From a plant's perspective, the ultimate goal is reproduction and genetic propagation. A flower's purpose is to be pollinated and produce seeds. Once an African Violet bloom has been spent—meaning it has faded, wilted, and is no longer receptive to pollination—it becomes a net drain on the plant's finite resources. The plant may continue to channel water, nutrients, and a small amount of energy to maintain cellular processes in the dying bloom and its attached stem (peduncle). By you removing this spent structure, you effectively eliminate a sink for these valuable resources. The plant can then redirect its energy and nutrients towards more critical functions, primarily the development of new root and leaf growth, and crucially, the initiation of new flower buds.
While the plant itself has no concept of aesthetics, the decaying organic matter of a spent bloom presents a tangible risk. As the petals and stem begin to rot, they create a moist, decaying environment ideal for the development of fungal pathogens, such as botrytis (gray mold), and can attract unwanted pests like fungus gnats. These organisms can quickly move from the dead bloom to the healthy, living leaves and crown of the African Violet, causing significant stress, disease, and potentially death. Your act of removing the spent bloom is a form of preventative healthcare. It improves air circulation around the crown and removes a potential vector for disease, allowing the plant to remain healthy and focus its energy on growth rather than mounting a defense against infection.
It is vital that the removal is done in a way that minimizes stress and damage to the plant. Simply pulling or tearing the bloom off can create a ragged wound that is slow to heal and susceptible to infection. Instead, you should use a sharp, clean pair of scissors or a knife to cleanly snip the flower stem (peduncle) as close to its base as possible without cutting into the main stem or crown of the plant. This creates a small, clean cut that the plant can quickly and efficiently seal off, minimizing the risk of pathogens entering. From the plant's viewpoint, this is a clean amputation rather than a crushing injury, leading to a faster recovery and less energy expended on wound repair.
There is one specific scenario where a plant would "prefer" you leave a spent bloom: if pollination has occurred and seed production is the goal. If a flower has been successfully pollinated, the base of the bloom (the ovary) will begin to swell into a seed pod. For an African Violet, producing seeds is a massive energetic investment, but it is the fulfillment of its reproductive purpose. If your objective is to hybridize and grow new plants from seed, then you should leave that specific pollinated bloom and its stem intact until the seed pod is brown and dry. However, for the typical houseplant grower focused on encouraging more blooms and a tidy plant, this is not the objective, and removal remains the best practice.
