Question: I have one African violet. Some divisions bloom a solid purple and others bloom purple and white. What causes this to happen?
Answer: If divisions means crowns, you may want to separate these and pot them individually. As for the different flower colors, this is the consequence of both genetics and environment. Not knowing the variety, we assume this is a violet that is genetically a multicolor-blossomed variety. Instability, unfortunately, is the price we pay for having varieties in such color combinations. Environment also plays a role, since distressed plants tend to be more unstable. By this we mean excessively war, dry, or toxic conditions.
To limit the instability, propagate from plants that themselves are stable. When selecting leaves to root, here’s a hint: light-colored leaves tend to produce plants with light-colored blooms, darker leaves produce darker blooms. Since heavily multicolored varieties often have leaves with darker mottling, you can make this choice. This mottling will look like a “birthmark” on the leaf. As for the environment, avoid excessive heat or dryness. This is why so many multicolor blooms become solid during the warm summer months. Overuse of fertilizers or insecticides can also cause instability.