Getting to know the Optimara violet: myLove and other varieties of this group

The history of Optimara begins in 1904. The company was founded in Izzelburg (Germany).

The company originally grew many different types of flowering plants, but they were all replaced over time by Saintpaulia.

Saintpaulia first appeared in the company's greenhouses in 1930. Only 1 m2 was allocated for growing this species. However, (the son-in-law of the company founder) believed that Saintpaulia would conquer lovers of indoor plants, and made every effort to spread it.

The first own variety was bred by Hermann Holtkamp in 1956 and named Saint Martin (in honor of his father-in-law and the founder of the company). In the same year, the Rhapsodie trademark was introduced, which is still used in the names of some varieties.

In 1965, the world's first variety with non-falling flowers was bred in the company's greenhouses. It’s strange to imagine now, but until that moment all violets had “fallen” flowers that flew away at the slightest movement. This made it extremely difficult to transport flowering plants. The new variety Elfriede, thanks to this new mutation, has revolutionized violet breeding.

In 1977, Reinhold Holtkamp Sr. (grandson of the company founder) acquired the American rival Joy Floral Company, located on Lischey Ave in Nashville, Tennessee, in connection with entering the international market. The Optimara brand was patented for sale on the American market, which is now known throughout the world. The brand name is formed from two words - optimum (meaning best) and Usambara (mountains in East Africa where Saintpaulias were first discovered).

Currently, Optimara is an international company with branches in America, Europe and even Africa. The Nashville complex consists of 13 huge greenhouses with an area of ​​more than 50,000 m2:

In the next photo, our Polina was photographed with Reinhold Holtkamp Jr., the president of the company (he is the great-grandson of the company founder):

In 1984, the company implemented the Space Violet project. One of NASA's spacecraft sent Saintpaulia seeds into space to study the long-term effects of cosmic radiation and the absence of gravity. The seeds remained in space for about six years. As a result of this experiment, the Space Violet series was obtained, and plants obtained from these seeds are used for further breeding work.

Currently, special attention in breeding work is paid to obtaining violets with true red and true yellow colors.

Video

Today I have a real journey for you.
I am in the greenhouses of Holtkamp, ​​who is the creator of the African violets Optimara. African violets are the most popular houseplants in the world. About 100 million violets are sold annually. And it is here, right outside the city (Nashville) that there are 10 greenhouses (I can’t catch the word, but logically, we are talking about greenhouses) growing a universe of violets (or something like that). This is amazing, this is truly a wonderful place! It appeared here in 1977. (Next she talks about how violets can be bought everywhere, they are sold in any store and now she will talk about what happens to violets before they hit the shelves and how much work and what exactly and how long is required, what If only they got there so beautiful Smile). Each violet is a clone created by vegetative propagation from a mother plant. The woman she is talking to is Monique Holtkamp, ​​the host asks Monique to tell her what they see here.

Monique: This is the beginning of a new plant. and what Kon does (she has been working with us for many years) is she plants mother leaves in the ground from which the children will grow.

Presenter: how many children do you expect to see from one sheet?

Monique: one sheet baby.

Presenter: How long will it be before the baby arrives?

Monique: 16 weeks until the babies arrive.

Presenter: Will they be very small?

Monique: yes, very small

• Georgia violet

Presenter: How long will it take from such a small beginning to a mature plant ready to go to the store?

Monique: About 34 weeks. that's almost 8.5 months. from that leaf to the finishing plant displayed in the store.

Presenter: This is longer than people expected, I think.

sl. frames:

Presenter: They are sorted by size into large, medium and small. and they will be planted according to size. When the baby becomes big enough, it is transplanted. You can see the little roots that are torn off. Soon these babies will be planted in the ground (there are 34 cells here), and they are making a huge number of such cells! Next, she asks Monique how many violets they plant per week (about 60 thousand per week in Nashville, and in all their greenhouses in South America, Asia, Africa - more than 100 thousand per week). A lot of work.

When little children grow up and grow a good root system, they are transplanted into permanent houses. It is an almost entirely mechanized system. These ladies can plant about 30k a day! From here they go to the greenhouse, where they grow for 8 to 12 weeks - the time depends on the variety. When they bloom, they are ready to be packaged and sent to the store. Once again, she asks Monique to tell her what's going on here. Smile

Monique: Here we collect violets of different colors in a tray, they are placed in “sleeves” to make sure they don’t break. from there they go into boxes and are packed into trucks. And this is what you buy in stores! This is 34 weeks. it's a magical process!

History of appearance and distribution

Violets are a cute and pleasant flower, so it is not surprising that many biologists have shown interest in them. The year 1989 was marked by the development of Saintpaulia varieties with peduncles of different colors, since before that only flowering with a purple hue was known. Once it was possible to understand how to influence the color scheme, scientists took up the size of violets, experimenting with it and creating varieties with miniature or huge petals. Breeding experiments could not go unnoticed. Soon they grew to a more serious level.

Many lovers of such beautiful plants as violets have noticed in flower shops and on the websites of a representative of the flower world called Optimara violets. They are not a separate type of Saintpaulia, they are simply grown by a company with that name. These flowers are considered the most striking representatives of tropical plants, but, unlike simpler species, they can only bloom once. Optimara Saintpaulias do not like the cold very much; any exposure to it leads to a complete stop of the flowering process, and can also deal a crushing blow to the root system, which should only be kept warm. Despite all their beauty, African fort violets do not grow for long and cannot be planted.

You can buy Optimara violets in the form of a small bouquet, which is often sold in pots. This plant can bloom only once, after which there is no point in caring for it anymore. Saintpaulias from this company grow quickly and all bloom at the same time. The main advantage is the abundance of beautiful symmetrical buds on one violet. Such plants are bred for industrial purposes, so they are easy to transport and do not deteriorate during the journey.

Bright flowers and various shades are the hallmark of Optimara violets, so interest in them remains consistently high. A lot of time has passed since the appearance of this brand, because the official time of its origin is considered to be 1930, when M. Dorrenbach in Germany switched from his business of breeding and growing grain crops to Saintpaulia. The co-owner saw global prospects in such a small and simple flower and was able to achieve his goals. His son, Reinholt, made a major contribution to the development, who helped make the modest family business a huge and world-famous enterprise. The first attempts to create a beautiful flower for sale were few in number, the plantations did not exceed 1 square meter, but thanks to their success, all the plants in the greenhouse were soon replaced by Uzambara Saintpaulia.

The main task of the Optimara company is to develop a large number of varieties, which are constantly being replenished. Already, there are several hundred varieties of these flowers that are posted on the company’s website, often they do not even have their own name. Usually a new violet is assigned a number, but the name of the breeder who bred it is always indicated. The production does not set the task of approving or cultivating any particular variety, even if customers like it. The main rule of Optimara is to have the widest range of products.

Violet SM-Smoke Above Water

Mysterious violet Smoke On The Water.
An excellent representative of the genus of hybrid Saintpaulias, another unrecognized Morev seedling variety.

• 
  Names of flowers for creating a balcony flower garden photo

The flowers are very unusual, semi-double with unusually thin petals that are corrugated only at the tips. The color is also quite unusual:

• The blue petals at the base fade smoothly into blue;
• And the edges and fringe are gray-green.

The rosette is slightly spreading through elongated and thin leaf stalks. The leaves are round with pronounced teeth along the edge. The color of the leaves is dark green with a pronounced network of veins.

During propagation, characteristics are often transferred, but among the reviews and data on the seedling, there is no exact information about what sports are.

Features of care

The variety does not require any special conditions. Even in good lighting:

• The sheets stretch;
• The rosette is not formed symmetrically;
• Peduncles are also prone to elongation.

Watering should not be too abundant, and it is also not recommended to use the wick type of watering; it promotes even greater elongation of cuttings and flower stalks.

It is recommended to feed SM-Smoke over water well, because a lack of minerals and nutrients leads to a deterioration in the appearance of the outlet.

Conditions for keeping

In order for Saintpaulias to grow at home and delight with lush and frequent flowering, proper living conditions must be created for them. The light should be moderate, quite bright, and if possible avoid direct sunlight. For full growth, the flower needs lighting within 10–14 hours a day. Plants with dark leaves need more light than those with light leaves. The soil in the pots should be slightly moist, a little dryness around the roots will stimulate the plant to bloom. Do not allow drafts or sudden temperature changes.

Violets are considered heat-loving plants, so a range of +20–+25 will be considered optimal. Signs of overheating include shredding of flowers, dull color, and lack of varietal distinctive features. Air humidity should be quite high, in the range of 50–60%, so you can use air humidifiers or a tray with water.

• 
  Moscow grapes

It is best to place the pot on a western or eastern window to provide the required amount of light. For uniform development of leaves, it is necessary to turn the bush a little after each watering. In the absence of proper lighting, you need to install special lamps that will produce the red and blue spectra that the violet needs. The optimal distance from the lamp to the plant is half a meter.

For full growth, you cannot do without fertilizing. Violets require fertilizers with a high phosphorus content. It is best to add fertilizers after the watering procedure. When choosing the most suitable products, you need to make sure that they dissolve in water, since this is how the violet consumes useful substances.

Landing algorithm

In order for violets to delight you with their abundant flowering, when planting them you should adhere to the following algorithm:

1. Find the optimal location. Saintpaulias like partial shade, no direct sun, and the soil is moderately moist.
2. Select optimal soil with an acidity of no more than 6.6 pH. A pinch of lime will help reduce the acidity level in the soil.
3. Select material for planting. Bushes obtained by dividing an old plant take root best.
4. Pour soil into a small pot or just a plastic glass, make a small depression and carefully insert the cutting with roots into it. Sprinkle and compact.
5. The sheet should be strengthened using a toothpick.
6. Cover the sheet with a bag or jar, creating greenhouse conditions.

In order for the sprout to take root faster, it should be placed in a warm and bright place.

Botanical description of the plant

The author of the Chanson variety (not to be confused with the EK-Russian Chanson variety) is not exactly known, although many breeders are inclined to believe that its appearance was directly related to its appearance, led by Paul Sorano. Be that as it may, this flower really deserves attention, largely due to its original color and tall dark green leaves. All leaf plates are quite large, evenly colored and rounded in shape (located on high stalks, up to 10 cm in height). On the inside of the leaf the surface is slightly pubescent, while the outside is always smooth and shiny.

Their texture is juicy and fragile, collected in a rosette. The flowers are double, dark blue in color, collected in inflorescences of 5-6 pieces. The edges of their petals are slightly wavy and scalloped, but the central part is densely strewn with pink peas. Flowering can be observed throughout the warm period of the year, and if suitable conditions are provided, even in late autumn. The breaks in flowering are insignificant, but in order to increase the splendor of each wave, it is worth periodically removing the forming buds, artificially slowing down this process.

Top 10 most popular industrial varieties

Raphsody Cora

It has bright white petals with a distinct large indigo spot in the center of each petal. Each petal is corrugated at the edges. The leaves are jagged, fleecy, dark green with an obligatory gloss.

This variety is susceptible to temperature. In the hot season, blue color predominates and becomes very deep. In the cold season, on the contrary, white color dominates.

Ever Precious

It has white flowers with a bright purple or lilac border with a ruffled light green ruffle along the edge of the flower. The leaves are light in color and have jagged edges.

The variety forms a standard rosette very well.

Rita

Despite the simple semi-double flowers, this variety attracts at first sight due to its bright colors. On white pansies, a crimson spot creates a bright contrast. This variety belongs to the mini or small standard variety.

The leaves are simple, green. Flowering is capped, with a long period. Each short peduncle has no more than 3 buds.

Ellen

It has an unusual bright pink color with an orange tint. Pansy-shaped flowers have a small ruffle along the edge. A long flowering period while maintaining bright colors makes this variety attractive.

The leaves are toothed and have a red underside. Size – standard.

Ever Rejoice

Attracts lovers with its beautiful salmon color. The flowers are simple, corrugated, with a light green border that disappears after full opening.

The variety forms a small and compact rosette with corrugated shiny foliage. Characterized by frequent, long-lasting and repeated flowering.

Manitoba

It is distinguished by a large cap of light blue flowers with a small spot of a darker shade in the center. The flower shape is pansy. The leaves are round, pointed, and the underside is red. Peduncles are straight, have at least 7 buds.

Attracts with repeated flowering every 2 months and ease of care.

My Love

One of the most popular varieties. The flower is shaped like a star. The color is white with a large contrasting fuchsia patch in the center. The rosette is small, neat, the leaves are simple, dark. Straight and strong peduncles.

It is distinguished by abundant cap flowering.

Mississippi

Attracts with snow-white flowers with delicate pink edging. The shape of the flower is pansy, with a ruffled ruffle along the edge. The leaves are dark, toothed, and form a neat rosette.

By planting a cutting of this variety, you can get a plant with chimeric colors. This variety is classified as semi-standard.

Glacier

It has white flowers with light blue strokes of the original “wasp” shape. The attractiveness of this variety is added by its very abundant flowering.

On a rosette of even, ideal shape, a beautiful bright cap of white flowers with a blue tint is formed.

IsaBelle

It blooms with real bells of a delicate pink color. This variety can be classified as semi-standard - the size of the rosette does not exceed 20 cm. Small flowers strew the bush with a large dense cap. Peduncles grow from all possible axils; the flowering period is very long.

The AnnaBelle variety is absolutely similar except for the blue color of the bells.

Violet Emerald Love (E. Kolb)

Charming violet Emerald Love.
Saintpaulia Emerald Love is a green-colored violet. The name of the variety translated means Emerald Love.

The rosette has standard sizes and reaches an average of 30 cm. Simple foliage is dark green with a red underside. Leaflets:

• Pointed;
• Wavy;
• No additional variegation.

The rosette is prone to bending and is often disheveled. The leaves often stick out in different directions. Because of this, problems arise with placement on the windowsill.

Also does not like artificial lighting. In such situations, the leaves may curl inward.

Saintpaulia does not like artificial lighting.

Single or semi-double pansies reach a size of 3.5 cm. The color of the petals is creamy white, with a wide border of deep green or light green. It blooms very early and produces abundant flowers.

The flowers of this variety have a standard size.

The peduncles are strong and are able to hold buds well. It often happens that the flowers do not open completely. Despite the small size of the flowers, a large number of buds allows you to form a beautiful head that lasts a very long time. The peculiarity of the variety is semi-opened flowers.

Violet has strong and strong peduncles.

Attention! The variety is prone to self-pollination. With proper care, you can get a box of seeds

Thrips are often suspected of causing dust, but in fact this is a feature of this particular variety.

Cuttings root easily and produce a large number of sprouts. Sometimes he goes into sports. There are two officially registered sports from this variety.

When propagated, the variety can produce sport.

Most often, a cutting can produce a creamy-white chimera with a wide green stripe down the center of the leaf. Pink color also appears on the petals, and flowers may:

• Shrink;
• Or curl up.

Sometimes the variety produces sports with:

• Lilac petals;
• Or the complete absence of a green border.

Among the registered sports from this variety it is worth noting:

• Emerald City (Sorano);
• Dibleys Mercedes (Dibleys Nurseries);
• And the Green-Eyed Witch.

The latter variety is distributed mainly in the CIS countries.

Varieties and their subgroups with photos

To date, the company has developed more than one hundred varieties. Photos of the main range of varietal violets are presented on the manufacturer’s website. Under each photo is the name of the Saintpaulia and the name of the breeder. The variety of varieties is huge, but, unfortunately, the company does not pay enough attention to their classification and detailed description.

Moreover, it does not seek to approve and cultivate particularly successful varieties, relying on the constant development of new varietal varieties. Often the name is not even invented as such, and the plant is designated only by a number. Very unusual after the poetic and magical names given to their creations by private breeders.

Attention! In addition to single varieties, Optimara also produces varietal subgroups. These are large varietal groups united under the company’s brand. The most famous varietal subgroups of Optimara:

The most famous varietal subgroups of Optimara:

• World Traveler - large rosette Saintpaulias, each of which is given, as an additional name, the name of a certain city.
• Victorian Charm are cultivars with varied leaf shapes.
• Artist's Palette - cultivars with large multi-colored flowers.

Optimara Little Ottawa

The variety has all the advantages of the series in their best and fullest sense. Perhaps that is why the company continues to cultivate it from 2000 to this day. This variety is part of the Little Indian group. Like all varieties of the group, they are bright and different, Little Ottawa has a special magical appeal, and may well compete with the brighter and larger-flowered Saintpaulias.

The foliage in the rosette is round, the surface has stitches-veins, a border of denticles along the edge, and thin petioles. This variety forms a trunk rather slowly and, therefore, does not need frequent replanting; once a year will be enough.

Ever Precious

White pansies with a purple-red-lilac edge on three petals below and a blue edge on two petals above. Along the edge of the entire flower there is a spectacular green ruffle. Exhibition type socket, standard.

Watch a video about the Optimara Ever Precious violet:

Michigan

Standard size. The socket is symmetrical and durable. The foliage is moderately green, long and flat, reddish on the underside. The flowers are simple pansies, pink, berry-rich tones. When propagated by cuttings, it produces many children. Blooms early and abundantly. The variety was bred in 87 by Holtkamp.

myLove

Huge snow-white stars with a contrasting violet-fuchsia eye. They are framed by moderate green foliage with a red back stitch. The rosette is neat, the leaf is even and ordinary. The peduncles are erect and strong, flowering is generous, in the form of a lush cap.

myDesire

White pansies with a bright, dense pink spot in the center. Moderately green heart-shaped leaves with denticles along the edges are collected in a standard neat rosette. Belongs to the MyViolet group.

myPassion

The rosette is neat, but large-leaved, like a burdock. The leaves are quite hard and fragile, breaking easily with slight pressure, but the flower stalks are durable. Bright white huge star flowers (4-5 cm) with a pink-fuchsia center are framed by simple, moderately green, shiny foliage, heart-shaped, quilted and reddish on the underside.

It looks very elegant due to the contrasting colors, but in the heat the eye can float. It blooms in an abundant bouquet; when using a mat and wick, a large rosette is formed.

Little Maya

Semi-miniature Saintpaulia. Flowers are semi-double or single, 3.5 cm in diameter. The red or beetroot color is set off by a variable white ruffled border. The rosette is assembled, compact, up to 12 cm, the leaves are smaller than the flowers. The heart-shaped leaves are moderately green in color, shiny and bristly, coarsely toothed and quilted, with a reddish underside.

It produces flowers in the form of a cap; flowers bloom on long stalks, many on each. When propagated by leaves, it begins to bloom within a year. The laying of flower stalks is possible only with sufficient lighting. Stepping doesn't work.

Do you want to learn more about other types of violets and the peculiarities of their cultivation? Read our articles about varieties:

• from breeder Tatyana Pugacheva;
• Chanson;
• pansies;
• Fairy;
• Frosty Cherry and Winter Cherry;
• Blue fog;
• Isadora;
• selection by Evgeny Arkhipov;
• Greenhouse effect.

The largest manufacturer of Saintpaulias has deservedly gained popularity among violet growers. The experience of creating new varieties and their mass production over several decades has firmly established Optimara's dominant position in the sales market.

Violets of Optimara

What it is?

Optimara is one of the largest companies in the world for growing Uzambara violets, which has existed for about a hundred years.

In the early 30s of the last century, Hermann Holtkamp, ​​the owner of a greenhouse where various plants were grown, decided that the African violet was a cute plant that had a great future.

He encouraged activity in the breeding of new varieties and 20 years later introduced the world's first industrial variety, Sankt Martin.

The company began to actively develop in this direction and very soon began to specialize only in Saintpaulia. In 1977, the Optimara trademark appeared.

Today the company has branches in many countries around the world. During its existence, hundreds of varieties were bred. The main criterion by which varieties are selected is simplicity and ease of plant care.

A large assortment of varieties and mass production allowed the Optimara company to take a leading position in the world market.

Production and laboratory level for the selection of Saintpaulias

The natural color of violets in nature is deep blue. A biologist passionate about the plant in 1898 was able to develop a variety with red-violet flowers. Over the course of many decades, scientists have bred various varieties that differed in size, shape and color of the buds.

Optimara continues to develop this industry on a larger scale. New types of Saintpaulia are created and grown at an industrial level in laboratories and using the latest equipment.

Thanks to industrial breeding, hundreds of new varieties are emerging.

In America, Optimara monopolized the market for the production of Saintpaulia. This company also has branches in Asia and the African continent. Every year the company not only releases more than one hundred million copies onto the market, but delights consumers with new varieties.

Good to know! On the company's website there are photos and names of varieties and the names of the breeders who are their authors. But Optimara relies on constant updating of varieties. For this reason, many varietal varieties do not have a name, but only a number.

Varietal characteristics

Despite the wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors, optimara violets have common characteristics by which they can be combined into one group:

• very fast cutting growth;
• disease resistance;
• early, abundant and long flowering;
• small symmetrical sockets;
• simultaneous opening of buds;
• bright colors of flowers that remain saturated for a long time;
• good transportability;
• short life expectancy.

The Optimara catalog of violets is extensive and is updated with new varieties every year.
However, the company is not only engaged in breeding single varieties. There are varietal subgroups. The most famous:

• World Traveler - plants with a large rosette. Typically, varieties of this subgroup have a second name - the name of the city;
• Viktorian Charm - have varied leaf shapes;
• Artist`s Palette – distinguished by large flower sizes and multi-color flowers.

Advantages and disadvantages

If you need to constantly shake a varietal violet, tie up flower stalks, cover it from the sun, and as a result, two or three flowers come out that are prone to fading, then the industrial violet optimara will quickly form a rosette and bloom profusely.

These plants are surprisingly tenacious and hardy, undemanding to living conditions. They bloom with a large cap above the rosette and bloom brightly and harmoniously.

Saintpaulia exhibition varieties are very difficult to propagate. You can purchase a new, beautiful variety, take a cutting, grow a new plant from it, and discover that it has very little in common with the mother bush. All the beauty has disappeared somewhere, there is no shape, no size, and sometimes the color is completely different.

There are no such problems with Optimara violets. All cuttings retain maternal characteristics. The varieties are resistant to change, which is a big advantage in the eyes of amateur gardeners.

Violets from Optimar are easily propagated by cuttings.

But with all the advantages, certain disadvantages of these Saintpaulias should be taken into account. First of all, Optimar varieties have been bred for decades for the purpose of one-time flowering due to the needs of the market.

It is very difficult for a beginner to get a plant to bloom again. This is possible, but requires the necessary knowledge and skills. Moreover, the varieties really have a short lifespan.

With proper attention, a violet can be made to bloom again, but it is much easier to separate the cutting immediately after purchase and grow a new specimen.

When and how did the flower appear?

In 1930, the first violets were grown in the company's greenhouses. In addition to Saintpaulias, the company was engaged in breeding other plants. Each species took its place in the greenhouses; the African violet, for example, was allocated only 1 square meter. But one day the owner of the company, Herman Holtkamp, ​​decided to change the company’s model and deal only with Saintpaulia. Then active work began on creating new varieties, and already in the mid-twentieth century the company achieved great success.

The first commercial variety from Holtkamp's selection (1952) was Sankt Martin . Thus began a large-scale breeding of violets, the company began to develop more and more new varieties of Saintpaulia, and little by little they forced almost all existing plants out of the greenhouses.

In 1961 the company changed its name from Dorrenbach-Holtkamp to Hermann Holtkamp Greenhouses. In 1977, greenhouses for growing Saintpaulia were opened in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Optimara trademark was patented.

Violet SM-Coral Reefs

Delicate violet Coral Reefs.
Seedling Moreva SM-Coral Reefs is a beautiful Saintpaulia that shows itself well in the collections of gardeners.

The rosette is very smooth and forms perfectly on its own. Sheets:

• Rounded;
• Slightly jagged;
• Light green color.

The formation of a bush is easy, thanks to strong, short cuttings on the leaves.

Flowers rise above the rosette on strong peduncles; cap flowering is rare for this variety. Flowers:

• Huge;
• Terry stars;
• With pronounced waviness along the edge of the petals.

The color is very delicate, the main white color is perfectly complemented by pink-coral prints.

Features of care

To obtain the ideal color of flowers and an even rosette, it is necessary to observe the appropriate light and temperature conditions:

1. The lighting should be saturated, but without direct sun (it may darken under lamps);
2. The temperature must be maintained at the optimal level - the lower you go, the less coral part on the petals, the higher it is, the brighter and more prints.

Attention! In particularly hot times, the flowers can be a completely rich coral color

Optimara Millennia: description and features of the variety

Optimara Millenia was obtained back in 2001 by the nursery of Hermann Holtkamp, ​​which is known throughout the world for its series of violets “Optimara” and “Rhapsody”. The variety, like other plants bred by the breeder, is resistant to various diseases, is distinguished by its early flowering period and compact size.

The foliage of Optimara Millenia is simple, medium green in color and well pubescent. The plates are jagged, with a pointed edge, and small in size. The rosette of this Optimara is small, which allows us to classify the variety as a small standard. The violet grows symmetrical rows of leaves that overlap each other independently, without any intervention from the collector.

The Optimara Millenia flower belongs to the pansy type, its color is quite interesting - red-crimson prints appear on a white background, located on the lower petals and complemented by a corrugated border. In rare cases, red smears may appear at the top of the bud.

Optimara Millenia produces a lot of flower stalks - it seems as if they are located throughout the rosette. The size of a fully blossomed bud is small, only 4 cm, but such “compactness” is more than compensated for by the large number of flowers. The budding period is quite long, lasting about 5-6 weeks, and after the last flowers of Optimara Millenia have dried, it blooms again after 2-4 months.

Optimara Millenia is a temperature-sensitive variety, so in hot conditions the buds float, flourishing completely red. In cool weather, the white base of the petals is more pronounced; there are often cases when the rosette reveals almost monochromatic snow-white buds with faint crimson strokes

It is important to choose the right lighting for the variety, since a lack of light will inevitably affect the quality of flowering, as will overexposure

Optimara Millennia reproduces well - after rooting, the leaf quickly produces a large number of children. Young plants bloom on average 10 months after planting the cuttings.

Optimara myLove

Discussion of standard Holtkamp varieties.

Moderator: Floriana

Elena M. Messages: 4543 Registered: Oct 22, 2010, 10:49 pm Awards: 21 From: Moscow

Optimara myLove

#1

Post by Elena M. » March 08, 2014, 10:49 pm

Saintpaulia Optimara myLove. Breeder M. Holtkamp

(10665) 02/28/2014 Single white sticktite large star/red-magenta eye. Medium green, plain, heart-shaped, hairy, serrated. Standard

Large, simple white stars with a red-purple spot in the center. Medium green, smooth, heart-shaped, serrated leaves. Standard.

Minor changes in the correct spelling of the Optimar “myFlover” series names.

It turned out that it is correct to write “my” with a small letter. Optimara myLove, for example (added June 25, 2014, topic title corrected.)

Abundant flowering. Bright, elegant variety.

Elena M.

TanRa Messages: 556 Registered: 16 Feb 2014, 16:05 Awards: 5 From: Krasnodar region

Re: Optimara MyLove

#2

Post by TanRa » March 10, 2014, 6:08 pm

I look at these new Optimara varieties, and they all bloom differently - what does it depend on? I think it depends on the temperature, for some the spot is smaller, for others it covers almost the entire flower. But still, I really like them! I really love simple, laconic varieties!

TanRa

Elena M. Messages: 4543 Registered: Oct 22, 2010, 10:49 pm Awards: 21 From: Moscow

Re: Optimara MyLove

#3

Post by Elena M. » March 11, 2014, 00:35

About the Optimars of the MyFlower series - today it seems to me (but I’m not completely sure yet) that the warmer it is, the smaller the stain.

MyLove and MyDream are on the bottom shelf. The spots in the center are large. The second MyDream, standing two shelves higher (it’s warmer there) has smaller spots. MyDesire is on the middle shelf (not hot) and its spots are much smaller now than when it bloomed in early autumn, standing there. Or maybe it depends on the age of the sockets. These varieties appeared recently, and so far it is difficult to draw a “logical chain” of their behavior under different conditions. I'll watch.

Elena M.

TanRa Messages: 556 Registered: 16 Feb 2014, 16:05 Awards: 5 From: Krasnodar region

Re: Optimara MyLove

#4

Post by TanRa » March 11, 2014, 6:56 pm

We'll be waiting for your observations, I really liked all these new varieties, I'm taking a closer look

TanRa

Elena M. Messages: 4543 Registered: Oct 22, 2010, 10:49 pm Awards: 21 From: Moscow

Elena M.

afina Messages: 2825 Registered: May 20, 2012, 00:02 Awards: 16 From: Belarus, Polotsk

Re: Optimara MyLove

#7

Posted by afina » Mar 23, 2014, 11:54 pm

Indescribable beauty!

Why am I looking at violets again?!

Well, it’s simply impossible to remain indifferent!

Afina

Elena M. Messages: 4543 Registered: Oct 22, 2010, 10:49 pm Awards: 21 From: Moscow

Re: Optimara MyLove

#11

Post by Elena M. » June 25, 2014, 11:55 pm

Buttercup, your Optimarka is simply lovely!!!!

Minor changes in the correct spelling of the Optimar “myFlover” series names.

It is correct to write “my” with a small letter. Optimara myLove, for example.

Elena M.

Nata_lica75 Messages: 488 Registered: July 17, 2012, 12:00 Awards: 6 From: Ukraine, Vinnitsa

Re: Optimara myLove

#12

Post by Nata_lica75 » Jun 26, 2014, 10:36 am

Help me figure it out, looking at Elena and Rimma’s plants, I get the impression that these are different varieties. The spot in the center of the first rosette spreads out like a corner and the shape of the flower is exactly like a star, while Rimma’s rosette has a concave semicircle and looks more like a pansy, or in this series this is allowed.

Nata_lica75

Floriana Deputy Administrator Messages: 15085 Registered: March 20, 2011, 15:36 Awards: 48 From: Ukraine

Re: Optimara myLove

#13

Post by Florian » Jun 26, 2014, 10:55 am

The Rimma violet has a different pattern on the petals, a different color, and the leaves are more round. I think it has a different variety.

Floriana

Elena M. Messages: 4543 Registered: Oct 22, 2010, 10:49 pm Awards: 21 From: Moscow

Re: Optimara myLove

#14

Post by Elena M. » June 26, 2014, 8:56 pm

I wouldn't rush... Optimara myLove is quite changeable. Can take different guises. We need to see what happens in the next flowering. Will the angle of the petals change? At a recent exhibition there were about 6-7 plants of this variety. And only three were similar to each other. One, like in my photo. One is almost all cherry. One is almost white. The petals, their inversion and shape also varied. The fact that you can grow a half-mini from it is very real.

Elena M.

Buttercup Messages: 43 Registered: July 23, 2011, 6:37 pm Awards: 3 From: Khust, Transcarpathia.

Re: Optimara myLove

#15

Post by Buttercup » Aug 31, 2014, 11:36 pm

I want to say that I took the baby from Elena Morozova, so I have no doubt that this is the same variety. The color is slightly distorted by the camera.

Buttercup

Nata_lica75 Messages: 488 Registered: July 17, 2012, 12:00 Awards: 6 From: Ukraine, Vinnitsa

Nata_lica75

Reminder for a newbie!

Uzambara (Uzumbar) violet is a plant of the Gesneriaceae family, growing in the natural environment of tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, Eastern Australia, South America and the Indian Ocean islands.

Saintpaulia is a plant named after the Saint-Paul father and son, who brought a plant unknown to Europeans from the Uzambara district (modern Tanzania) in the 19th century, presented for the first time at the international flower exhibition in Ghent in 1893.

Indoor violet has been one of the most popular plants in indoor floriculture since 1927. By 1949, more than 100 varieties had been bred, and today their number exceeds several thousand.

Rooting

- possibly in water, in substrate, moss.

Priming

- purchased soil or a mixture of leaf, coniferous, turf and peat soil in a ratio of 3:1:2:1 with the addition of raising agents (perlite, vermiculite, river sand, crushed sphagnum moss.

Lighting - it is best to place flower pots on western or eastern windows. To ensure that the plant is evenly illuminated from all sides, the pots are periodically rotated. In winter, when daylight hours decrease, you can use artificial lighting - fluorescent lamps.

Caring is a real art and serious painstaking work at the same time, including watering, fertilizing, and creating a favorable humid climate. Water Saintpaulias as the soil dries. The soil must be moistened regularly, but excess moisture should not stagnate in the roots. When watering, you must ensure that water does not get on the leaves. You cannot water the Uzambara violet with cold water. Fertilizing is done with complex mineral fertilizer once every two weeks. Saintpaulia reacts negatively to a lack of nitrogen in the soil. Optimal air humidity is approximately 50%, temperature is 20-22 ° C, without sudden fluctuations and drafts. The leaves of the plant should not touch the window glass. Removal of faded flowers and damaged leaves is carried out regularly.

Reproduction - planting a leaf cutting, part of a leaf, or a daughter rosette. The most popular method is rooting leaf cuttings. The formation of roots and the development of children lasts 4-8 weeks.

Pests are one of the gardener's problems. There are many different types of pests and it is very difficult to classify them. Among Saintpaulia pests, several groups can be distinguished: mites (spider mites, flat mites, transparent mites, etc.), insects (aphids, thrips, springtails, poduras, scale insects, whiteflies, scale insects, etc.), worms (nematodes).

Diseases - distinguish between infectious (gray rot, powdery mildew) and non-infectious diseases (rotting of the stem and root, wilting of the lower leaves, yellowing, leaf spotting, incomplete opening and premature drying, falling of flowers) of plants. The causative agents of infectious diseases are bacteria, fungi, and viruses. To prevent infectious diseases, you should strictly observe the regimes of watering, temperature, humidity, and lighting. Non-communicable diseases usually arise due to poor agricultural practices. They may appear in one instance and not spread to others.

Possible diseases and pests, ways to get rid of them

Violets, like many other indoor flora, suffer from diseases and pest invasions.

More often, plants are affected by the following diseases:

1. Powdery mildew. This is one of the most dangerous diseases that often affects violets. The source of infection is a fungus that can enter the plant from the soil or from a previously infected flower. Strong plants can easily resist the disease, but weak ones can easily become infected. A sign of infection is a whitish coating on the leaves. The white powder is fungal spores. Plants are treated with chemical solutions such as Topaz, Fundazol or Benlat. They are bred in accordance with the instructions and sprayed on the plants.

2. Rust . The leaves of violets suffer from it; a characteristic coating is noticeable on them. The causative agent is a fungus. The main cause of rust may be an excess of fertilizers. Chemical compounds will help get rid of the problem.
3. Fusarium . This is a dangerous disease that initially affects the roots, and then the stems and leaves. If the plant is infected, it is better to destroy it along with the soil.
4. Rosette blight . The disease manifests itself in the form of brown, drying spots on the leaves. The affected tissue undergoes necrosis, the rosette withers. If the upper part is not affected, then it can be cut off, treated with an antifungal solution and rooted, and the dead part is simply burned.
5. Ticks . These are dangerous pests for indoor plants. At the initial stage of infection they are almost invisible. The lesion can be recognized by curled young leaves. You can fight the mite with insecticides by isolating the affected plant.
6. Nematode . These are worms that penetrate the plant through the root system from contaminated soil. They quickly suck out the juices, poisoning the plant with toxins. You can say goodbye to such a plant, but if the variety is rare, then unaffected leaves are selected where there are no worms yet.
7. Aphid . It is easy to detect - there is a sticky discharge and insects on the leaves. You can wash off the pest using a soap solution or Antitlin.
8. Thrips . This is a dangerous pest for Saintpaulias, which quickly moves from plant to plant, multiplies quickly, feeds on juices, causing the leaf to dry out. The pest can be destroyed using the drug Aktara.

To prevent the development of diseases and pests, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures. Newly acquired plants must undergo quarantine - 3-4 weeks away from other Saintpaulias. On a flowering plant, it is best to remove the flowers to prevent thrips infestation. Before planting, the soil and pots are disinfected.

General description of the plant

Violet "Optimara" is not a specific variety of plant, but the name of a company that grows Saintpaulia (the second name for violets). The varieties developed by the company usually have the prefix Optimara in their name. Optimara violets are prominent representatives of tropical plants.

The slightest cold can harm them and stop flowering. The roots need warmth; only under this condition will the plant bloom.

Tip: Many gardeners who are trying to extend the life of a violet use little tricks: they place circles of polystyrene foam under the pot. Which provides the necessary warmth for Saintpaulia. It is also possible to use a planter into which the pot is inserted, thus insulating it from the cold.

These varieties of violets are not viable, which affects their distribution. African violets are not suitable for propagation or distribution. But depending on care, they can produce excellent cuttings, thereby extending their life. Optimara violets are sold in small pots and used as a one-time bouquet, since the buds appear only once.

After the plant fades, it is disposed of. Among the huge variety of types of Optimara violets, one can find similarities in appearance.

All Saintpaulias have rapid growth from cuttings to the appearance of a flowering rosette. Flowers bloom at the same time. The number of flowers during the flowering period is very large. The sockets themselves are small.

Violets are intended for industrial cultivation and are therefore very transportable and unpretentious. The flowers of the plant can have different shades, but they all have a rich color. The flowers of Optimara violets are symmetrical.

Saintpaulias have an underdeveloped fibrous root system. The stems of this violet are fleshy with basal leaves. The leaf has different shapes, depending on the variety it can be round, ovoid, oblong and with a heart-shaped or simple base.

The end of the leaf may have a sharp or rounded tip. There may be small or large teeth along the edges; there are also edges with no relief, slightly rounded.

The leaf of the Optimara violet can be flat, slightly wavy, strongly corrugated, or resemble the shape of a spoon, or a back-curved spoon. Almost always, Saintpaulia leaves are colored in various tones of green, but there is an exception; in some types of violets, the leaf may have areas colored cream, olive, light green, yellow or pink.

Multi-colored areas can be located at the base, along the edges of the leaf blade, or form various mosaic patterns on its surface. The underside of a violet leaf is usually silvery-green, although some varieties or species of violets often have various shades of red in its color.

The surface of the leaves can be glossy or matte, which is covered to varying degrees with hair. The sheet may have a blistered or "quilted" texture.

How to “persuade” a plant to bloom again?

It's not easy, but it's possible. The main thing is that the plant completely retains its viability, it simply refuses to bloom. And if you fail to persuade this individual, then you can always do this by growing a new “optimark” from a cutting, full of strength and ready to give color. You need to start immediately after the plant enters your home.

• Treat the plant against insect pests.
• If necessary, if any, cut off the affected buds and leaves.
• Create a quarantine period for the plant by placing the pot in a warm place, eliminating any drafts and creating sufficient lighting.
• Spray and feed Saintpaulia for 30 days.
• Then transfer to another vessel.
• During replanting, it is necessary to carefully inspect the roots for rot. If damage to the root system is noticed, then all affected fragments are removed, and the cut areas are sprinkled with charcoal powder. You should also cut off all buds and flowers, remove yellow and blackened leaves. In this case, the central outlet must not be disturbed.
• If there are stepsons, you can cut them off and root them.
• After this, carry out the Saintpaulia care procedure as usual.

Optimaras do not always take root after transplantation, but if you devote time and effort to caring for them, then the chances of winning are great and after just four months they can give you a new cap of star-flowers.

Industrial varieties of violets

Industrial violets are the varieties that are most widely used throughout the world due to their qualities.
They are grown in special nurseries using special technologies for sale to hobbyists and for decorating interior spaces during celebrations.

In European countries, these plants are used as disposable bouquets, and after use they are simply thrown away.

The positive qualities of industrial varieties are:

• resistance to temperature changes;
• undemanding to watering;
• fast growth;
• straight and strong peduncles;
• rich color and long flowering period;
• socket symmetry;
• simultaneous flowering of a large number of flowers (the so-called cap);
• good transportability;
• loyal attitude to lighting.

Industrial violets are easy to care for.

These Saintpaulia varieties have regular, slightly rounded leaves with a slight edge. The leaf color is predominantly green.

Flowers in industrial Saintpaulias are small in size and simple in shape, but there are also corrugated ones. Among industrial violets there are no large flowers, double, variegated, or with ruffles.

The coloring of industrial Saintpaulias is limited to white, pink, blue and two-color contrasting chimera.

Nobody finds out the authorship of these varieties or their name. In fact, each variety has its own author and name, but when grown on an industrial scale this is not significant.

Note! These violets are sold in pots with peat. The pot is much larger than the plant needs

Abundant fertilization and treatment with hormones provoke long-lasting, abundant and bright flowering. Once the flowering period has passed, it is very difficult to achieve the same effect from the plant.

Violet care basics

The Uzambara violet has firmly established itself as a capricious and very whimsical indoor plant that loves to show a bad character at any opportunity. However, this only applies to those situations where Saintpaulia receives completely incorrect care, which becomes the cause of all the troubles.

For lush flowering and the formation of a beautiful rosette, a violet needs only a long daylight hours, a properly selected pot and soil, adjusted watering and periodic fertilizing. Temperature and humidity play a rather secondary role - although Saintpaulia does not tolerate heat well, it can be compensated for by good air ventilation in the room.

Lighting

Sufficient lighting is a necessary condition for planting buds. Violet needs 10-14 hours of daylight, so in winter it is impossible to do without additional lighting. You can use both fluorescent and LED lamps for this. Most collectors use the second option, which is not only much more economical in terms of energy consumption, but also does not increase the temperature near the plants due to heating.

When choosing lamps for illumination, be sure to pay attention to the temperature of the glow. For Saintpaulias, 4000-6200 K is considered optimal, which is as close as possible to natural daylight.

When growing on windowsills, it is preferable to choose the western or eastern side. On a south-facing window, the scorching rays of the midday sun in the summer heat can cause unsightly burns on the leaves, so if it is not possible to move the violet to another place, be sure to shade it. It is enough to stick reflective film, paper or newspaper on the glass. There is not enough light on the northern window, so the Saintpaulia will have to be illuminated.

Choosing a pot and preparing the substrate

Modern violet does not like the spacious pots in which our grandmothers grew these plants. That is why you should not plant a flower in a “bucket”, but always choose a flowerpot whose diameter is three times smaller than the diameter of the rosette itself.

For standard Saintpaulias, pots with a diameter of 7 cm or 8 cm are considered optimal, in which the root system can develop normally, but does not “go crazy” from a large amount of soil. It is imperative to have drainage holes at the bottom through which excess water will be drained into the pan.

The main thing in the substrate for Saintpaulia is looseness, breathability and lightness. At the same time, the composition of the soil itself varies depending on the method of watering that the collector plans to resort to:

• For top watering, the ratio of peat to perlite is 2:1 or 3:1;
• For wicking, peat and perlite are mixed in a 1:1 ratio.

As protection against fungal diseases and mold, it is recommended to mix crushed activated carbon and sphagnum moss, which is a natural antiseptic, into the substrate. To destroy fungal spores and pests that may be in the peat, the finished soil is heated in the microwave, steamed over a water bath, or spilled with a solution of Fitosporin (the water should be slightly colored).

Watering rules

Violet is a plant sensitive to soil flooding, and the consequences of such an oversight may not show themselves immediately, but only after a few days. Excessive soil moisture in the heat is especially dangerous - in such a situation, Saintpaulias die almost instantly from bacteriosis, which quickly spreads along the trunk and leaves.

The following recommendations will help you avoid basic watering mistakes:

• Use only warm or room temperature water that has been left standing for several days or passed through a reverse osmosis filter;
• Too hard water must be softened by adding ½ tsp. oxalic acid per 5-6 l;
• Moisture should not remain in the pan (for violets on top watering) or contact the roots of the plant for a long time (for wick);
• Be sure to place a drainage layer of foam pieces at the bottom of the pot, which prevents the roots from rotting.

When and how to feed

Fertilizing can be introduced a month after violet transplantation, so that it begins to receive additional nutrition in the form of microelements and other components important for growth and flowering. Fertilizers “Kemira Lux”, “Royal Mix”, as well as other compositions for Saintpaulias and Gesneriaceae are suitable. Professional fertilizers “Peters” also show good results.

It is better to reduce the dosage of fertilizers by 2-3 times recommended on the package, but at the same time feed the violet more often, especially during the flowering period. It must receive sufficient amounts of phosphorus and potassium, which play an important role in the budding process.

Be sure to fertilize the violet in a moist substrate to avoid burns to the root system. It is best to dilute liquid or powder fertilizers in water for irrigation.

As for the temperature regime, it is better to avoid extreme coolness, as well as heat. Violet does not feel well when the temperature rises above +26 degrees, however, even +24 can be critical for it. The permissible lower range is +11-+13 degrees.

Saintpaulia does not like drafts, so do not place it near open windows or a balcony door - unsightly spots will appear on the leaves.

Features of cultivation and reproduction

To plant, the leaf is lightly trimmed and air-dried, and then planted in the ground. For quick and abundant formation of roots and leaves, preference is given to a lean mixture - peat and sand in a 1:1 ratio. Small sprouts feed on the mother leaf.

After 4-6 weeks, when young shoots have formed, they need to be planted in individual containers. The earth mixture should contain a larger number of components in a 1:1:1 ratio:

• peat;
• coarse, clean sand;
• turf land.

Each sprout must have its own pot. Ideally, plants should not touch their leaves to each other to avoid diseases. If there is not enough space on the windowsill, Saintpaulia can form a rectangular rosette.

For further successful development and flowering, the young plant needs diffused lighting, regular feeding and moist air.

Be careful! Violet does not like waterlogging of the soil and categorically does not tolerate water getting on the leaves.

Preparing the soil and planting site

Optimara May Love violets and other varieties love soil with a pH value of no more than 6.5. If this indicator is higher, then the plant will not be able to take the nutrients it needs from the soil. To determine acidity, a special indicator should be used. You need to regularly monitor the condition of the soil and irrigation water so that it is not too alkaline or acidic. To prevent high soil acidity, you need to always have dolomite flour on hand.

Saintpaulias require loose, non-greasy and acidic soil, which is why the soil should consist of the following components:

• turf;
• humus from mixed forest;
• sphagnum moss growing near swamps and ponds;
• sand.

Additives are also used: perlite and vermulite. These components help ensure good air exchange for the root system and maintain the desired level of humidity.