VIOLA CORNUTA

Description

Long-spurred, light violet flowers open over a long period in spring and early summer on vigorous cushions of lance-shaped leaves. Making superb naturalising specimens, these flowers are pollinated while they are open unlike many other violas species, which are self-fertilised without the flowers opening (cleistogamous). The seeds have an oily body which is attractive to ants who disperse the seeds. This plant gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Sowing Advice

For best results, sow immediately onto a good soil-based compost. Cover the seeds with fine grit or compost to approximately their own depth. They can be sown at any time, and germination can sometimes be quicker if kept at 15 to 20 degrees C. We sow most seeds in an unheated greenhouse and wait for natural germination, as many seeds have built-in dormancy mechanisms, often waiting for natural spring germination, hence giving them a full season of growth.

Key Facts