Seneca: Optimara miniature variety. See Little Seneca Girl.
Sepal: On African Violets, sepals make up the calyx, a flared extension of a pedicel which forms the base of a flower and supports it.
Separation: Method of propagation from a multiple-crowned African Violet where the crowns do not have a shared root system. Separation simply involves separating the crowns and their root systems, resulting in two or more complete plants ready to be potted. African Violets may also be propagated by seed, leaf cutting, peduncle cutting, tissue culture or by rooting a sucker. Also see Division.
Sequoia: Optimara variety. Medium, standard African Violet (4-inch pot size) with frilled, semi-double, purple flowers and dark green leaves. Introduced 1987. (AVSA Reg. No. 6596) More information.
Series: A selection of cultivar which are identified as group due to a common theme or shared characteristics which are, in some way, distinctive to that group. A series is denoted with a name, such as Artist's Palette or Victorian Charm. Other popular series include Little Jewel, Little Indian, Little Dancer and World Traveler.
Serrated (1): Bloom type. See Fringed.
Serrated (2): Leaf type. Also called dentate or fringed. Describes an African Violet leaf with a serrated or saw-toothed edge. Compare to Crenate and Scalloped.
Seurat: Optimara variety belonging to the Artist's Palette series. Named for the French neo-impressionist, Georges Seurat. Medium, standard African Violet (4-inch pot size) frilled, bi-color flowers. Flowers are pink and white. Leaves are medium green. Introduced 1998. More information.
Shade Cloth: Fabric used by commercial growers to regulate the amount and intensity of natural light which African Violets and other plants are receiving. Shade cloth is often integrated into a complex system that allows the grower to vary the light depending on the season or weather conditions.
Shenandoah: Optimara variety. Large, standard African Violet (4-inch pot size) with semi-double, purple flowers and medium green leaves. Introduced 1988. (AVSA Reg. No. 6972) More information.
Sherrie: Rhapsodie variety. Medium, standard African Violet (4-inch pot size) with single, dark red flowers and dark green leaves. More information.
Shimmy: Optimara variety belonging to the Little Dancer series. Compact African Violet (3-inch pot size) with frilled, bi-color flowers. Flowers are red and white. Leaves are light green. Introduced 1999. More information.
Shino: Holtkamp variety (Europe). Miniature African Violet (2-inch pot size) with semi-double, bi-color flowers. Flowers are pink and white. Leaves are dark green (red reverse). Available in the U.S. as Little Seneca Girl.
Shoot: New growth. On an African Violet, may be a bud shoot, a leaf shoot or a side shoot.
Shoshone: Optimara miniature variety. See Little Shoshone Girl.
Shumensis: See Saintpaulia shumensis.
Si: Symbol for silicon, a trace element.
Side Shoot: See Sucker.
Silicon: (Si) Trace element which, though not fully established, may have a beneficial effect on African Violets.
Silja: Holtkamp variety (Europe). Medium, standard African Violet (4-inch pot size) with semi-double, bi-color flowers. Flowers are purple with a white edge. Leaves are medium green (red reverse). Available in the U.S. as Hawaii.
Simple: Leaf type. Describes any leaf which has only one lamina (leaf blade). All African Violets have simple leaves.
Single: Bloom type. Describes an African Violet flower which has one layer of petals, i.e., five petals in all. Contrast with Double and Semi-Double. Also see Star and Wasp.
Single Crown: Also called single-crowned. Describes an African Violet with one crown. Also see Rosette.
Sioux: Optimara miniature variety. See Little Sioux Girl.
Sirius: Holtkamp variety (Europe). Medium, standard African Violet (4-inch pot size). Flowers are blue stars with a white edge. Leaves are medium green (red reverse). Available in the U.S. as Dominica.
Sleeve: An item used by commercial growers to protect African Violets during shipping. Usually made of either paper or plastic. Sleeves look like a kind of funnel with a hole at the bottom large enough to fit a pot. Sleeves are often printed with the grower's name and other information such as care instructions.
Slow-Release: Also called time-release or controlled-release. Describes a fertilizer in which all the elements are not immediately available to the plant. This type of fertilizer is usually formulated into coated granules called prill. While slow-release fertilizers are designed to reduce the frequency of application, they make it easy to overfertilize, especially for those who do not have a lot of experience with them. In addition, because the release of nutrients is influenced by various environmental factors, the results of these types of fertilizers can sometimes be unpredictable. Contrast with Quick-Release.
Small: Description of standard plant size. The smallest of standard African Violets normally grown in 4-inch pots. Small, standard African Violets are over 8 inches in diameter, but usually not more than 10 inches in diameter.
Small Pre-Finished: Refers to a commercially-grown African Violet which has begun its first flowering cycle. A small pre-finished African Violet will have buds, but not more than a few open bloom. For standard African Violets, this will normally take 29 to 31 weeks. Also see Large Pre-Finished.
Smoky Mountain: Optimara variety. Medium, standard African Violet (4-inch pot size) with frilled, semi-double, purple flowers and medium green leaves. Introduced 1987. (AVSA Reg. No. 6597) More information.
Sodium: (Na) Trace element which, though not fully established, may have a beneficial effect on African Violets.
Soft Scale: Classification of Scale Insects, i.e., Brown Soft Scale, which have soft, waxy shells that, unlike those of Armored Scale, cannot be separated from their bodies. See Scale.
Soft Water: Water that has been processed to remove minerals. The process increases the saline content which negatively affects an African Violet's ability to absorb water and nutrients. More information.
Soil: See Potting Soil.
Soil Mealy Bugs: Sometimes called Blind Mealy Bugs. Insects known to feed on African Violets. Soil Mealy Bugs are about 1/16 inch in length. Because they are white or light gray in color, they often resemble small grains of rice. Soil Mealy Bugs feed on the roots of African Violets, causing damage that stifles their ability to absorb water and nutrients. Common species include Pritchard Mealy Bugs (Rhizoecus dianthi, formerly Rhizoecus pritchard) and Root Mealy Bugs (Rhizoecus americanus). More information.
Soil Sterilization: Process of sterilizing soil for African Violets and other plants. This is most often done by pasteurization.
Soilball: See Rootball.
Soilless: Describes any potting medium which does not contain dirt. Such potting media for African Violets usually consist of peat moss.
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