False African violet is a small herbaceous evergreen perennial that has attractive flowers and foliage. It is native to southeast Kenya and Tanzania where it is typically found in sunny spots along rocks and cliffs. The specific epithet, saxorum , is Latin for "of the rocks" and refers to its being found among rocks. This species is a member of the gloxinia family (Gesneriaceae). It grows up to 8 inches tall and 12 inches wide with a mounding and trailing habit and has velvety green leaves and small violet flowers. This plant is easy to grow. It can be planted in a container either indoors or outdoors and requires a warm, sheltered, and shady spot. It prefers light shade and well-drained humus-rich soil or loam-based peat compost mix. Allow the soil or potting mix to dry out between watering. The roots are very shallow, and overwatering can cause fungal diseases. Protect this plant from drying winds and remove all dead or unhealthy flowers and foliage. This plant is easily propagated from stem cuttings. In the early spring, plants can be grown from seeds or large established plants can be propagated by division. The false African violet has a mounding habit and slender hairy stems that become woody with age. The leaves are small, green with soft hairs. They are elliptic to ovate and occur in whorls of three. The flowers grow on slender stalks, and the blooms are tubular and can be single or paired. The tube is white with lilac-mauve to violet lobes. The lower three petal lobes are larger than the two upper lobes. The small flowers appear during the spring and summer, and sometimes blooming can last into the winter. The fruits are narrow twisted seed pods. The dehisce when ripen and twist open to release the small seeds. The false African violet's attractive flowers and foliage will add interest to your home, patio or shade garden. In the United States, this plant is typically grown as a houseplant or in a hanging basket. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Monitor for caterpillars and mealybugs. Provide good air circulation to prevent fungal infections. Overwatering can cause root rot. Leaf scorch can occur from direct midday sunlight. More information on Streptocarpus .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
Less than 12 inches
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 8 in. | Width: 0 ft. 8 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Cascading; Mounding
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Whorled
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate
Leaf feel
Fleshy; Soft; Velvety
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The foliage is small, velvety, fleshy, medium green, and have soft hairs densely covering the leaves. They measure up to 1.5 inches long and up to 1-inch wide. They are elliptic to ovate and occur in whorls of three.
Flower color
Purple/Lavender; White
Flower value
Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
The tubular flower measures up to 0.75 inches in diameter and can occur either singular or paired. The tube is white with lilac-mauve to violet lobes. The lower three petal lobes are larger than the two upper lobes. The small flowers present on slender stalks during the spring and summer, and sometimes blooming can occur into the winter.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit detail
The fruits are narrow twisted seed pods. The dehisce when ripe and twist open to release the small seeds.
Stem detail
The stems measure up to 8 inches tall and are slender, hairy, and wiry. They become woody and trail as the they mature.