A non-technical/generalized definition of a plant chimera is a plant with two different genetic types of cells (they have different DNA). This can arise when two individual plants are fused together, or, when a plant produces mutant cells that are reproduced along with the normal cells. This case is the later, where mutant plant cells are growing along with the normal ones. The periclinal part describes how the cells are associated with each other. A periclinal chimera is where one genetic type of cell covers the other other type. Think of the the plant as having a skin of mutant cells. This can produce various results, but in this case it produces two-color flowers. When you propagate a single leaf, the new plantlet grows from a single spot. It may not acquire the mutant skin like the parent plant has, or may only acquire that type of cell and not the normal cells. The plantlet is a clone, but it's a clone of only one type of the two types of cells found in the parent plant.

As long as its happy, I wouldnt touch it. they are finicky enough. If you decide to repot then do it when its not in bloom. Gardenias bloom all summer when older (in the southeast usually from May-August or September with earlier bloom times in areas like Florida) . Mine are young and are hardier cultivators that survive the winters here in zone 7 so they bloom in mid June to early July, but Im hoping that when they get older, they will bloom all summer like more tender gardenias. Good luck! -Alex

Unfortunately none of the true violets are house plants! Anyway, you can have inside some bouquets or you can bring into home some flowering plants for few hours when you have guest or for one or two days of decoration...You can also use some flowers in meals...Another way to enjoy violet at home... Parmas violets can appreciate cold frames so if you have an unheated veranda it can be ok for them...

Hope the return shipping won't be too much Delora. When I first got my 4" potted violets, I wanted some decorative pots to set the plastic pots into. Found some small pots that were big enough to set both the pots and reservoirs down into them. Inexpensive at about $5-$8 each at the time. Only had a small number of plants at the time. Pot was not exactly the correct proportional size for these young plants but it did hide those plain plastic pots for me. (Plant could also be set on top of a slightly lower reservoir but should be high enough to lift plant out easily.) As the plant grew I added a pot ring to keep the leaves off the ceramic pot. Made it even easier to lift the plant up from the pot.