Garden violet varieties bloom more profusely and have larger flowers. A very valuable violet with decorative leaves and flowers is the Labrador violet Viola labradorica, which grows wild in North America and Greenland. Plants of this species form short, 5-10 cm tufts of long-tailed heart-shaped leaves, purple in color, especially on the underside. The cultivar 'Viride' has light green leaves.
The flowers are small and have a light blue or lilac-blue color, as in the 'Purpurea' variety.They develop in April and May, they do not smell.The Labrador violet looks impressive in groups of various sizes in gardens and parks, among trees and shrubs, as well as on small slopes and terraces and in rock gardens.
The butterfly violet Viola sororia (Viola papilionaceae), native to North America, forms convex clumps 15-20 cm high. The leaves are large, heart-shaped or ovate in outline, long-tailed, and the flowers are purple with a white eye, no odor. The 'Albiflora' variety has white flowers, 'Priceaena' - white with dark blue veining, 'Freckles' - white, blue-flecked, and 'Framecheck Apricot' peach-yellow. It blooms in late April and May. It grows with short, above-ground runners, especially well in shady and humid places. It is very durable.
One of the taller violets (20-60 cm) is Viola elatior, found in Central and Eastern Europe, Siberia and China, with bright lavender-blue flowers on long stalks. Blooms in May-June. It spreads easily by itself. It can be grown in flower meadows and flower beds.
Growing and caring for the African violet
A very popular species is a newcomer from the Pyrenees, the horned violet Viola cornuta. It grows up to 25 cm. It differs from the previously described species by larger flowers with a long spur and long flowering (from late spring to autumn). They resemble the well-known pansies.In the species they are purple, and in the varieties blue, yellow and white.One of the most beautiful varieties is 'Alba Minor' with snow-white flowers and very long and abundant flowering.
