Swallowtail Violets
About Me
Welcome to Swallowtail Violets! By day, I am a research scientist studying mammalian reproduction and fertility, but I started growing and hybridizng African violets as a hobby in 2023. I primarily began this adventure just to learn, and thanks to a friend of mine will use this website to document my crosses and hopefully contribute to our collective knowledge of this species. I often have extra plants though, and am happy to sell some if you are interested! However, I am located in Maine, and can only ship within the U.S. during the few warmer months (May-Sep).
My African Violets
I care alot about the entire plant, rather than just the bloom. I want well-behaved foliage with serrated, scalloped, or pointed edges, that grow easily. While I have a definite preference for miniatures, I do grow all sizes and appreciate the variety they bring.
When it comes to flowers, I’m especially drawn to patterns that involve white—things like white eyes, thumbprints, or more variable, expressive white markings. In fact, I wonder if white eyes and thumbprints may be caused by the same gene, just expressed differently depending on the plant. I’m hoping to explore this more through my own crosses and see where it leads.
I tend to gravitate towards red flowers, but also love the pastel ‘blues’. On the other hand, I tend to steer clear of wasp forms and heavily fringed blooms, as they don’t really align with the look I’m cultivating.
