stand the pot in a tray of water for half an hour (RHS). Keep the leaves dry. Overwatering is the main problem (NC State).

Is African violet safe for cats and dogs?

Yes. The ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Eating any plant can still upset a stomach, so do not let a pet treat it as a snack.

Does African violet suit a Dubai AC room?

The temperature suits it: the RHS wants 18 to 24°C by day and 16°C at night, which is where many AC rooms sit. The dry air and vent draughts do not suit it, so give it a damp-gravel tray and a spot out of the airflow.

Not sure how it suits your garden?

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Sources

Last reviewed 2026-10-07 by Plant Guide horticulture desk.

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