The Cape Violet or Nodding Violet Streptocarpella seems to have everything it needs now, in order to be happy. I have the larger, original one that Mrs. Bread gave me as a little start, and its daughter that I grew from a branch that I accidentally broke off.

The larger one is on the dining table by the window, where daily it decorates the pysanky below by dropping its yet pristine flowers. Someone decorated the violet itself with a branch from Palm Sunday stuck into the dirt.

It’s hard to find the Streptocarpella online if I look for “Cape Violet.” They seem most often to be known by their botanical name. They are a subgenus of Streptocarpus which are called False African Violet.

The younger plant is on the windowsill near the (True?) African Violet that beautified one of my birthday party tables and is on its second round of blooming since then.

Currently I am keeping five plants in the house, which is very unusual for me. I’m much more comfortable growing things outdoors where, unfortunately, you can’t grow all things beautiful and expect them to make it through the winter. You can’t expect these violets to make it through the summer in a sunny greenhouse, either, even if I do get a shade for part of the roof.

In the meantime, we get by with a fairly roomy windowsill. 🙂