Saintpaulia ionantha subsp. rupicola is in the family Gesneriaceae. Commonly known as African violet

Saintpaulia ionantha subsp. rupicola is in the family Gesneriaceae. Commonly known as African violet, it is native to the cloud forests of eastern Africa, including Tanzania and Kenya. African violets are small herbs that only grow up to 1 foot tall, producing a basal rosette of velvet heart-shaped leaves and terminal panicles of blue to violet flowers. African violets are among of the most popular houseplants due to their ease of cultivation and tolerance of low light conditions. Many varieties have been bred by horticulturalists to exhibit a range of flower colors and shapes. Despite their popularity in the gardening world, native populations of African violets are at risk because of habitat loss from agricultural development.