Violet

Colorful Combinations

Violets come in a whole rainbow of colors. They are most often found in bright jewel tones, but there are softer pastel varieties that make a perfect accent for spring decor. Many types also feature multicolor blooms with intricate patterns on their faces that seem to have been hand-painted. As an added bonus, violets are a fragrant annual on top of their charming appearance.

This diminutive plant can stand up well as a cut flower in a small bud vase. Plus, edible violet petals can be used to garnish cakes and pastries or tossed in a salad for a bright pop of color. A caution: Only eat flowers known to come from a pesticide-free source.

Violet Care Must-Knows

Many forms of violets are best grown in a woodland-type setting using rich, organic soils. While violets do ok in the cold, they are neither drought-tolerant nor heat-tolerant. Make sure violets have consistent moisture, especially in warmer months. When growing annual-type violets in containers, choose a well-drained potting mix. Using a slow-release fertilizer will help encourage continuous blooms.

Although violets tolerate of a variety of light conditions, most will grow best in full sun to partial shade. Some woodland species tolerate more shade; in fact they can be planted in areas considered to be full shade. In warmer climates plant violets in areas that receive afternoon shade to help keep plants cool in hot summer months. Even this approach may not be enough to pull violets through because they are cool season plants). For this reason, violets often are treated as cool-season annuals and torn out once summer begins.

New Types of Violets

With hundreds of species available to experiment with, there are constantly new innovations in the world of violets. Much of the work in breeding moves toward creating more heat-tolerant plants, better perennials, and plants with larger blooms. Some new novelty varieties trail, making them excellent choices for containers and hanging baskets.

More Varieties of Violet

Common Blue Violet

Viola sororia, also known as the common blue violet, is native to the U.S. It blooms most heavily in spring and occasionally throughout the summer. Zones 3-7

Johnny-Jump-Up

Viola tricolor has tufts of heart-shaped leaves and plenty of 1-inch yellow and purple flowers with brown "whiskers" and purple "chin" over a long period. It self-seeds freely. It grows to 5 inches tall and is hardy in Zones 3-9 but is often treated as an annual.

'Molly Sanderson' Johnny-Jump-Up

This selection of Viola tricolor has almost-black flowers that are yellow at the throat. It grows 8 inches tall and is hardy in Zones 3-9.

'Sorbet Coconut Swirl' Viola

Viola cornuta 'Sorbet Coconut Swirl' is a delight with creamy-white flowers edged in rich lavender. It's a heat-resistant variety that grows 1 foot tall. Zones 4-9.

'Sorbet Coconut Duet' Viola

This variety of Viola cornuta shows off purple and white flowers on a compact, 12-inch-tall, heat-resistant plant. Zones 4-9

Sweet Violet

The sweet violet has one of the loveliest scents of the various violets, along with the classic purple blooms. Zones 4-8

Violet Companion Plants

Bleeding heart

It's easy to see the origin of bleeding heart's common name when you look at its pink or white heart-shaped blooms with a protruding tip at the base of the heart. They grow best in partial to full shade in moist, well-drained soil. Some types bloom only in spring, and others bloom in spring, summer, and fall, provided temperatures aren't too high.

English Daisy

This plant is known as lawn daisy in England because it grows so short and dense that it's a weed in lawns—albeit a beautiful weed. Technically a perennial, English daisy is usually best treated as a biennial (it takes two years to bloom and then dies in the fall) in the South and an annual in the North. Plants survive down to about 10 degrees F, so they can be planted during fall in the South for early-spring bloom. In cool climates, such as England and the Pacific Northwest, they'll bloom from spring planting until summer heat arrives.

Forget-Me-Not

Charming, diminutive forget-me-nots are delicate plants with beautiful little blue flowers. While they do come in pinks and whites, it's the blues that people find most delightful. Forget-me-nots are excellent in pots, as edgings, and planted close as a groundcover. These short-lived plants, mostly treated as biennials, reseed generously. The flowers have colorful, tiny yellow eyes and bloom in spring and early summer. Unfortunately, they're prone to damage by slugs.