Great as a gift 🌸
African Violet
Saintpaulia spp. · Gesneriaceae
How it looks
The African Violet is a small herb whose thick, soft, hairy, round, dark green leaves grow in a clump from the base. Five-petaled purple, pink, or white flowers cluster at the center. It grows 4-8 in (10-20 cm) tall and is one of the most popular potted plants.
African Violet has no reported toxicity to cats according to the ASPCA. Even small ingestions don't cause any notable symptoms.
Guide for parents
The flowers are small, usually 0.8–1.2 in (2–3 cm) across, and the leaves are a light-to-deep green, thick, with velvety fuzz. It's a safe plant, but the potting soil and fertilizer are a separate matter. If your cat likes to eat soil, fertilizer ingredients can upset their stomach. Water the soil directly rather than the leaves — it's worth knowing that this plant develops brown spots wherever water sits on the foliage.
Details
- Scientific name
- Saintpaulia spp.
- Common name
- African Violet
- Family
- Gesneriaceae
- Source
- ASPCA
Related plants
Same plant family· Gesneriaceae
Other safe flowers
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