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| Wild violet (Viola tricolor): An early spring treat in Mother Nature's Montrose Garden |
The weather can still be cold and blustery in early April. In Mother Nature’s Montrose Garden (USDA Zone 6), not much is flowering yet, although the trees, shrubs and perennials are starting to leaf out. One reliable early bloomer is the non-native Viola tricolor. It was planted by the former owner, and has re-seeded throughout the garden. The scientific name is pronounced vye-OH-lah TRY-color.
Wild
pansy is a common wildflower throughout much of Europe. Some of its common names include: heartsease,
heart's ease, heart's delight, tickle-my-fancy, Jack-jump-up-and-kiss-me, Johnny
Jump-Up, come-and-cuddle-me, three faces in a hood, love-in-idleness, or pink
of my john. [1] Planted in the U.S. since 1700’s, it can be found in many U.S.
gardens. It’s readily available and commonly
sold as both plants and seeds. The
showier horticultural pansies were developed from the wild Viola tricolor. All are members of the
Violaceae (Violet family).
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| Wild violet (Viola tricolor): small annual plant |
Wild
pansy is an annual or short-lived perennial, but freely reseeds. Plants are
small, usually under 6-8 inches (15-18 cm) in height (but up to 12 inches in
milder climates) and perhaps slightly more in diameter. The leaves are
alternate and mostly oblong or lance-shaped, of a medium green that may be red-
or purple-tinged early in the season. The leaves have a variety of
shapes. The lower blades are heart to egg shaped.
In
the wilds, Viola tricolor grows in European meadows,
banks, fields and open areas. It can be
grown – as an annual – in all USDA Climate Zones. Johnny
Jump-ups like cool weather and will die back with the heat. In hot gardens they will appreciate a bit of
shade, at least in the afternoons.
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| Wild violet (Viola tricolor): flowers |
The
flowers of Viola tricolor are truly charming;
small but nicely colored. It blooms spring-summer (March-Sept). The
flowers are solitary on stems above the foliage. A typical flower
has violet or purple upper petals, white lateral petals and a yellow lower
petal (see above). Several purple veins originate from the flowers'
throat. Some flowers are only purple, or two-toned – even all yellow or
white.
The
plants are self-fertile and pollinated by bees. After blooming, the
fertile flowers are replaced by seed capsules. When mature, the capsule
will divide into 3 parts and the seeds ejected. [2]
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| Wild violet (Viola tricolor): late winter seedlings |
The
seeds are small and can easily be carried on the wind. Seedlings tend to ‘jump
up’ in favorable locations in the garden – hence the common name Johnny Jump-up.
Thus, a few plants or packet of seeds can provide many years of enjoyment.
Seedlings may emerge with cool fall weather, or with the warming soils of
spring (see photos above and below).
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| Wild violet (Viola tricolor): seeds spread by wind create a colony of plants |
Many
gardeners prefer to purchase nursery-grown plants. In that case, space plants one
foot apart and be sure to water them in well. But starting plants from seed is quite easy. If
planting from seed, sow seeds in prepared beds in late winter or early spring. They can also be started in pots indoors to
plant out later. Just barely cover the
seeds, keep the soil moist and look for germination in 2-3 weeks. Slugs and snails like the tender foliage, so
watch for them!
Wild
violet prefers cool, moist well-drained humus-rich soil. It does well in
partial or dappled shade with protection from hot winds. It tolerates many soils
but prefers a pH between 6 and 6.5 [3]
That being said, plants do very well in Mother Nature’s Montrose Garden,
with a pH of near 8.0.
There
are many uses for Viola tricolor in the home garden. Many gardeners use it to border paths or flower
beds. It looks stunning massed as a
groundcover. It is right at home in an alpine or rock garden; it would also be
nice in an herb garden or around the edges of a vegetable plot. It can be grown in containers, making it
accessible to most. And it does a lovely
job of naturalizing around shrubs and perennials. Yellow, green and blue-green dyes are
obtained from the flowers. The leaves can be used in place of litmus in testing
for acids and alkalis.
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| Wild violet (Viola tricolor): makes a good filler plant |
Wild
pansy is edible in small amounts; it contains chemicals that can be mildly
toxic in large amounts. Young leaves and flower buds can be eaten (raw or
cooked) or used to thicken soups. The flowers can be used as an attractive garnish
for salads. The leaves are sometimes
also dried for tea. [3]
The
plant has a long history of medicinal use in Europe. The most common uses, to this day, are for
skin conditions such as eczema and hives. But the species was once used to treat epilepsy,
asthma, skin diseases and a wide range of other complaints. The plant was also traditionally known as a
source for love potions, and is even referenced as such in Shakespeare’s plays.
[3]
Teas
made from the dried plant promote coughing up phlegm, and were used for
respiratory problems such as bronchitis, asthma, and cold symptoms. Ointments, salves and poultices have been
used in the treatment of diaper rash, weeping sores, itchy skin, varicose
ulcers and ringworm. [2] Viola tricolor and other species in the
Violet family produce a number of interesting plant chemicals. They are currently being studied to determine
their usefulness in modern medicine.
In
summary, Wild violet is a wonderful addition to the early spring garden. It
adds an old-fashioned beauty to any setting.
While not a U.S. native, it works well with native plants, naturalizing
around the garden like the native wildflowers. Why not consider this little charmer for your
own garden, even if just as a container plant?
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| Wild violet (Viola tricolor): in gravel mulch |
__________________
- Viola tricolor
- Wikipedia
- https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/viola-tricolor/
- https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Viola+tricolor
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