Nominations for Best Variety List
The African Violet Society of America annually conducts a vote for grower’s variety favorites. Any African violet grower may submit up to five (5) entries each year by June 30th. The results are tabulated into the top 25 Best Varieties of African violets for that year. Results are published in the November/December African Violet Magazine and on the website.
Click to view Frequently Asked Questions
Why vote?
More opinions result in better and more accurate results. We need to hear from AVSA members, commercial growers, show growers, collectors, and casual growers!
What makes a variety a “favorite” and eligible for nomination?
A favorite variety should give you special satisfaction to grow. That satisfaction may be because it is easy to grow and blooms often and freely. It may be because it has perfect symmetry or a delightful color. Each individual will have different reasons for a favorite.
When it says to submit up to five different named varieties, does that mean the variety should be listed in an official registry? If not, what determines a “named” variety?
AVSA maintains the official international registry of African violet cultivars, but not all named varieties are listed there. The Best Variety nominations are not limited to this list.
The variety name is given by the person who hybridized it. Some hybrids are sold in retail stores without a name; no-id plants are not eligible (even if you have given it a nickname). Hybrids sold or shared as a named variety may be nominated.
Do I have to be growing the varieties that I nominate?
No, you do not have to be growing the variety at this time. It is best if you have grown it and found it to be especially pleasing.
Please do not nominate varieties that you have only seen in photos but have no experience in growing.
Do I have to nominate five varieties? I only have a couple of favorites.
You may nominate just one or two if that’s all that you care to nominate. Five is the maximum.
Why are we voting? What is the purpose of AVSA’s Best Varieties Voting?
Growers are often looking for new violets to grow. With thousands of varieties on the market, it can be hard to decide what to buy. AVSA publishes the list of the Top 25 Best Varieties each year to guide these growers.
The voting also recognizes the fine work of African violet hybridizers. If a hybrid appears on the Top 25 list three years in a row, it is added to the Honor Roll of African Violets – this is a very high honor for the hybrid and for the hybridizer!
