African Violet Sales Today

Posted by
Barbara M. Martin
Aug 20, 2007

The MSNBC web site has a great AP story detailing the African violet business, how these lovely plants are bred and raised and even how some traveled into space and resulted in Optimara's everblooming line.

But what I really want to know now is, if there are over 100 MILLION sold every year, where the heck are they??? Every home should be flooded with them.

But I only have one lonely little variegated African violet plant sitting on MY window sill. How many do YOU have? Are there African violet hoarders out there keeping more than their fair share? Disclosure: I have to admit I did once see a small ranch style house in Illinois where the entire basement was filled with African violets under lights, and in another instance my neighbor grew a ton of them in his basement (outside Washington DC) along with, if I remember correctly, container citrus. (Warren, correct me if I'm wrong about the companion plants.) And I know African violet fanatics tend to keep quite a few at a time. But 100 MILLION A YEAR?

So, tell me, where do you keep your African violets hidden?

Read all about it -- Violets Blossom on Innovation: Science and Globalization Enrich America's Choices of Flowers