Part of the enduring appeal of the African violet is its link to family history. It’s likely that your grandmother, like my grandmother, grew African violets. It’s nice to “grow” a family tradition (if not the actual plant itself; they can live for quite a long time). Not only is it a beautiful flowering plant, but an African violet produces lots of color for relatively little effort. It’s one of the few houseplants that blooms—well—in average household light conditions. African violets are also amazingly cost-efficient; a blooming 4-inch pot can sell for less than $3, making them an affordable “introduction” to consumers for indoor plant culture.

Here are the basics of growing African violets, according to Holtkamp Greenhouses:

Light: Place where the plant receives moderate to bright, indirect indoor light.

Water: Watering is the biggest “issue” of African violet care. Bear these tips in mind: keep soil moist to dry; let the potting soil dry out around the roots; water from the bottom with room temperature water, and after 30 minutes discard the water from the saucer; and avoid getting water on the leaves.

Feeding: Feed according to the directions of a fertilizer formulated specifically for African violets. (Fertilizer is often a liquid added during watering.)

Grooming: Deadhead (pinch off) old blooms to encourage reblooming.

Location: Avoid placing African violets near a vent, fans, or doors to prevent them from being blasted by cold air.

Soil: Use a good quality potting soil, not outside soil. Its pH level should be between 5.8 and 6.2.

Because of its amazing growth, Holtkamp Greenhouses is reportedly adding more than 70,000 square feet of greenhouse space to accommodate what appears to be a still-growing market. In addition to African violets, Holtkamp breeds and sells other flowering houseplants such as orchids, miniature poinsettias, and begonias.