# Wild Saintpaulia species?



## Hornet (Sep 29, 2010)

Does anyone here grow any wild Saintpaulia species? Very keen to find out more about them. Found this pic, can anybody id this species? Photo: Wild Saintpaulia © Patrik Stedrak #24257671


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Well you can check wiki for species info...
Saintpaulia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

here is one though....
Saintpaulia grotei


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## botanyboy03 (Apr 18, 2009)

Dave- Where did you get that one? I'd love to get some wild species of Saintpaulia, because I am a total plant freak collector nut. Hahaha. Oh, that isn't your pic, hmmm, drats.

Zac


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## chuckpowell (May 12, 2004)

I grow four or five species. For the most part they grow cooler than we like to keep our tanks. I grow them with Petrocosmia which also do very well under those conditions - cooler greenhouse, not tank. Take a look at A Passion for Petrocosmea for Petrocosmia. I think their actually better than African violets. You can find both on ebay from time to time.

Best,

Chuck


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## Manuran (Aug 28, 2007)

Hi Hornet, 
I don't keep any Saintpaulia species, but just wanted to answer the last question.
I believe the photo you linked to is a species of Ramonda (maybe myconi). They are Saintpaulia relatives from the alpine regions around the Mediterranean.


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## dirtmonkey (Feb 10, 2007)

I agree the link it a Ramonda.

I have had great luck in vivs with the miniature Saintpaulia shumensis and one that was a miniature trailer (but can't remember the name). I grew some bigger ones but they just got too clumsy. S. velutina is beautiful, but never seemed to like the high temp and humidity.

Vendors and collectors list them under "Saintpaulia species" or "Species violets".

They adapt best if you cut off the roots, and set them on top of the substrate or moss instead of actually planting them.


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

1) Always good to check The Gesneriad Reference Web 

This is Ron Myhr's Canadian gesneriad reference site, usually has very good info. 

2) Species Saintpaulias are also not as floriferous as the ionantha hybrids. Chuck is right though, they do not handle high vivarium heat and also do not need or like saturation. Same applies to sub-tropical alpines like many Petrocosmea and Chirita. (Have to disagree with Chuck on one thing; a well-grown Saintpaulia blows Petrocosmea away. To me, Petrocosmea are almost TOO symmetrical.)

Better for frog tanks are smaller Episcias, smaller Sinnigias (in a well-drained spot), Diastema, small Gesneria sp.; Odds and ends like _Neomortonia rosea_, _Pearcea hypocyrtiflora_ (sp.) and _Gloxinella lindeniana_ also work well. 

In my experience, smaller columneas and codonanthes need good drainage and shoud be up near the lights for decent flowering. 

As for the true alpines, Hemiboea, Ramonda, Haberlea all need a dormancy. Some Achimenes and big Sinningias can be grown in warm temperate gardens. (I do, and they're not particularly demanding.) 

See Perennial Plants - Elephant Ears - Hostas - Shade Plants

3) Dirtmonkey is absolutely right about rooting technique; this applies to many "finished" tropicals. (In my experience the plant family that suffers from severe root pruning is Aroids. Better here to root cuttings.)


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