Originating from Africa, African Violets are probably the best known flowering house plants. African violets feature velvety leaves arranged in a circular pattern, with blooms forming at the crown. There are hundreds of different varieties of African violets available featuring differently colored flowers, and differently variegated flowers and leaves. In order to initiate blooming, make sure your African violet gets proper light. Also, African violets bloom best when slightly pot bound. To keep your African violet looking its best, remove dead flowers and leaves.