Any suggestions on identifying?

RainGazer suggested I come over to this forum and maybe I can get some suggestions on what AV this might be. It's an miniature unlabled special from Lowe's hardware. Hey, it was only a couple of bucks :)

Thanks in advance
Planti

It sure is cute but unfortunately there is not way to be certain who he is if there is no label
When I get home..I can look on FC and see if I can find a look alike for it but you can never be certain

planti.is that a true color or is it more purple..?

Isn't it one of Optimara's little girls?

Spider, since it came from Lowe's, I'm not sure it would be an Optimara. The minis from my Lowe's have a sticker on them from a company in Canada. I can't remember the name of it right now. I emailed them to see if they could help me with identification of their minis, and told them I'd buy more if they would put names on them. A very nice lady emailed me back to say she'd check into it and get right back with me with any information that she could find. I never heard from her again. It looks like it's in the same pot as the minis at my Lowe's, so I'm not convinced it's an Optimara,
I told Planti on the ID forum it was impossible to ID a NOID, but I thought Allison or Lorry could probably tell her that it looks like So-and-So from FC, like Lorry said above.

The labels on mine say, "Grown in Canada for Ontario Flower Growers, Inc." I looked them up (wholesale only company) and that's who I emailed.
Planti, is that what the label on yours says?

Our Lowe's doesnt carry Avs either..You guys are so llucky to have so many places to find these beauties.
Our home depot does as does our Walmart but they kill them more then anything else.

Welcome to the AV forum, PlantiMcPlanter. I love your name!! LOL

sure is a beauty!

The last several times I've been to Lowe's their minis have looked simply awful! They used to at least have pretty blooms on them, but lately they've got dried up blooms as old as I am on them! The plant manager there knows me and my habit of buying everything on the clearance rack. Next time I see him, I'll offer to buy them if he'll mark them down drastically. He won't, because I've never seen an AV on clearance there, but that will open the door for me to tell him why I won't buy those. Maybe they'll do better after that.

Welcome to the AV & Gessie forum! That's a lovely violet you found at Lowe's!!

I think a lot of the AV's you see at places like Lowe's were grown from seeds and not propagated from named varieties... so, officially, it's a noid. But that doesn't make it any less pretty!

BTW, when I typed "single blue" into the FC search engine, I got over 1000 possiblities... I added "plain" for the foliage description and got 318 possibilities, 76 of which are standards... I don't think FC lets you add descriptors like "no edge" or "not bicolor," so that includes ones that aren't solid blue. I think you're just as well off describing this one as a single blue (or purple) noid as you would be trying to find a "lookalike" description for it... heck, make up your own name, just be sure to note that it's a noid if you're propagating or trading...

:-)

Hi Planti,

I got one very similar but have no idea what it is called...really pretty though!

Joanne

Welcome to the AV forum, PlantiMcPlanter
Nice to meet you ! What size pot is your plant in ?
Sometimes plants are grown in mass by seed and leaf to sell cheap to the Public. It could also be
(Anthaflore) they are Canadian Hybrids and sometimes fount in stores.
Does the foliage have red backs ?
There are a few Optimars it could look like but I need description of foliage please.

First of all, Hi to all of you! What a great group...and thanks for all the responses :)

Hmmm...let's see...the label only says "lowes 2 in. violet" so that's no help. The flower are a beautiful blue-violet, deeper color toward the center. The centers (stamens? pistal? I'm going to have to remember my biology) are bright yellow almost a chartruse. The leaves are plain green with red on the back! (I had not seen that). It looked terrible when I got it but it was the only mini and it just called to me. It's as easy as pie to grow in my east bay window...

Maybe I could call it Planti's Noid? Sounds kinda like a foot fungus...

Planti

Planit Hi :))
Most likly it's one of Optimara Littles not many others come in 2 inch pots.
Ans with your description blue-violet, deeper color toward the center. with red/back. The red back is the helper. I looked at all the little Optimaras in First class and with blue and red back the only one it could be is
Optimara Little Pawnee (8962) 01/31/2001 (Holtkamp) Single medium blue sticktite. Medium green, pointed, glossy, hairy/red back. Semiminiature
>>
I feel you could honestly say it looks likw Optimara Little Pawnee !
First Class has two pictures both a little different. But lighting , cameras, growing conditions can do this.

Optimara Little Pawnee !
second picture

sorry... when I was searching earlier, I didn't realize your new plant was a mini! How'd I miss that? :-)

'Optimara Little Pawnee' does seem to be a good "lookalike" ID for your plant, but again, it's not possible to say for certain.

Hi PlantiMcPlanter, Welcome to the AV forum.

One thing that helped me ID the plant is the foliage has red back. It's the ONLY miniature Optimara with these color flowers along with red/back made it easy.

Thanks for the warm welcome :)

Violet_Treasure...that sure looks like mine! So if I were to offer a leaf in trade, can I say that it's a NOID but appears similar to 'Optimara Little Pawnee'? And is that HOW it's done...leaf trading? Or do I wait for my leaves to root and then offer them for trade? Of course I have three more rooting. Why have one when you can have MORE!! I get the sense that you all know exactly what I mean :)

Planti

Planti
You can offer your leaves or babies for trade and say it looks like ....
Do you have any other African violets ? Or is this your first ? She sure is pretty ! What else do you enjoy growing ?

Oh yes, I know what you mean... lots of leaves down here, too!

Folks will trade for leaves, rooted leaves, little plantlets, larger plantlets.... you name it! And your description sound like exactly the way to offer that plant in trade, IMO. It's a gorgeous little bloomer, and not having a name that you're certain of doesn't make it less pretty!

See I looked your plant up in FC first it gives better foliage description. And the also to Optimara.
Optimara only has four 2 inch miniature plants.with blue flowers. ( edited to say blue flowrs) And only one with this type foliage your's have. It's a perfect match I'd say PatPat on my back. lol
Optimara Violets (2-inch) By Color: Blue

Below is the complete list of blue 2-inch Optimara Violets. All entries include a photo and detailed description of the variety.

Little Inca Girl
Little Navajo Girl
Little Pawnee Girl
Little Sioux Girl
>>
I would rather you had Optimara Little Navajo Girl as it's a girl leaf :)) Hehe all you Optimara shoppers please keep an eye out for this girl leaf 2 inch for me. It's the only 2 inch blue girl leaf Optimara has !

This message was edited Mar 30, 2006 8:46 AM

I have a standard AV that I picked up at a grocery store...it's nice but doesn't sing to me the way the little tiny one does.

I've been an outdoor gardener for a long time, but haven't had house plants since the 70's. I was getting kind of down this winter due to ongoing health problems and a surgery so my husband suggested flowering house plants. I also have started a whole bunch of seeds for this year, some annuals, some perennials, tomatoes and, of course, some mini AV I found in the Parks catalog. They are called 'Fantasy Teacup'...anyone know them?

And then I found Dave's Garden and I've been having a great time! Plants are the best medicine of all :)

Planti

Violet_Treasure,

Pat, pat from me!! Thank you for your research!!

What's FC?

First Class is a great program you can buy from AVSA for $25.00 and it give you like 15 thousand named African violets and all their info and pictures. And you can add pictures or plants, print and more. In our first sticky first link in the forum is a link all about this great forum ! I use mine everyday !

OH MY LORD!! Just found the links...I won't be posting any more tonight...I've got some link chasing to do. LOL

Thanks!!!

Planti, I TOLD you AVs are addictive and this forum is full of enablers! LOL Have fun!

Planti
Your so right plants are the best medicine ! I know I'd be in bed 24 hours a day if it was not for having the Blessing of growing African violets by leaf :))
I've never grown African violets by seed. But I do know I'd love the 'Fantasy Teacup'...:)) I am a miniature addicted, and girl leaf, and green flowers, chimeras , trailers, all colors lol Oh my I do love them all !
Silverglade Streams One I gave away and wished I did not. Anyone have a leaf of Sliverglade Streams the can spare please ! It has the prettiest green edge hard to see in the picture.

Violet_Treasure,

Isn't that a beautiful plant!!

Today, I'm going to the plant trading forum and offer my unrooted leaves for trade. Take a deep breath and...go....

Yippee!!!
Planti

You can post your African violets for trade here too :))