Can African Violets (including Chimeras) Self Pollination?

Click on the image to enlarge

The answer is sometimes but not typically. Self-pollination usually does not occur in African violets. Most of the time when it appears self-pollination occurred it was the result of thrips. These tiny insects will carry pollen from the anthers of one flower to the stigma of the same or different bloom and pollinate it. If thrips are controlled, self-pollination is atypical but can occur. Note on the image above and in most African violets when you look at the style of the flower, it is long and straight and pointed away from the pollen rich anthers as seen in the above image which is the exact image I used last month. But now look at the image below and you will see something rather rare.

Click on the image to enlarge

Note the style is curved down burying the stigma(the top part of the style) into the pollen rich anthers. So bottom line it does happen on occasion and this is a perfect example of African violet self-pollination.

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