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History
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The Original 10
The original 10 African violets
This information came from an old 1953 African Violet
Magazine. My Thanks goes out to Jim Owens and Bill Daniels for this information. Thank You FELA's!!
American History of the Saintpaulia Species by George
Stumpp, A New York florist, came back from Europe, from the International Horticultural Exhibit in 1893, and sold the African
Violet seeds to William Harris in Philadelphia, a florist. Harris grew the seeds for Commercial use with limited success.
Armacost & Royston 1927 in West Los Angeles, California ordered seeds from Ernest Benary of Erfurst Germany and Sutton
of London. The head foreman, Walter Octel as the head foremen, grew thousands of plants and only 100 were reserved for further
observation.
In 1932 Armacost & Royston released their "10
Original crosses" for Commercial sale. Two were from the Benary Seed Company in Germany and the other eight came from Sutton
in England. J.A. Peterson & Sons from Cincinnati better understood the marketing of this small delicate plant and bought
the rights from Armacost & Royston (about 1940). Despite the various habitats of the various species plants, the one common
thing that bines the Saintpaulia plant together in a physical aspect is they all need a deep or dappled shade protesting the
plant from the fiery of Tropical Sun. In 1940 Mrs. William DuPunt purchased seeds from the Sutton Seed Company in England.
One of her seedling showed signs of promise and was developed into the DuPunt strain. Here are the names and descriptions.
Chart 1.1 The Original Ten Name Description of
Original Seed Co.
I grow all of these.
I feel it's important, and so interesting for us
as grower's and hobbyists to have some back ground information on african violets. I will be adding more information
as time goes on.
If anyone has any comments or Historical information
they would like to add here E-mail me and I will put it on this page with your name as the one who submitted it
to me.
Availability
they are $2.00 a packet (you will receive two leaves in each packet)
Admiral Bluish/lavender flowers in clusters of 3 to 5 stand
above deep green to chocolate brown leaf that is ovate, smooth with a slight cordate base, red/backed leaves.
Amethyst Abundant
bloomer, flowers are small to medium orchid with the top two petals slightly darker than the lower petals. A glossy, heart
shaped and quilted medium green foliage. I must add this variety has multiple flowers, WOW!
Blue Boy Flower clusters from 3 to 7 of dark blue, over medium green pointed tips foliage.
Commodore Grown in a flatten rosette form in good light leaves
are dark green quilted, glossy with a flush wine tone underneath. Flowers are purple medium to large in size. Sold
Out
Mermaid Flowers are medium blue small to size, a glossy, heart
shaped and quilted medium green foliage.
Neptune Medium bluish purple flowers that are quite rounded
in shape over a large flat very dark green and quilted foliage.
Norseman Flowers are a good medium blue and rather round shaped foliage that is a medium green,
slightly quilted, and glossy. Plant grows in flat tight rosette.
Number 32 Medium bluish/lavender flowers clustered over medium green glossy, quilted
leaves having a slight red-back.
Sailor Boy Medium blue flowers over leaves that are medium to dark red/backed heart shaped
foliage. Compact growth habit.
Viking A dark bluish/purple flowers clustered in 4 to 6 which stand on top of small leaves
of deep green color with a lighter streak in the center. Mature leaves are glossy quilted and slightly cupped. Medium size
compact flat growth.
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