Blossom Types
Leaf Types

Blossom Types

The variety of colors, shapes, and forms of the African violet blossom has increased over the years. Some of the more important are the following:

	Bell: Single blossoms with a bell shape.
	Chimera: Blossoms, with stripes that radiate from the center pinwheel.
	Double: Blossoms with at least tow layers of petals.
	Fantasy: Blossoms are splotched, streaked or rayed with contrasting color or deeper shade of the same color. the blossoms can be of any kind or shape.
	Fringed: Blossoms have heavily serrated or fringed outer lobes. The blossoms can be any kind or shape.
	Edged: Blossom can be any shape. Lobes of he blossoms are edged with any color. Geneva or Geneva edged: Lobes of the blossoms are edged with white.
	Multicolor: Blossoms with two or more colors.
	Semidouble: Blossoms that possess more than the standard five lobes, such as those blossoms with a crest or tuft at the center, but less than a full second row of petals. Blossoms may appear single.
	Single: Blossoms have five lobes, with two upper lobes that are usually smaller than the three lower ones.
	Star: Blossoms have five lobes of about equal size and distance from one another. The blossoms can be single, semidouble, or double. The double star has extra layers of petals but maintains the star form.
	Two-tone: Blossoms having two or more shades of a color.
	Wasp: Blossoms are single and each lobe is very narrow.

Foliage Types

African violet foliage ranges in color from light green through a dark mahogany green. Markings on variegated foliage (in addition to shades of green) can be white, cream, light yellow, or rosy shades from light pink to a deep wine red. Beside color, the shapes of the leaves are also distinctive. The more common foliage types are:

	Compound, Wasp Bustle, or Piggyback: Leaves are compound with one large and two smaller lobes.
	Girl: Deeply scalloped leaves usually rounded or heart-shaped with white to yellow markings at the base of each leaf. These markings can extend to the leaf blades and edges of the leaf.
	Holly: Heavily crested leaves with the leaf edges curled forward or bent back with exaggerated wavy edges resembling holly in form.
	Longifolia or Spider: Narrow pointed strap-like leaves with either plain or wavy edges.
	Plain or Tailored: Plain in texture and form it is sometimes known as standard or boy type foliage.
	Pointed: Ends of the leaves come to a definite point.
	Quilted: Leaves have distinct raised areas between the veins. Some leaves have piecrust edging.
	Ruffled, Fringed, Wavy, or Fluted: Leaves have serrated or ragged edges.
	Spooned, Ovate, Cupped-up: Leaves are concave with high edges like a spoon.
	Supreme: Leaves are thick, hairy, and quilted with strong pencil-like petioles.
	Variegated: Leaves (in addition to shades of green) can be marked with white, cream, light yellow, or rosy shades from light pink to a deep wine red. A. Variegated foliage: Defines all variegation other than two listed below. B. Crown Variegation C. Mosaic variegation

© The African Violet Handbook For Growers, Exhibitors, and Judges (AVSA Handbook) 1998 The African Violet Society of America, Inc. All Rights Reserved. (Visit our Store to purchase a copy of the Handbook.)

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