The Language and Meaning of African Violets and the Story Behind Them
African violet, also known as African Saintpaulia, African gesneriad, African violet gesneriad, Saint Paul's flower, and more, originated in the tropical regions of East Africa. It blooms in all four seasons and is an excellent indoor flower, as well as a world-famous potted plant, especially popular in Europe and America. Let's take a look at the language and legends of the African violet!
The Language of African Violets
The language of the African violet: eternal love, but it also represents her frailty and vulnerability, and her longing for an ideal home.
Varieties of African Violets
African violets originated in the tropical regions of East Africa and were later introduced to Europe and America. They are now cultivated in China. Common varieties include large-flowered, single-petaled, semi-double, double, and variegated-leaf types. Flower colors include purple-red, white, blue, pink, and bicolor. A common cultivated variety is the single-petaled Snow Prince.
The Story of the African Violet
Once, Ellison went to a small town in the south-central United States to give a lecture. A colleague asked him to stop by and visit his unmarried aunt. The colleague said: "My aunt lives alone in an old house, with no relatives or friends. She suffers from extreme depression, and she is rigid and refuses to change her way of life. Do you see any way to make her change?"
Ellison went to visit his colleague's aunt and found that the woman was even lonelier than described. She shut herself alone in a dark, century-old house, with no trace of life to be found around her.
Ellison was a very gentle man. He politely said to the aunt: "Could you let me take a look at your house?" The aunt led Ellison from room to room.
Did Ellison really want to tour the old house? Not exactly. He was looking for something! In this old woman's lifeless environment, he wanted to find something with the breath of life.
Finally, on a windowsill in one room, he found several small pots of African violets——the only living plants in the house. The aunt said: "I have nothing to do, so I just like tending these little things. This one has even started to bloom."
Ellison said: "Wonderful! Your flowers are so beautiful that they will surely bring happiness to many people. Could you find out which families in town have happy occasions, such as weddings, births, or birthdays, and send them a pot of flowers? They will be overjoyed."
The aunt really did as Ellison said and grew African violets in large quantities, and almost everyone in town benefited at some point. Needless to say, the aunt's life changed greatly. The old house that had once let in no light became bathed in sunshine, filled with brightly colored little purple flowers.
The aunt, once lonely and alone, became the most popular person in the city. When she passed away, the local newspaper reported on its front page: The whole city mourns the loss of our African Violet Queen.
Almost the whole city attended her funeral to repay her generosity in life.