May 2010 in the Northern Hemisphere

[goatshed]

Ooh, I love that nomocharis, Giles. I've tried growing them twice before and failed. I did get a seedling once but it disappeared.

[Gerdk]

Mark,
love the irisses.
And Viola pedata is really lovely. I bought it several times here in Belgium (as a plant and as seed) and everytime I got Viola pedatifida. I'll have to buy it in the UK next time.

Mark,
your Viola pedata seems  ' to feel at home '  - I never had such a well grown plant!

Wim,
Had the same experience - 99,5 % pedatifida (plants and seeds) - but as a compensation, Viola pedatifida is much easier 

Gerd

[WimB]

Wim,
Had the same experience - 99,5 % pedatifida (plants and seeds) - but as a compensation, Viola pedatifida is much easier 

Gerd

Gerd;

much easier indeed. And also beautiful... but still I'd like to try Viola pedata too 

Giles,

wonderful Nomocharis

[John Aipassa]

The first of my Meconopsis punicea is flowering now. Still four to go. Can't wait to pollinate with my paint brush.

Cheers,

[Lesley Cox]

Every Nomocharis is a good Nomocharis.

Mark I really love Iris cristata 'Shenandoah Sky' is a real gem, but much as I admired Dick Redfield (the man) I think I would have put 'Dick Redfield' (the iris) on the compost heap. Don't like it at all. Love I. henryi too. I've never heard of that one.

[Lesley Cox]

After many attempts to grow V. pedata and always getting V. pedatifisa, Jim Waddick, a kindly American took pity on me and sent seed. I'd still love to have the bicolor forms and the white though.

[TheOnionMan]

After many attempts to grow V. pedata and always getting V. pedatifida, Jim Waddick, a kindly American took pity on me and sent seed. I'd still love to have the bicolor forms and the white though.

Not sure why it is so difficult to get the real thing, it makes lots of seed.  Perhaps because there are a number of dissected leaf Viola species here in the USA, and assumptions get made regarding identifications, particularly overseas where they are unfamiliar with the various US dissected leaf violets.  The type species was first described for the so-called bicolor form, which I find is not as strong a grower as the more widespread concolorous form, which itself is amazingly variable in almost every aspect.  All white forms I have seen are junk, small flowered and weak growers.  Why go for these pallid inferior forms, when there are amazing forms in every shade of blue, to deep midnight blue.  I upload some images from my garden, all were taken in the early 2000s before the wild bunnies started coming in and decimating my plants.

[TheOnionMan]

I think I would have put 'Dick Redfield' (the iris) on the compost heap. Don't like it at all.

umm... I like this plant very much.  Thank you so much for sharing your strong dislike of it, makes me feel real good about posting a photo of what I believe to be a very special form 

[Lesley Cox]

You're welcome Mark. I have no problem with people disagreeing with me. My tastes are different from yours and no doubt yours are, from from some others.'

Your pedatas are all beautiful. Mine are all the same (7 plants) and I should say are the same shade as your paler forms. My leaves seems to be more finely dissected too.  Although they're planted in a group and although I've hand-pollinated sometimes, I've never had a seed yet.

[WimB]

Not sure why it is so difficult to get the real thing, it makes lots of seed.  Perhaps because there are a number of dissected leaf Viola species here in the USA, and assumptions get made regarding identifications, particularly overseas where they are unfamiliar with the various US dissected leaf violets.  The type species was first described for the so-called bicolor form, which I find is not as strong a grower as the more widespread concolorous form, which itself is amazingly variable in almost every aspect.  All white forms I have seen are junk, small flowered and weak growers.  Why go for these pallid inferior forms, when there are amazing forms in every shade of blue, to deep midnight blue.  I upload some images from my garden, all were taken in the early 2000s before the wild bunnies started coming in and decimating my plants.

Wonderful Mark,

I really should buy some (real ones  )

[galahad]

Lovely.  I keep missing out on seed for some reason.  Will try again this year

After many attempts to grow V. pedata and always getting V. pedatifida, Jim Waddick, a kindly American took pity on me and sent seed. I'd still love to have the bicolor forms and the white though.

Not sure why it is so difficult to get the real thing, it makes lots of seed.  Perhaps because there are a number of dissected leaf Viola species here in the USA, and assumptions get made regarding identifications, particularly overseas where they are unfamiliar with the various US dissected leaf violets.  The type species was first described for the so-called bicolor form, which I find is not as strong a grower as the more widespread concolorous form, which itself is amazingly variable in almost every aspect.  All white forms I have seen are junk, small flowered and weak growers.  Why go for these pallid inferior forms, when there are amazing forms in every shade of blue, to deep midnight blue.  I upload some images from my garden, all were taken in the early 2000s before the wild bunnies started coming in and decimating my plants.

[Gail]

Mark I really love Iris cristata 'Shenandoah Sky' is a real gem, but much as I admired Dick Redfield (the man) I think I would have put 'Dick Redfield' (the iris) on the compost heap.

And I would have rescued it from your compost heap and brought it home....  I like both forms! 

[TheOnionMan]

I have uploaded a PDF scanned from an old 1983 newsletter from the Northwest Chapter of the American Rock Garden Society, with an article written by Roy Davidson on Viola pedata.  Also included is species synonymy and some links.  The important thing to note, there are NO recognized varieties of birdfoot violet, and the fictitious one called V. pedata bicolor is just plain made up.  The species is not only extremely variable in flower shape, size and color, but the leaves which are always dissected, run the gamut in extent of leaf dissection, size, shape, and character... I include a link to a very finely dissected one.

There is a famous location here in Massachusetts, in the western end of the State, where V. pedata grows by the acres in the middle of an interstate highway clover-leaf (exit ramp system).  On several occasions I have exited the highway at this location, parked at a local business area, then walked back to the highway interchange and jumped the 5' chain link fence to observe the astounding colonies.  They grow by the millions in full sun in nutrient poor soils that barely support grass.  Each colony of 50-100 plants was quite unique and unlike its neighboring colony just inches away, found in nearly every color except pure white (I have found pure whites elsewhere, but they always seem to be squinny runts).  Flower size varies, sometimes triple the size of other forms, color range from rose, lavender, to every nuance and shade of blue to darkest midnight blue, and flower shape can be rather amusing with oddly shaped flower forms... the best types however being those with full rounded blooms and extra wide grinning "faces".  There was a time where I grew a number of selected forms, my favorite being one with comparitively enormous gray-lavender flowers that I called Grey Ghost, which I gave to a couple nurseries in hope of their getting into the trade, but don't think it went much beyond that.

Synonym(s):
Viola pedata var. atropurpurea DC.
Viola pedata var. concolor Holm ex Brainerd
Viola pedata var. lineariloba DC.
Viola pedata var. ranunculifolia DC.

Invalid:
Viola pedata var. bicolor

Distribution map and information
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=vipe

Extremely variable, particularly in foliage, some forms with exceptionally narrow divided foliage:
http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=7631

[daveyp1970]

Mark I really love Iris cristata 'Shenandoah Sky' is a real gem, but much as I admired Dick Redfield (the man) I think I would have put 'Dick Redfield' (the iris) on the compost heap.

And I would have rescued it from your compost heap and brought it home....  I like both forms! 

hear hear!i can't imagine i will ever get to see I.cristata Dick Redfield over this side of the pond so its fantastic to see your photo.

[Gerdk]

Mark,
Thanks for the detailed information concerning Viola pedata!
Although there are only few problems in cultivation of most north American violets for me the plant mentioned above seems to be impossible to keep in my garden.
After collecting some informations from US-growers I planted it several times in a bed with very poor (sandy) limefree soil and in full sun.
They flowered occasionally - but very poor and no seed set. Later on they became smaller and smaller - more dead than alive.
I once got an another information that a dry periode in autumn which stops the growth of the leaves would be essentional for this species.
We have rain all year round - a total of about 800 to 1000 mm (USDA zone 7 b).
So I suppose that local conditions cause my bad results with this species.

I would be glad if you'll tell me your opionion about this - especially concerning soil and rainfall!

Thanks god rabbits are unable to enter the garden - only squirrels, but here are still only the 'good ones' i.e. the European reds.

Gerd