Horned violet is a true gardener's find. For more than 450 species and varieties of this plant characterized by unpretentiousness and long flowering, which makes its cultivation easy even for novice florists.
With proper care, this flower will become a real decoration of the garden.
Let's find out in more detail what the perennial horned violet looks like - varieties and description.
Maintenance and care
In order for a real fragrant doll to grow in your pot, you need to provide it with proper care. You need to start by choosing a place for a flower pot.
Violet loves long-term light, but it does not like direct sunlight on the foliage: because of this, it begins to wither and the foliage begins to darken. The best choice for the plant would be to allocate a place for it on the windowsill of a north, north-west or north-east window. In winter, artificial lighting will help the plant extend daylight hours.
An important point in care will be determining the correct watering regime for the flower. In general, the perennial is a hardy plant and can withstand short periods of drought. But the best solution would be to water as the soil dries. Comfortable conditions for violets are achieved through regular spraying. The air humidity around the flower should be about 60%, for which spraying is carried out 1-2 times a day, and in winter a vessel with water is placed next to the pot. Also, do not forget about a high-quality drainage system.
Feeding is also part of regular care. It is better to exclude the abundance of nitrogen-containing fertilizers by including in the diet special mixtures for violets, which can be purchased in the store.
Plant pests can include gray rot, powdery mildew, aphids and black spot. However, with a timely response, the plant will bloom for many more years.
Growing seedlings
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In order for the plant to delight you with flowering already in the first summer, it needs to be planted early. "Swiss Giants" is an unpretentious variety, and growing from seeds is not such a difficult process. The seeds are very small; they are planted for seedlings in early spring. To do this, you need containers with loose soil, where the seeds are sown, sprinkled with earth, and covered with film on top to create a greenhouse effect. Containers with culture are placed in a room with a temperature of +20–+25°. From time to time the film needs to be lifted to ventilate the soil.
Water as the substrate dries. After emergence of shoots, the film is removed. The first shoots should appear in a week or two. Although it happens that the seeds take a very long time to germinate. This happens when:
- expired seed material;
- seeds are sprinkled with a thick layer of soil;
- the soil with which the seeds are sprinkled is very dense and heavy.
Further growth of the “Swiss Giants” should occur in the light, so the container with them should be placed on the windowsill. When the leaves appear, the plants are planted in separate containers. Transplantation is tolerated very well by the crop, even if carried out during the flowering period. Usually, by the time of transplantation, viola sprouts become very elongated, so they need to be buried in the ground up to the cotyledon leaves. This will not only have a positive effect on the appearance of the plant, but will also allow the formation of a powerful rhizome. You either buy the substrate ready-made, or prepare the mixture yourself in the following proportions:
- 2 parts of soil enriched with nutrients;
- 2 parts peat;
- 2 parts humus.
Viola is very demanding when it comes to watering, so you need to make sure that the soil does not dry out too much. But you should not allow moisture to stagnate, because this will lead to rotting of the roots.
Varietal violets and hybrids
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In the process of many years of selection, experts have bred different varieties of violets. They consistently transmit parental characteristics when propagated by seeds or vegetatively.
Hybrids are obtained by crossing:
- Different varieties;
- Or hybrids with each other.
The offspring stably transmits their characteristics only:
- During vegetative propagation;
- During seed propagation, traits are not reproduced stably.
Important! To reproduce the color of hybrids, they are propagated only vegetatively. Not all hybrid violets have a horn-like process; this feature is often suppressed by the genes of another violet species that participates in hybridization
Not all hybrid violets have a horn-like process; this feature is often suppressed by the genes of another violet species that participates in hybridization.
All representatives of horned violets are perennials, but hybrid forms quickly lose their decorative value, so they are grown for one or two years.
Varietal violets usually withstand severe frosts without shelter, but in order for hybrids to survive the winter, they must be covered with:
- Dry leaves;
- Lapnik;
- Or other covering material.
Young violets, even frost-resistant varieties, need shelter.
Bambini horned
The variety is winter-hardy. The bush grows up to 15 cm in height, the stems form dense cushions.
Violet Bambini hornata.
The hybrid line is represented by flowers of various colors, but with the obligatory yellow spot in the center and a contrasting pattern in the form of a fantastic face.
The height of the plant is about 20 cm. The flowers are 3-5 cm in diameter, pale blue in color and have a light aroma.
Violet Button Blue.
Lady horned
The height of the bush is 10 cm. The stems are intertwined into dense pillows. The flowers are tricolor purple-lavender with a yellow lower petal.
Violet Lady Horned.
Flowering is abundant, the bush can bear up to 50 flowers.
Gzhel patterns
The color of the white and blue flowers is similar to Gzhel painting. The bushes reach a height of 15-20 cm. The stems grow into dense cushions.
Violet Gzhel patterns.
Baby
The bushes grow up to 10 cm in height, the stems form thick cushions. The varietal line is represented by white or blue-violet flowers.
Violet Baby.
At the same time, a bush can bear several dozen flowers.
The height of the bushes is about 15 cm, the varietal line is represented by yellow and blue flowers.
Violet Fashionista.
Ruby perfection
The flowers are medium-sized, round, bright ruby in color, with a blurry dark spot in the center. The stems grow into thick cushions.
Violet Ruby perfection.
Flowers with a unique veined color and abundant early bloom.
Violet Tiger Eye Red.
This hybrid line can have a wide variety of colors.
Scottish violet.
Orange Parple Wing
Flowers with:
- Bright orange lower petals;
- Purple veins in the center;
- Spots around the edges.
Violet Orange Parple Wing.
The upper pair of petals are dark purple.
Viola Williamsii
Viola Williams is a biennial hybrid obtained from crossing Wittrock's viola and horned viola. The stem of the Williams viola can reach 30 cm, the flowers are small - 3-4 cm. Their color is always bright, with strokes similar to the coloring of the flowers of the Wittrock viola, but without the characteristic “face”.
Ampelous Williams violas in flower pots
Among the varieties of Williams viola, there are not only bush forms, but also hanging forms.
Popular varieties:
- “Pearl Falls” - ampelous viola, many white and blue flowers, pleasant smell.
- "Bengal fire" - ampelous viola, yellow-burgundy butterfly flowers.
- "Amber Kiss" is a bush that forms a lush carpet with bright bronze-yellow flowers.
- “Froze chocolate” is a bush form that tends to quickly grow in width; opens many small flowers at the same time; The color of the flowers is brown with a yellow eye and dark strokes.
Luxurious Williams viola lashes in a hanging flowerpot
Growing in the garden
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Horned violet is grown as a perennial plant, and hybrid violet, for example, the Sorbet series, is grown as a biennial plant or as an annual plant if it is planted in open ground as seedlings.
In general, this plant does not require careful care.
The soil
Horned violet grows and blooms in almost any soil. But on light, loose, moderately fertile, drained soils, with a pH of 6.8 – 7.2, it grows faster and produces more abundant flowering.
Landing location
Horned violet loves sunny places with good lighting, but prefers moderate temperatures. It is advisable to place plantings in partial shade or next to taller neighboring plants that provide shading in the midday heat.
In too shady places, violets stretch out, the flowers become smaller, look less attractive, and here they are more often attacked by slugs and snails.
Watering
Horned violet requires moderate watering. During hot, dry periods, water more often as the soil dries. The plant can tolerate forced drought quite well and wait until the next weekend or your return from vacation. But during very dry and hot periods, the flowers become smaller and the growth of the bushes slows down.
Horned violet loves spraying; in hot weather they are sprayed twice: in the morning and in the evening.
Top dressing
Fertilizing is carried out twice per season, in the spring during the period of active growth and in the second half of August. For feeding, fertilizers are used in low concentrations, mineral or organic, in addition to fresh manure.
Fresh manure is not suitable for feeding horned violets, as well as for other types of violets, its effect on them is too aggressive, and as a result of its use, plant roots are damaged.
Pruning and maintaining decorativeness
If the horned violet plantings stretch out and take on an untidy appearance, you need to trim them so that they become compact and well-groomed again.
If the goal is not to obtain seeds, faded flowers are regularly removed. This keeps the plantings in a decorative form; the plants bloom longer and more abundantly, since they do not expend energy on the formation and ripening of seeds, and also prevents unwanted self-seeding.
Wintering
The plant is winter-hardy, withstands frosts down to -23 degrees. But the frost resistance of plants depends on the variety. Varietal violets overwinter well and do not need special winter shelter. Hybrids are more sensitive to frost; they need to be mulched with peat and leaf humus for the winter.
It is advisable to mulch young plants planted in the current season, as well as cover them for the winter with leaf litter, spruce spruce branches or lutrasil, regardless of the variety.
Rejuvenation of plantings
Once every 3-5 years, some varieties and hybrids (yellow, red, multi-colored) require updating, since the flowering becomes less lush and elegant. There are more durable varieties (usually blue, lilac, white, purple).
If the violet bushes have grown too much or have lost their decorative appearance, then it’s time to divide them, thus rejuvenating the planting.
What to pay attention to
Horned violet, when grown for a long time, can produce abundant self-sowing. To prevent it, it is necessary to pick off faded flowers before the seeds ripen.
How to plant?
Planting violas is a fairly simple, but painstaking and responsible procedure. If you plan to grow plants in open ground, you need to choose the right place for them. Despite their unpretentiousness, violas are sensitive to lack of lighting and drafts. The best place for them is a well-lit and sheltered area with fertile loamy soil.
On sandy soils that do not retain moisture well, and in shaded places, violas are also able to take root, but in these cases their flowers will be small and sparse. A deficiency of nutrients in the soil also negatively affects the size and number of flowers.
It is extremely undesirable to plant seedlings in lowlands and places with high groundwater levels. Increased soil moisture in this case can cause the development of fungal diseases of the roots and even the death of plants. It is allowed to sow seeds directly into open ground, but the seedling method is considered the best and more popular. The timing of planting viola seedlings is determined based on weather conditions and climate of the area. In most cases, flowers are planted in April or May.
Plants will take root well in a soil mixture consisting of fertile soil with the addition of crushed charcoal and humus. To prepare such soil when growing violas in containers, use the following proportions of components:
- 5 parts of garden soil;
- 1 part coal;
- 1 part humus.
It is allowed to add one part of peat and sand to the soil mixture. These components improve the moisture and air permeability of the soil, which has a positive effect on the growth rate and development of plants. Before planting, holes are made in the selected area, maintaining a distance of 10-15 centimeters between them. Then a bush of seedlings is placed in each hole, and the roots are covered with soil.
Next, the soil is carefully compacted from the sides, and the plants are watered with warm, settled water.
Growing horned violet
If you use seedlings for planting in open soil, then an ordinary violet will be a perennial plant, and a hybrid will germinate for two or one season.
No special care is required for the horned violet.
The soil
The plant does not care about the soil. It can grow in any type of soil. The bush will begin to develop and bloom faster in looser soil, which contains about 7.2 pH.
Landing area
It should be with good lighting, but the air temperature is moderate. Plant bushes in shady places, or below tall crops. If no light reaches the area at all, then the violet will grow, but the flowers will become small. In the shade they will be eaten by snails or slugs.
Watering
The plant requires liquid in moderation. On warm or hot days, monitor the soil. As soon as it has dried, they begin to water the violet.
The bush can live without water for several days. It is drought tolerant. Sometimes the bush can slow down its growth due to hot temperatures and grow into small inflorescences. The plant loves spraying. During hot periods, the procedure is performed in the morning and evening.
Prevention from diseases and pests
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Viola, when planted in contaminated soil, or with excessive moisture, can be affected by putrefactive microorganisms. For prevention in the spring, the perennial is sprayed with fungicides, and agricultural practices are also followed.
Possible pests of violets are slugs, snails, aphids, and violet mother of pearl. To prevent their appearance, the bushes are sprayed with an infusion of potato tops and onion peels. Tobacco is scattered around the plants. Insecticides are used among chemical preparations.
Caring for Horned Violet in the Garden
Perennial violets do not require careful care - periodic weeding, watering, fertilizing and maintaining a decorative appearance are sufficient.
How to water
Although the horned violet loves moist soil, it does not like excessive watering, so it should be done without fanaticism. If the weather is hot, you should focus on the speed of drying of the soil and water the beds as necessary. However, this does not mean that the plant will not be able to survive the forced drought - it may well wait for your return from vacation or the next weekend.
Prolonged drought negatively affects the appearance of the horned violet - the growth of the bushes slows down, and the flowers become much smaller and lose their original attractiveness. That is why it is still not recommended to experiment with no watering in the heat, but to moisten the soil well. This garden flower responds very well to spraying - if the temperature is high in summer, it is recommended to pamper the plant with a “shower” 2 times a day, in the morning and evening.
Propagation of violets at home and in the garden
To propagate horned violets, they most often use sowing seeds or dividing an existing adult bush.
Seeds are planted in seedling boxes with a light soil mixture in the spring, in April, or in the fall, in October. You can expect germination in 4–5 weeks. When a pair of true leaves appear, the violets are picked and planted in separate pots. To grow perennial horned violets on a balcony or flowerpot, young plants are planted in prepared containers with a drainage layer and loose nutritious soil.
Violets developed at home are transferred to the garden at the end of summer so that the plants have time to acclimatize before the onset of cold weather. Strong rosettes begin to bloom in the first year, and the mass appearance of buds should be expected after wintering.
In addition to propagation by seeds, dividing the bush is often used, and rooting of green cuttings and parts of the stem is also used to obtain new plants. You can obtain cuttings throughout the entire growing season, while early cuttings and rooting contribute to the rapid entry of violets into flowering time. Unpretentious horned violets easily, after 2-3 weeks, form roots and form new plants, which speeds up reproduction and allows you to quickly obtain healthy flowering specimens.
To obtain a dense, beautiful violet meadow per meter of area, depending on the variety, plant from 20 to 30 plants.
How to propagate violets Wedding bouquet
There are several options for propagating Wedding Bouquet violets. One of them is using cuttings. You need to use the leaves of the middle row of the rosette. You can immediately place the leaf cuttings in prepared loose soil, or you can first put them in water and wait until the roots appear.
Rooting cuttings in water
Within a month, babies appear on the cuttings. You shouldn’t separate them and replant them right away. You need to wait until the leaves become 3-4 centimeters in diameter.
To protect the young rosette, it is recommended to cover it with a transparent cap during rooting. After new leaves appear, the cap can be removed.
Another method of propagation is growing from a stepson. Violet Wedding flower often throws out daughter rosettes, which must be removed immediately. There should only be one outlet in the pot. If both mother and stepson grow in the same pot, the flower will not bloom. The stepson is carefully separated from the flower and transplanted into special soil.
Growing from seeds
You can also grow violets from seeds. To do this, the seeds must first be prepared.
First, they are mixed one to one with crushed charcoal, and then, in the same proportions, with sand. In this case, the mixture must be shaken thoroughly.
For planting seeds, special phyto-cassettes with a lid are best suited. First, drainage is poured into the container, then sand, sphagnum moss and finally soil. Next, the seeds are planted on moist, pre-prepared soil. Cover with a lid and place in a warm place, out of direct sunlight.
Features of growing from seeds at home
How is horned perennial violet grown from seeds? Propagation of viola by seeds provides the plant with greater resistance to diseases.
Sowing seedlings
Violet seeds are sown for seedlings in February:
- A layer of drainage made of expanded clay or other materials is laid on the bottom of the container, then the prepared earthen mixture;
- The substrate is disinfected with a freshly prepared hot solution of potassium permanganate (0.5 g dissolved in a liter of water) and dried in air;
- Make grooves at intervals of 1.5-2 cm and a depth of 0.3–0.4 cm, lay out the seeds, cover them with earth and water and moisten them by spraying;
- Greenhouse conditions are created, the film is opened slightly once a day for ventilation.
Important! After germination, the seedlings are placed in good light at an air temperature of up to 18 °C.
What do the shoots look like?
The sprouts that appear have two rounded leaves on a thin stem. For 2 - 3 weeks they should be shaded from bright sunlight.
Picking
After the formation of several pairs of true leaves, a pick is carried out - transplantation to a permanent place.
There should be some distance between the violets when planting.
It is recommended to do this already in April, since the seedlings can withstand frost. The interval between violets is 5 cm.
Features of sowing in open ground
Sowing of seed material is carried out in the period August 10-September 10:
- The earth is loosened and grooves are formed;
- The seeds are covered with soil, watered, and mulched.
Seedlings will appear only next spring. If the crop is too thick, pick it. You can start replanting them in August.
Seed germination
The packet of seeds indicates the similarity, which can range from 60 to 95%. This should be taken into account when sowing. In open ground, sprouts need traditional care.
Vegetative propagation
Violets are easy to propagate by parts of the plant - vegetatively .
Dividing the bush
This method is used from early spring until mid-summer, then the plant will have time to form a root system before the onset of winter :
- The bush is removed from the ground and divided into several parts, each of which has roots;
- Separated violets are planted in a shaded place on moist soil.
The humidity of the substrate is constantly monitored . Rooting takes two to three weeks, but young violets are transplanted to a permanent place only in the spring of next year.
By layering
One of the easiest ways to propagate violets:
- Select a longer shoot from the bush, bend it back and attach it to the soil with brackets;
- The attachment points are sealed with soil, which is periodically moistened;
- Over the course of a month, roots will develop on the fixed stem.
Important! After rooting, the cuttings are separated from the adult violet.
Cuttings
Violets are propagated by cuttings from June to mid-summer :
- The stem is cut into cuttings 5 cm long and several nodes;
- Each segment should have 3-4 leaves;
- Root the plants in a container with a substrate that is well moistened;
- The cutting is inserted into the substrate at an angle to a depth of 1 cm;
- The pot is covered with film, creating greenhouse conditions, and opened once a day for ventilation.
Soon after rooting, the plants will begin to grow; after wintering, they are transplanted to the site .
Garden violet ivy
Synonyms. Violet ivy; reniform violet (V. reniforme).
A perennial plant 2.55 cm high with long, thin, creeping, intertwining shoots, with numerous small rounded leaves creating a continuous wide carpet.
Above the leaves, small round flowers open on long stalks, the central part of which is painted purple, and the tips of the petals are white.
Growing conditions. The plant is thermophilic, does not tolerate frost and does not overwinter in temperate climates. Loves damp, marshy places. In the summer, the plants are taken out into the garden and placed in a cool, bright room for the winter, reducing or temporarily stopping watering and fertilizing. Propagated by dividing clumps in the spring.
Garden ivy violet is cultivated as a container ground cover or carpet plant, most often together with other tall ornamental crops. Prefers partial shade.
Variety "Blue Form" - lilac-blue flowers.
Description
The height of this variety does not exceed twenty-five centimeters.
- The flowers of the plant are delicate with an exquisite aroma. They are small in size, about five millimeters in diameter.
- Their petals have an elongated shape. The inflorescences grow singly and give the bush the appearance of a pillow. Over time, the violet grows and the flowers become a carpet.
- The Horned Violet gets its name from its appendage at the back. It resembles a horn in appearance. The varieties that have recently begun to renew no longer have such a shoot.
The cultivation of horned violets began in 1776. The roots have many branches and the ability to spread. This plant grows and reproduces well.
Several planted bushes will turn into a flower garden with an area of two square meters in a year. Each of them can grow up to sixty inflorescences.
The flowers grow on long stems. In the center of the inflorescence there is an eye that has an orange tint. The oval leaves are dark green with large teeth along the edge. Horned violet can have different colors of its inflorescences.
They can be:
- soft purple
- yellow,
- orange,
- burgundy.
Some types of plants can grow with monochromatic flowers. Landscape designers prefer them for recreating flower beds. There are varieties in which one bush can have several colors at once.
The ability to bloom for a long time is an advantage of the horned violet. From May until September, the flowers do not disappear from the plant. The first inflorescences that appear in the spring are usually more magnificent than all the others.
On hot days, violets cannot have large flowers. By autumn her abilities are restored.
Advantages:
- Various shades of inflorescences;
- Blooms early and long;
- Not afraid of cold weather;
- Almost never gets sick.
Landscape design
The small flowers of the plant do not give a beautiful appearance if planted separately. Therefore, professional designers, to give a general look, try to plant violets in groups (several bushes nearby). They are small in height, so they are always placed at the front of the flower bed.
Bright inflorescences look organic:
- In the flower beds;
- In mixborders;
- On the alpine slides;
- In curb areas.
The small size of the bush can be used for decoration on the balcony.
Ideal neighbors for the horned violet in the front garden can be:
- Coniferous plants in the form of shrubs or trees. They shade the violet with their size. This protects it from direct sunlight. A carpet of flowers under coniferous bushes gives the flower garden an aesthetic appearance.
- Ferns or hostas.
- Flowers you can plant: tulips, daffodils, hyacinths.
Varieties of horned violet
The plant can be crossed well with other species. Breeders have created many hybrids of horned violet. But their properties are already different from the original form. Their leaves have sharp teeth and are oval in shape.
The bushes can grow into a mat and remain in this state throughout the flowering period. And some hybrids stretch out their shoots. This requires constant pruning.
Flower growers divide into two groups of varieties:
- Horned violet;
- Hybrid horned violet.
Care and cultivation depends on the plant variety. The rules may vary. Hybrids tolerate cold worse. Therefore, she must be protected from them. And some violets are biennial bushes.
What kind of plant is this
Horned violet (Viola cornuta) is a perennial plant belonging to the violet family. Different species reach a height of 8 to 25 cm. Delicate flowers with a pleasant aroma, measuring from 2.5 to 5 mm, with elongated petals, similar to small moths, form elegant cushion-shaped bushes, and over time they turn into entire mats.
The violet acquired its name because at the back of the flower there is a process, a spur, similar to a horn. Although some modern hybrids of horned violet do not have this spur.
It has been grown as an ornamental plant since 1776.
The plant has a creeping and branched rhizome, due to which it grows actively . Just a few plants in a year can form a dense clump of 2 square meters. meters. Each horned violet bush has several dozen (up to 60) flowers and buds.
Horned violet flowers are solitary, located on long petioles. In the middle of the flower there is a yellow or orange-yellow “eye”. The leaves of the plant are dark green, oval, with large, sometimes rounded teeth along the edges.
The variety of colors of different varieties and, especially, hybrids of horned violet is amazing . There is a choice for every taste - from soft airy white and lilac and cheerful yellow and orange to elegant velvety purple and burgundy. There are single-color varieties; they are preferred by professional landscape designers for creating large flower beds. There are varieties with colors of two, three or more shades, which are often chosen by amateur gardeners.
The great advantage of the horned violet is its long flowering . It blooms profusely and brightly from May to September. But the first, spring bloom is the most magnificent. In mid-summer, especially during hot and dry periods, the flowers become smaller and the plantings are no longer so decorative, but by autumn they regain their attractiveness.
Description of violet
The maximum height of the plant is 25 cm. The petals are slightly elongated. Externally they resemble small moths or pupae. Each individual plant creates cushion-shaped bushes.
Violet inflorescences are solitary. Inside each flower there is a yellow “eye”. Their sizes are 3-5 cm. The foliage is dark green in color. It can be either oval or with jagged edges. The colors of the horned viola are varied, from white to burgundy flowers.
Viola has adapted well to the cold and blooms for a long time, pleasing the eyes of others with its appearance.
Common varieties
Horned violet is an ornamental garden plant. She is accustomed to the cold season and survives the winter well in central Russia.
The most common are two types of plants:
They differ in colors and shades. Flowers can be one color or have several shades at the same time. But when caring for hybrid plants, it is always worth remembering that they tolerate harsh Russian winters worse.
Particular attention should be paid to their shelter and protection from frost and snow.
Briefly about the history of appearance
There are many legends and stories associated with the history of the appearance of this amazing plant. The Slavs said that once a girl from a poor family fell in love with a rich guy. At first he agreed, but then changed his mind about taking her as his wife. Anyuta, that was the young lady’s name, cried a lot and died of despair. And these beautiful flowers grew on her grave. This is why the second popular name for violets is “Pansies”.
Varieties of violas
Tricolor or field
In Russia, the field violet, or otherwise tricolor, is known as Pansy.
This is a perennial plant that is often cultivated for no more than two years. Gardeners usually grow its hybrids.
Officially, the tricolor violet is a wild field plant. The size of its flowers is about one and a half centimeters, and the height of the plant is about 15 centimeters. The color of the flower is tricolor, there are purple, white and yellow colors.
It was this plant that was used to breed the popular hybrid Viola Wittrock.
Violet Tricolor.
Botanical illustration from Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, 1887.
Viola is a highly branched plant that can grow from ten to forty-five centimeters in height. It is characterized by long flowering from early spring.
Flowers ranging in size from one and a half to three centimeters consist of:
- two large upper petals of purple color;
- the two middle petals are slightly smaller than the upper ones, more lilac, either light or yellow in color;
- one lower petal with a white or yellow spot at the base and a blunt bluish spur.
This species is often used for growing in flower beds.
A slightly shaded place and moderate humidity are the necessary conditions for the comfortable existence of these flowers.
After flowering, a box with a wall arrangement of up to 3000 seeds grows.
Wittrock (garden pansy)
Violet (viola) Pansies are a variety of hybrid varieties that share similar traits. The plant is quite branched and can reach from fifteen to twenty-five centimeters.
The flowers are usually from five to ten centimeters in diameter. The lower leaves are oval or ovoid, the upper ones are narrow, with rounded teeth and grooves between them.
Wittrock's violet is a branched plant with large flowers of rich colors up to ten centimeters in size. The flowers have a yellow eye in the center at the base of the lower petal.
The flower owes its name to the Swedish professor of botany and author of a biography of this plant, Veit Wittrock.
This flower is fifteen to forty centimeters tall with dark green leaves. The shape of the lower foliage is oval or ovoid, the upper leaves are narrow with rounded teeth and grooves between them.
After flowering, a seed capsule appears. The plant is propagated by seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush.
Other options
Altai violet grows wild:
- in Altai;
- in Western Siberia;
- in the southeast of Kazakhstan;
- in Tien Shan;
- in Northwestern China.
This profusely flowering perennial plant reaches twenty centimeters and blooms with three-centimeter flowers. The color is blue-violet with a yellow spot, white or cream with blue stripes on the lower petals.
Altai violet.
Violet Yellow - grows in the Alps and Pyrenees. This is a perennial unpretentious plant with a height of eight to twenty centimeters. Yellow flowers, with dark streaks on the three lower petals, reach from one and a half to three centimeters in diameter.
Violet Yellow.
Viola Horned has been known in England since the eighteenth century. The horned violet reaches a height of twenty centimeters and can delight you with a variety of colors. The size of the flowers is about five centimeters, the stem is straight, the leaves are pointed. A feature of this variety is longevity; the violet lives for about 5 years.
Violet Horned.
Important! The plant is frost-resistant, but it is recommended to cover it when cold weather sets in.
Sports
Violets begin to lose their decorative value after three to four years, the bushes grow greatly, and the flowers become smaller and rarer. To combat this, plants are renewed every three years. Another reason for the loss of varietal characteristics may be cross-pollination.
Viola sororia
Viola Sororia (moth viola) is a perennial bush species, up to 20 cm high. Primrose, blooms in April-May, sometimes again at the end of summer. This is a small, compact bush formed by wide heart-shaped leaves. Each flower, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, is supported on its own stem, rising above the leaves. There are varieties with blue-violet, white, white-blue flowers.
Viola Sororia is used as a ground cover - when decorating alpine slides, borders, garden paths, and flower beds.
Viola Sororia - perennial unpretentious violet
Viola Sororia varieties:
- Ruba – blue-violet flowers;
- Frickles (“Freckles”) – white flowers with blue specks;
- Albiflora – snow-white flowers.
Caring for violets at home and in the garden
The main care for violets during the growing season consists of regular watering, removing weeds and fertilizing the formed clumps.
During active flowering, horned violet requires weekly feeding. Fertilizer application is alternated with watering or fertilizing agents are mixed with irrigation moisture. Violets are regularly fed with organic matter in the spring, then in mid-summer. In the second half of August, the application of nitrogen-containing fertilizers is limited.
Caring for violets at home and in the garden must include trimming faded flower stalks, removing old foliage and other measures to maintain the appearance of the plantings and stimulate lush flowering. For example, experienced flower growers advise replanting young violets with existing plants every three years. In this case, an imperceptible gradual change of generations occurs, and the clump always remains smooth and blooms profusely.
Do not forget that under favorable conditions, horned violets can produce seeds that are sown independently from fruit boxes. The seeds germinate in the spring, and the following year the young violets are ready to bloom.
Use in landscape design
Plants are planted in a group so that their flowering creates a feeling of celebration .
Violets look unsurpassed next to evergreen shrubs , as well as in the front line of flower beds. Viola grown in flowerpots and pots is a decoration for a home veranda or balcony.
Violets go well with most garden plants. But it is better not to plant them next to lilies of the valley or sweet peas.
Horned violet in landscape design.
Growing from seeds
Horned violet seeds quickly lose their viability. If not all of the purchased seeds germinate, do not be surprised. Since there are approximately 900 seeds per gram, even a small percentage of germination will produce enough plants to plant a flower bed. When grown in a greenhouse, fresh seeds are sown in August. Seedlings require picking. The minimum distance is 10 cm. Having interesting varieties for seedlings, non-flowering shoots are separated from the base in the period from August to September. It is better to plant in a mixture of sand, peat and compost. Seedlings protect against moisture loss. After rooting, the seedlings are hardened by opening, then removing the covering daily for a longer time. The resulting specimens in open ground must be covered for the winter. When severe frosts are announced, it is worth insulating the greenhouse windows or covering the plants in the greenhouse with cut plastic bottles so that light can reach the plants.
Varieties
There are a large number of varieties of horned violets, which are distinguished by a variety of colors.
"Doll." This variety will feel great in the garden. The bush grows up to 10 centimeters in height. It is decorated with a mixture of flowers with white and ruby tints, the number of which reaches 55 pieces. Flowering lasts from May to September. Most often, these violets are used to decorate alpine slides or plant them along the path.
"Perfection". It is best to grow such a plant in partial shade, where the soil is quite fertile. The height of the bush usually does not exceed 14 centimeters, and its stems are capable of forming dense pads. The flowers are large, with a ruby tint, which is why this variety is sometimes called “ruby perfection.” In addition, they have a round shape. Up to 45-50 flowers can form simultaneously on a small bush.
"Johnny". This violet is often used to decorate gazebos or balconies. The flowers are very small, up to 3 centimeters in circumference, and can delight their owners all summer, as well as the last month of spring. The plant consists of a fairly compact bush and tolerates cold well. In one place, this variety of violet can grow for up to 4 years.
"Gzhel patterns". The violet received this name due to its similarity with Gzhel. The bush grows up to 18 centimeters in height and is decorated with beautiful violets, the color of which is white and blue. This beauty lasts from May to September. Very often such violets can be seen in various compositions, for example, in alpine slides.
"Yoke". This is a very beautiful plant that amazes with its unusual combination of colors. The flowers of this violet on one bush can be either white or orange. The plant itself is quite small, up to 10 centimeters in height. However, at the moment of flowering, it creates a real carpet consisting of a large number of flowers. At the same time, 60 violets can bloom on one bush.
"Erlin F1". This is a cold-resistant plant that does not grow higher than 10 centimeters. Its flowers are heart-shaped and purple in color with a yellow eye in the middle. Very often, in addition to decorating flower beds, it is used in garden vases.
In addition to these varieties, it is also worth noting such varieties as “Modnitsa”, “Penny”, “Edmare maxi mix”, “Sorbet”, “Malyshka”, “Veselaya Semeyka”, “Bambini” and many others, which are also used for decorating household gardens. plots.
