Next to the dandelion, which grows in every part of the country, the common kinds of violets are the first flowers with which the average country-born child becomes acquainted.
Their earliness of bloom, rich color, and ability to provide a game of “snapping-off-the-heads-of-roosters” make them ideal flowers for the child.
Alack and alas, for many persons, this may be the last contact with violets that they will have; but the wise gardener will find many a place for one or another form of what Parkinson, more than 300 years ago, described as “the chief e spring flowers for beauty, smell, and use.”
I am referring to the true violet and not to the so-called “African violet,” which is botanically a different creation.
In these notes, I shall mention not only the fragrant violet, which is both delightful (and difficult), but also a number of species of the violet (Violaceae) family which should be better known and more often planted.
Because the violet genus has many members with overlapping common names, I shall use the botanical names as commonly accepted for the forms discussed.
Violet Cultural Requirements
Before discussing varieties, the comment is about violet culture and the needs of the long-cultivated, fragrant forms.
Many amateurs have reported to me what seems not to be a deterrent to violet growing, especially if proper protection is provided, but it is generally conceded that violets will not grow well in smoke-clouded city or factory districts.
Certain types of soils suit violets better than others, but here again, the agreement is that violets are great feeders and must be provided with a good supply of animal manures and a soil content of unrotted, vegetable humus, especially pasture sods.
Sunlight (with shade available in summer) is essential for bloom, and wherever and however grown, there should be both local and adjacent freedom from pest-carrying weeds or disease-carrying rubbish.
Water should be available (in force) to permit syringing, and in general, as much attention to growth should be arranged as for the orchids.
Fall Planting Is Desirable
For a great many families of plants, fall planting is most desirable, and violets are no exception. Late August or September planting allows the young plants the advantage of cool, moist growing days without burning sun.
With any sort of violet, firm planting is an important rule, as is removing excess foliage and broken stems before planting.
Violets make a mass of fibrous roots, usually near the surface; hence a good mulch of rotted manure after the plant is established prevents fatal drying out.
Insects and Diseases Treatment
To discuss, in any general treatment such as this, the diseases of violets are impossible, but the gardener should be alert to attacks of aphids.
As with other plants, the sign is curled center leaves; but more especially, be alert for yellowing of foliage which is the sign of a red spider.
This practically invisible pest is best controlled by hard syringing of the plants at regular intervals. Various fungus diseases are often a problem with violets when good air circulation is not provided, particularly when plants are frame-grown.
The best preventative besides air is cleanliness and immediately burning all affected plants or parts.
Expert Care For The Fragrant Kinds
In the fragrant group of violets, one finds varieties that require the most expert care and others that are rewarding with only reasonable garden care.
Botanical authorities have usually grouped most fragrant sorts together, such as Viola odorata, but this writer feels that further investigation would divide this species.
Varieties or types now seemingly within the V. odorata classification include the well-advertised Royal Robe, the very hardy Double Russian, White Wonder, White Czar, and others.
Among the truly fragrant sorts, commercially grown, Princess of Wales is the type in the singles, and Marie Louise is the type in the doubles. Both types, which do not set seed, have a number of variations.
These latter varieties should be grown in cold frames (or greenhouses), with a night Winter temperature of not over 40° to 45° degrees Fahrenheit.
If such conditions can be maintained through mat protection, the reward of blooms in February and March is well worth the efforts involved.
Generally, these two various types are the most fragrant of all violets, but some native and more hardy species have fragrances worth considering. In connection with scent, it is often said that violets lose their fragrance, but this is not true.
There is something about the odor of violets that causes the sense of smell to become quickly exhausted. Instead, you get the passing “whiff” that is most effective and has caused so many generations to wax poetic over this flower.
Fragrant Violet Species
Here are some of the species of violets, in addition to V. odorata, which possess fragrance and are of easy cultivation out-of-doors.
- Viola odorata semperflorens – A form known as Rohrbach’s Everblooming is said to flower frequently throughout the year, but in general, the Latin name “semperflorens” should be taken with some reserve.
- V. blanda – Very hardy and delightful, it is useful for crevices of rock gardens where, when starved, the plants provide mats of short-stemmed, blue-streaked, small, white, scented blooms.
- Violet, Frey’s Fragrant – Although sold often as a fragrant violet, I have never found it so. It has smooth large leaves, stands more heat than others, and produces masses of rich purple blooms of large size.
- Violet, Rosina (Rosine) – It is doubtful if stock of the true Rosina, introduced by the late T. A. Weston, can be obtained, but even seedlings of this lovely, pink, hardy violet plant are valuable for a well-drained location in the garden.
- V. pollens – Another native species that bears white flowers with some fragrance.
For Special Uses and Effects
There are places in the garden where the need for certain adaptabilities takes precedence over fragrance. In this discussion, we want to examine the entire field of possibilities. The following notes may be of interest.
It should be understood that this is only a “selection” since the most recent botanical works list (over and beyond the garden forms) some 75 distinct, native species and nearly 100 additionally-identified hybrid forms.
Here are some of the horticulturally-useful, native American violets.
- Viola papilionacea is the common blue violet with heart-shaped, smooth, bright leaves. Although it perpetuates itself like a weed with the aid of interesting seed-distributing cleistogamous flowers, it has uses as a ground cover, on the edges of shrubbery and in the wild garden.
- V. cucullata – Another large-leaved native sort, it bears small flowers but is especially useful in wet, shady spots.
- V. lanceolata – Interesting chiefly because of the narrow, almost grasslike foliage.
- V. pubescens – For those who like yellow violets, this species grows in the shade and has flowers with long stems. Indicating that not all violets are “violet” in color; some other species with the same hue are V. rotundifolia, V. orbiculata, V. pedunculata, V. nuvali, V. chrysanthus, and V. hastata.
- V. pedata – Frequently found in nurseries, several color varieties of the true bird’s-foot violet, which is a choice native. Come in purple, lavender, and white. The interestingly-cut foliage and the dainty flowers on good stems are cherished abroad as one of the best American introductions for the garden.
Violas and Pansies
In any case, one cannot conclude a discussion of the violet family without a good look at the section that is, perhaps, most popular with the gardening public are the forms we generally know as violas and pansies.
Although they seem different from the bunched violet of the florist’s shop, a little study of the flower forms shows the family resemblance.
In the case of the giant pansies of the roadside stands, centuries of hybridizing have reduced the similarity, yet the tell-tale, five-petal arrangement is still there.
A sort of halfway type may be found in the dog-violet, Viola Caning.
- V. cornuta – The original form of the horned violet is the parent of the improved tufted or bedding violets. Although their usefulness for us is much affected by early Summer heat waves, there is a definite place in the early garden for such sorts (sow seeds now) as Chantreyland, Apricot, and Blue Perfection.
- V. cornuta, Jersey Gem – This sort and its descendants are ideal for the more difficult climates but it is hard to get true stock, and seedlings are variable.
- V. tricolor hortensis – Here, we have the true pansy or heartsease, which needs no description and for which plenty of specialized instructions are available. Suffice it to say that seed sown now will bloom next Spring.
Reconsideration of this all-too-short survey of the family of violets (which in some parts of the world even includes trees) shows us that we are missing a pleasant experience if we fail to plant some violet somewhere in our gardens this Fall.
44659 by Nelson Coon