# African violets?



## RockChalk (Jul 16, 2015)

I have over 100 varieties of Saintpaulia ionantha - what we know as grandma's kitchen window African violet. I'm not really considering giving groomed leaves or blossoms as a food source, but I would like to add one to the enclosure as decor since I'm an AV enthusiast. Are African violets safe around Hermann's tortoises?


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## wellington (Jul 16, 2015)

I don't know, but you can check them out on the tortoisetable.org.uk


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## Prairie Mom (Jul 21, 2015)

RockChalk said:


> I have over 100 varieties of Saintpaulia ionantha - what we know as grandma's kitchen window African violet. I'm not really considering giving groomed leaves or blossoms as a food source, but I would like to add one to the enclosure as decor since I'm an AV enthusiast. Are African violets safe around Hermann's tortoises?


Yes these are totally edible and safe for tortoises. If you're not spraying them with anything, I would definitely give your spare leaves and blossoms to your tortoise. Another forum member named @VBgecko is also an African violet enthusiast and enters terrarium competitions. She once showed off some of her stuff in the Garden Chat in the off-topic chit chat section. Here's a link: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...ts-and-people-♫-♫.104546/page-19#post-1003622

I also included African Violets in a post I made about pretty tortoise food I'll paste it here if you're interested http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...ls-cold-hardy-perennials.110773/#post-1030304

Good luck with your enclosure!


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## RockChalk (Jul 21, 2015)

Very cool! Thanks!

IF (and that's a big IF) Watson likes them, then that will be another food source during winter. I have plant stands with grow lights, so it'll be no problem growing her favorite weeds over the winter, too. But with all the grooming I do on my 100+ African violets, that's a whole lotta leaves going to waste. I don't spray them with anything.


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## Prairie Mom (Jul 21, 2015)

Sounds like you'll have lots of great fresh food during the winter months Awesome! Just thought you'd be interested to know that my sulcata LOVES African violets. My understanding is that Hermanns and Sulcatas have similar diets and I would be extremely surprised if your Hermann didn't enjoy them as well. When my sulcata was smaller, I rotated African violets in her chamber often. The only way I could keep her from eating the plant whole was too sink the plant into the pot, so she could only nibble the edges of the plant and bits of flower I ripped off for her. I also had brace the pot with a piece of wood buried in the substrate, so she couldn't ram the pot over and eat the whole plant. You can see the wood and lowered plant in my photo...


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## RockChalk (Jul 21, 2015)

I'm thinking of doing the same. I also have multiple Christmas cactus plants and an ice plant, which I've seen on the safe list. I have an enormous hardy hibiscus and I plan on harvesting and drying the flowers for more winter food. My grocery store sells cactus pads super cheap year-round, so I probably won't grow them.


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## Prairie Mom (Jul 21, 2015)

RockChalk said:


> I'm thinking of doing the same. I also have multiple Christmas cactus plants and an ice plant, which I've seen on the safe list. I have an enormous hardy hibiscus and I plan on harvesting and drying the flowers for more winter food. My grocery store sells cactus pads super cheap year-round, so I probably won't grow them.


Sounds like you have some great options already. @Odin's Gma posts great threads about her indoor gardening (again similar diet to yours) and you should post with us in the Garden chat as well. Lots of us share photos and such of our outdoor and indoor gardens. It's pretty fun. I hope you'll show off what you're up to as well


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## Odin's Gma (Jul 22, 2015)

Prairie Mom said:


> @Odin's Gma posts great threads about her indoor gardening (again similar diet to yours)


Yeah, I have gone a bit overboard for Odin's current size, but no one can say he doesn't have variety!
This is my indoor gardening thread, sounds like you are starting with a lot of the same plants I started out with! Welcome!

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/gmas-indoor-winter-gardening-and-sulcata-brag-thread.112815/


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