I have always been very fond of African violets; in fact, with the stunning violet petals of these beauties, I wonder who wouldn’t be!
And this love of mine is visible throughout my home since I’ve added African violet plants at various spots. But when I started exploring these plants, the picture was different. I struggled to get the ideal results and bought many cheap seeds, potting mixes, and grow lights.
It was then that my husband suggested doing some research on efficient grow lights, so I went by his advice. After that, I’ve tried many good-quality models and have understood how vital a grow light is for achieving proper growth in a plant. That’s why I’ve tried to help you out based on my experience.
Hi! I’m Stacy Smith, and today I’ll be reviewing the five best grow lights for African violets. So, let’s get started!
Best Grow Lights African Violets
1. GHodec LED Grow Light
This powerful GHodec grow light gave a new life to the wilting African violets kept near my window. So, this will definitely be among my top recommendations for keeping your beloved violets in good shape.
Product Highlights
This light consists of 44 high-power LEDs, among which there are 12 each of red and blue ones, while the remaining 20 are yellow. Together, these components produce a light quite similar to natural sunlight, which is perfect for various indoor plants.
And I was glad to find that though my violets were well past their initial development phase, this model brought about the ideal growth and nourishment in them. So, rest assured, it would be suitable for African violets at any growth stage.
I even loved the gooseneck of this model, which is 360-degree adjustable so that the lighting angle can be perfected as well. Lastly, a strong clamp-base helps you hold the light firmly on any structure, such as a table or the pot in which the plants are kept.
What's There To Like About It?
A big advantage of this product was that I could adjust the brightness of this light by ten different levels based on the exact needs of my plants. In comparison, some of the cheap lights I had hastily bought before didn't offer such adjustability, and my African violets naturally suffered. But thankfully, I understood the problem soon enough!
Apart from that, the auto on/off feature worked consistently throughout, while there were three efficient timers to adjust the lighting duration.
What's There Not To Like About It?
I only wished the packaging of this light was better as it arrived with quite a few portions torn. This makes it prone to damage during delivery, although luckily, I found no such signs in the package I received. Hence, make it a point to check the product thoroughly after it arrives and do report any such issue to the manufacturer.
Pros and Cons of GHodec LED Grow Light
Pros
Cons
- 【Professional Full Spectrum Design】Equipped with 44 high power LEDs:12 Red+12 Blue+20 Yellow ,it is similar to the natural sunlight and ideal for all sorts of indoor plants at all growth stages,a best gift for your cute plants in winter.
- 【3 Color Modes & 10-Level Brightness】1-Purple Light:for blooming and fruits,good for photosynthesis; 2- Warm White Light (Full Spectrum); 3- Pink Light (Full Spectrum): increase light intensity and enhance photosynthesis. This artificail light also come with 10-level brightness can be adjust according to your plants needs.
- 【Auto On/Off Timer Function】GHodec indoor seedling lights offer 3 Timing Options-3H/9H/12H.When keeping power, it can automatically turn on and off every day according your settings, no more manual operation for you.
2. GHodec 69
Here’s another highly reliable model from GHodec that you can use to provide the ideal care to your African Violets. In fact, I’ve already suggested this one to many of my friends who are gardening enthusiasts, and they’ve all thanked me.
Product Highlights
At first glance, I was impressed by its stylish and sleek design consisting of two thin bars fixed on a slender stand. No wonder it added an elegant touch to the room where I kept my African violets and other plants!
The lighting efficiency on offer is also commendable, as there is a powerful combination of five red and 37 sunlight white LEDs. Note that while the former is suitable for blooming, the latter resembles the light of the noon sun, which enhances photosynthesis. As such, both these LEDs are highly beneficial for all plants at various stages of their growth.
Long story short, the violets in my indoor garden got the desired sunlight throughout. And soon, my long-cherished desire of seeing them in full bloom was fulfilled!
What's There To Like About It?
I found the lighting coverage provided by this model to be greater than most products on the market. This feature was of great help as I had a lot of African violets in the indoor garden and hence, needed uniform coverage to ensure their healthy growth.
Plus, you get three timer functions of 4 hours, 8 hours, and 12 hours, which help provide the ideal lighting time and facilitate convenience of use.
What's There Not To Like About It?
The manual coming with this grow light doesn’t have the steps for usage mentioned clearly enough. Also, the illustrations should’ve been much more distinct to enable users to understand its operation in a better way. But other than that, I was satisfied with its performance.
Pros and Cons of GHodec 69
Pros
Cons
- 【6000K Growing Light/Reading Lamp】Eqqiuped with 5 Red+37 Sunlight White LEDs in each bar,which is similar to the sunlight at noon,and ideal for all sorts of indoor plants at all growth stages.Also,this 6000K LED lights provides exceptional color-rendering up to 95 ,it is flicker-free and soft light,perfect for you to reading at night.
- 【Auto On/Off Timing Function】GHodec indoor plant lights offer 3 timing options-4H/8H/12H lighting time everyday. Auto on/off and no more manually operation everyday.Each LED bar can control its on/off separately. You can press the switch button multiple times -- one light ON, two lights ON, or all are off.You can also adjust the brightness of the led grow lamp according to your plants needs.
- 【Sturdy Gooseneck & Strong Clamp】with anti-slip clamp and 360-degree adjustable gooseneck,it allows you to place the plant light in any direction to provide the best lighting angle for your plants coverage around the plants .
3. Juhefa Plant Grow Light
This full-spectrum model from the well-known brand Juhefa is also a great lighting solution for African violets. Equipped with utility-based features, it ensures your plants are taken care of round the year while you have to put in minimal effort.
Product Highlights
To begin with, this light offers three different color modes, which are sufficient to provide all-round care and protection to your African Violets. These include a purple light, mixed light, and sunlike light, each of which can be adjusted by five different brightness levels.
Speaking of my own experience, I once decided to adorn my balcony with some of these lovely plants and used this light right from the beginning. Within a month, my violets were blooming in all their glory, with their enchanting violet hue complementing the balcony beautifully.
The timer function also made it very convenient for me to operate, and even when I was out for a family vacation, my plants were cared for adequately. Even the efficient power cord and adapter included with the model made it highly portable.
What's There To Like About It?
The superior quality lighting that this model offers is quite praiseworthy, thanks to its 60 powerful LEDs and a highly effective drive processor chip. As a result, I found the light to be much brighter than the ordinary models out there.
I also got a wider and more uniform coverage since each of the heads was 11-inch long. So, all the four violets on the balcony looked equally healthy and vibrant.
What's There Not To Like About It?
The only drawback of going for this model is that it needs to be cleaned more frequently. That’s because a layer of dust might accumulate on the entire surface within a couple of days. Hence, you must remember to clean it at least twice each week to ensure that it works correctly.
Pros and Cons of Juhefa Plant Grow Light
Pros
Cons
- 3 Full Spectrum & Multiple Brightness】There are 3 color modes - Purple Light, 3500K White Light and Mixed White Light, infinite close to natural light, professionally designed for all growth stages of a variety of plants. And 5 dimming, save electricity while also ensuring the light needs of plant growth.
- 【High Efficiency LED Lamp】Equipped with 60 Powerful LEDs & Lastest Drive Processor Chip, provide higher PAR/LUMEN output. The sunlight heat lamp is tuned to the specific needs of plants to maximize photosynthesis.
- 【360° Gooseneck & Easy to Use】Flexible thickened goosenecks with anti-clamp make it easier for you to adjust the angle between the greenhouse lamp and indoor plant. 77inch USB cable makes it easy to use at home/office.
4. Sondiko Grow Light
Lesser known brands don’t always disappoint you, and this grow light from Sondiko is one of the best examples in this regard. I was a bit skeptical of how it would turn out to be, but it didn’t let me down at all!
Product Highlights
First things first, this model would provide your African violets with light consisting of all the wavelengths from 380 to 838 nm. This places it at an advantage from the ones which offer lights of only two or three colors. As such, I could spot a steady growth in the violets kept in my living room, and many of my visitors were all praise for the plants.
Another significant feature on offer is the cycle timer which turns on automatically after 21 hours, 15 hours or 12 hours as per your needs. Just set it for a duration of 3 hours, 9 hours, 12 hours, and you’re good to go. Needless to say, I was delighted to be relieved from the hassle of turning it on manually every time.
The customer support offered by the brand also responds promptly and tries to address all your queries in the best way possible.
What's There To Like About It?
Coming with a highly flexible gooseneck of 15 inches and two long heads, this model provides a much larger illumination area for your plants. This ensured the violets and other plants kept together in my living room received adequate lighting at all the growth phases. Also, adjusting the gooseneck at the desired angle seemed effortless.
I could even optimize the light intensity using the ten dimmable brightness levels to suit the exact needs of the plants.
What's There Not To Like About It?
This model works quite well in providing the required light to all kinds of plants. But, sometimes, it might arrive with the power adapter missing in the package. So, after it's delivered, make sure you verify whether all the contents are included and report any missing part as soon as possible.
Pros and Cons of Sondiko Grow Light
Pros
Cons
- ►WHY CHOOSE US? Sondiko Grow light is the latest in plant growth lamps with an automatic timing function. With 40 high quality(50,000 hours lifetime)LED bulbs. It truly offers full spectrum light contains all wavelengths of light from 380nm to 838nm, delivers more highly-uniform light needed by plants than those single red and blue spectrum led grow light on the market, the most top lighting solution for commercial growers and home hobbyists
- ►Upgraded Cycle Timing - If you are looking for a plant grow lamp which is great and easy to use, look no further! This is the latest timing function grow lamp. The Cycle TIMER rather than ONE-WAY TIMER on the market. User can set it up for lighting 3H/9H/12H, it will auto turn on after 21H/15H/12H. Never worry about your plants when you are on vacation or away for.
- ►Larger Illumination Area - With 2 Heads and 15inch flexible gooseneck, which enlarge the area of the effective lighting. Equipped with flexible Gooseneck, that is much easier for you to adjust the angle and the distance between the light and plants. So our full spectrum grow lamp can provide 360-degree illumination for your plants and promote their growth.
5. ODISTAR LED Grow Light
Towards the end of my list, I’ve picked a grow light from ODISTAR that also performs considerably well. So let’s move on and have a closer look at all its features.
Product Highlights
Firstly, you get as many as nine adjustable levels of brightness with this model as well. This allows you to regulate the light precisely so that you can meet the growing needs of different plants at various growth stages.
And unlike some average products, which hardly produced any difference in the brightness levels, I found this one to yield a distinct brightness for each of the settings.
In addition, there’s a timer function to set the lighting duration since even that won’t be the same for African Violets in different phases of growth. The gooseneck arm is also sturdier and thicker, which provides greater stability and durability in the long run. It holds the light heads firmly so that I never have to worry about them falling down while handling the model.
What's There To Like About It?
You can trust the high-quality LED beads on each head of this model to provide the ideal light for promoting healthy and consistent growth of any plant. Out of the beads, the 26 red ones are useful for germination, fruiting, and flowering stages.
The 14 blue ones, on the other hand, ensure that the plants absorb greater energy through the synthesis of chlorophyll to facilitate proper sprouting. Indeed, the African violet seeds that I added to a small pot in the kitchen sprouted just within two days and soon grew to be healthy and beautiful.
What's There Not To Like About It?
My only complaint regarding this grow light is that the power plug coming with it often doesn’t work properly. I spotted this issue just after a couple of months of using the product and had to purchase another plug for the purpose. So, make sure you have a spare power plug with an adapter at home if you choose this product.
Pros and Cons of ODISTAR LED Grow Light
Pros
Cons
- 【Smart Control】the LED plant grow light features 3 timer modes (3/6/12H) and auto on/off function to meet various need. Besides, there is a circular memory function for every 24h, which means it’s unnecessary for you to set the timer every day. Designed with 9 dimmable levels (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%), the indoor plant lights can be adjusted more precisely to satisfy the plants’ need in different stage
- 【Red & Blue Spectrum Light】There are 26 red and 14 blue LED beads in the grow lamp which will meet most indoor plant’s need. The red light will improve photosynthesis, germination, flowering and fruiting, while blue light ensures that plants absorb more energy through chlorophyll synthesis to help sprout. You are able to turn on the red/ blue light individually or all of them based on your setting
- 【Easy To Use】the indoor grow plant light comes with a 5A USB interface and an AC power plug (including adapter). You could plug it into a socket or power it by any devices with output 5V USB port, such as power bank, laptop, tablet and computer and so on. Moreover, the premium metal clip with non-slip mat will ensure the grow light could be fixed in any position, very easy and flexible to use.
Buyers Guide
Keep in mind that you shouldn’t choose a suitable grow light without considering some key features of these products. Not doing so might lead you to make the wrong choice, only giving rise to partial results and also leading to waste of money and effort. Hence, I’ve listed some important factors that would help you make the right choice. Do give it a read.
1. Coverage
The lighting coverage is a crucial consideration when it comes to buying grow lights. After all, it determines whether all the plants kept under it receive the light essential for their growth. That’s why you need to measure the dimensions of the space in which your violets are placed.
So, while going through the details of each product, make sure you verify whether it would fully cover that area. If you have multiple pots of African violets to take care of, you would naturally require a light with wider coverage.
2. Spectrum
The spectrum is, of course, an integral part of any grow light, which decides whether it’s ideal for all the stages of growth in a plant. This makes it essential to choose a light that offers the correct spectrum suitable for the proper development and growth of your African violets.
Here, you should note that grow lights can offer two different spectrum types, viz. broad and targeted. In the case of the former, the plants are provided with all or the majority of essential wavelengths, and there is more green light, which helps provide a natural look.
However, the latter spectrum uses some particular wavelengths to match the chlorophyll absorption peaks. These together provide the optimal light necessary for healthy plant growth. In fact, this approach is considered photosynthetically more efficient.
Now, speaking of African violets, you may choose to go for any of the above two types of grow lights. That’s because both would provide the required nourishment and growth to the flowering plant in their own way.
But not all models on the market offer the desired quality of lighting. So, make sure you check the customer reviews to ascertain whether it would be truly beneficial for your plant.
3. Adjustability
The grow light you choose must also come with adjustable brightness levels, a flexible gooseneck arm, and a good timer function.
First of all, the suitable brightness level would not be the same for all plants and all stages of growth. That’s why it must offer a range of adjustments, wide enough to suit their different lighting needs.
Coming to the gooseneck arm, it must be flexible enough to be adjusted into different angles to ensure that the plant receives the light effectively. It would be best to go for a model which comes with a 360-degree adjustable gooseneck.
As for the timer function, it must work efficiently to keep the light working for the set duration. Most of these function automatically after being set for the first time, so that you don’t have to turn on the light daily. Hence, you must check the information regarding the timer while going through the details of each model.
4. Energy Efficiency
Most of the grow lights available currently are more energy-efficient than the older incandescent models. But some of them might still produce a greater amount of heat which would result in the wastage of a lot of electricity.
Hence, checking the customer reviews is important in this regard as well. And here’s an interesting fact: a good-quality LED would save as much as 25-50% of electrical energy.
5. Warranty And Customer Support
Each of these factors is equally important to consider while you’re choosing a grow light but is overlooked by many users. I’ve understood this quite well since a few of the models I’ve purchased have shown several problems but their brand offered no warranty.
Also, a responsive and effective customer support facility is a must-have feature of any brand. It would help you get a clear idea of how to resolve an issue that you’re faced with. Plus, if you’re not sure about the warranty or refund policy offered by the brand, you can also enquire about that using customer support.
Frequently Asked Questions
The light should be hung 12 inches away from the plant to ensure that it gets the light that it needs. This would also prevent any damage due to the heat that might be released by the light. So, be careful not to increase the distance by more than 12 inches.
No, you shouldn’t leave a grow light on for the entire day since a light-dark circle is essential for plants to grow properly. The plants use the period of darkness to circulate the absorbed nutrients to their different parts while the growth process is temporarily halted during that time.
A sign that your plants are receiving too much light is when the tips of their leaves start lightening. Note that if the intensity of the light is not reduced, this problem might worsen, and soon the leaves might turn burnt and crisp. Another sign that the plant receiving too much light is when the buds start bleaching near the top.
In case you notice such signs, you should immediately raise the light by at least two inches. Also, keep in mind that a plant grows in size, so raise the light as it grows vertically.
My Final Recommendation
Now that you’ve known all about the best grow lights for African violets, I’m sure you’ll be able to pick a suitable model easily. So, go ahead and make your pick! Don’t forget to consider your needs and preferences before making the right choice.
But before I sign off, let me quickly take you through my top favorites. If you’re searching for a light that provides wider coverage, the GHodec 69 will be an ideal choice. However, the Juhefa Plant Grow Light is among the best full-spectrum options you’ll find out there.
With that, I will wind up for today. Till next time, take care!