6

When I bought these violets, the leaves were pointing up. Now, they seem healthy and are even flowering, but the leaves are going downwards. What makes them point up or lay down like that?

Other with laying down leaves but otherwise healthy

My violet flowering with leaves laying in the pot

They looked like these originally:

They looked like these originally

Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
  • 6,215
  • 8
  • 39
  • 74
Carolina Faria
  • 121
  • 3
  • 2
    They do that as new leaves grow. You are watering from the bottom, with a little fertilizer once a week? I've been doing that for over a decade with some of mine. They're huge, and almost constantly in bloom. – Wayfaring Stranger Jan 16 '19 at 22:24
  • @WayfaringStranger, I water from the top, not wetting the leaves. I have not yet started to fertilize, because I intend to prepare an organic fertilizer for my orchids and will use it in the violets as well, but have to check if all ingredients are fine for the violet. So many doubts! – Carolina Faria Jan 17 '19 at 15:44
  • @Caroliba Faria, IMHO, that should be an ideal posture for an Afr. Violet, pointing upward leaves is usually linked with things such as reaching upward for light(not enough light), protecting the center from hot air (direct sunlight), and some unchangeable genetical conditions. As long it doesn't come from the overwatering condition then they are fine.probably it just a form of adaptaion to air, humidity, temperature ij your room. – Plain_Dude_Sleeping_Alone Feb 14 '19 at 07:21

1 Answers1

1

As Wayfaring Stranger has pointed out it happens as new leaves grow. If you look carefully at the crown, as your plants get older you may note that the shape changes from a little round bump to a vertically extended shape. Imagine a pencil being pushed up through the soil - at first the leaves grow out of the flat or rounded top of the eraser and stand up straight. Then as new growth happens at the eraser tip they push the old leaves to the outside; the "pencil" emerges further, the old leaves are no longer at the top where the eraser is, they are now growing out of the sides of the pencil, out of a vertical surface and therefore the petioles are horizontal.

The upright tube shape becomes clearer as the plant moves into old age and needs renewal.

Colin Beckingham
  • 19,612
  • 1
  • 12
  • 43
  • I am skeptical of this explanation because they became like this too shorty after the purchase. Sun or watering problems were my guesses, but I am following the water when dirt is 2 cm dry and give it plenty of indirect light instructions. – Carolina Faria Jan 21 '19 at 12:32