African violet show set for April; time to grow is now

When you ask someone about African violets, many times they will reminisce about a glorious, healthy plant in their grandmother’s kitchen window, covered with vibrant purple blossoms.

However, with names like Lyon’s Private Dancer or Wrangler’s Gaudy Lady, today’s hybrids ain’t your granny’s flower.

With nearly 30,000 unique hybrids out there, a person can grow violets in sunset pinks and ocean blues, peachy corals and snowy whites. Blooms can be simple and resemble pansies or have so many petals and ruffled edges they can look like a flamenco dancer’s skirt perched atop rosette-shaped plants.