May 2010 in the Northern Hemisphere

[ruweiss]

In spite of the  rainy a and cold weather which is quite unusual for the beginning of may
many of our plants give a fine display.

[Lesley Cox]

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

Good for you Gail. Had I known that I would have sent it direct (if I had had it) and cut out the middle man.

Viola pedata must be very widespread in the USA because I'm sure that Jim Waddick collected seed near his home in Kansas.

Maybe the bicolor epithet is another of those UK cultivar names which are mandatory for a plant to gain an award? (A system on which I've given my opinion previously so won't again, lest I be thought TOO opinionated, which I suspect some already think I am. )

[ashley]

Thanks for these great photos, information & links Mark

'V. pedata' & 'V. pedatifida' I've had from exchanges look more or less identical, but from comments elsewhere on the forum I assume they must be the latter.  How are these two species distinguished?

[cohan]

In spite of the  rainy a and cold weather which is quite unusual for the beginning of may
many of our plants give a fine display.

a really nice selection, rudi--great colour on the erigeron aurea form, and speiranthes is nice--looks a lot like maianthemum here..

mark--great violets--we have several local species, but no divided leaf forms right here...

[TheOnionMan]

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!

Gerd

When I lived in Seattle, 2-3 zones milder than my New England garden, I struggled with Viola pedata.  Gerd, the climate there was very similar to what you report... USDA Zone 7 and 38" (950 mm) of rain.  The problem was that the leaves and broad clasping leaf bases will persist in a milder climate, in the fall and winter becoming soggy and wet, rotting the thick central rhizome.  Planting in full sun, in very well drained sandy soil (mostly sand, with a gravel mulch), AND cutting off all foliage in the late autumn did the trick, and then they would winter over just fine.  Also, the slugs are partial to this plant, so a permanent diligently-replenished perimeter barrier of slug poison was necessary.  Depending on one's outlook, it might not be worth the effort.

[TheOnionMan]

Thanks for these great photos, information & links Mark

'V. pedata' & 'V. pedatifida' I've had from exchanges look more or less identical, but from comments elsewhere on the forum I assume they must be the latter.  How are these two species distinguished?

Ashley, once you've seen both, it is not difficult to tell the two apart. Now, telling V. pedatifida apart from other similar species, like V. palmata, that's another story.  Viola pedata has beardless flowers, with the distinctive orange center (the anthers), and a really fat carrot-like or parsnip-like vertical rhizome.  Viola pedatifida has bearded flowers, without the orange center, and much thinner fleshy rhizome.  Also, the types of leaf dissections look different... usually coarser and less divided in V. pedata, more divided and with more consistently narrowed leaf segments in pedatifida... but again, they're variable in both species.  

But a picture is worth a 1000 words,... you've already seen the V. pedata pics, so here's a couple of V. pedatifida, with accompanying links.
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=24.0;attach=3729;image
http://www.prairiemoon.com/images/D/Viola-pedatifida-Prairie-Violet.jpg  (notice the beard on the lateral petals)
http://www.alpinissimum.de/Homepage/gartenrdg/Fotogalerie/Viola%20pedatifida.JPG
http://www.rmrp.com/Photo%20Pages/VV/Viola%20pedatifida%20100DPI.htm
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=VIPE2
http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/pr_violetx.htm

Not to confuse, but there is a more eastern USA species (native here, and occuring naturally in my yard) named V. palmata which is in flower now.  It too is a bearded species, unlike V. pedata which is beardless. This is a fine well-behaved species.
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=24.0;attach=3713;image

I hope that helps.

[Gerdk]

When I lived in Seattle, 2-3 zones milder than my New England garden, I struggled with Viola pedata.  Gerd, the climate there was very similar to what you report... USDA Zone 7 and 38" (950 mm) of rain.  The problem was that the leaves and broad clasping leaf bases will persist in a milder climate, in the fall and winter becoming soggy and wet, rotting the thick central rhizome.  Planting in full sun, in very well drained sandy soil (mostly sand, with a gravel mulch), AND cutting off all foliage in the late autumn did the trick, and then they would winter over just fine.  Also, the slugs are partial to this plant, so a permanent diligently-replenished perimeter barrier of slug poison was necessary.  Depending on one's outlook, it might not be worth the effort.

Mark,
Thank you once again for this useful hints! I'll try the autumn treatment.
Our slugs seem to have a different taste - they never ate pedata but are
keen on other species, especially Viola hondoensis.
For me Viola pedata is one of the most desirable violet species - so no problems with additional treatments!

Gerd

[ashley]

Many thanks for pointing out the key differences Mark.  As suspected, all mine are V. pedatifida.

[Hans J]

some plants in my border ( east site ) are flowering in this time :

Convallaria majalis f.rosea
Polygonatum multiflorum
Polygonatum odoratum
Polygonatum verticillatum
Polygonatum X 'Weihenstephan'
Cephelanthera ( I have never plant this plant ...the seeds must be on the bark )

all this plants growing in shade and wood conditions -always a little wet and only few sun

Hans

[angie]

Hans enjoying the pictures - what is the shrub in the picture with Cephelanthera.
Angie

[Hans J]

Angie ,

thank you 

this is our old Hibiscus .....we must every year really much prune it to hold the size

[Lvandelft]

Some shrubs flowering here this week:                     
                                   
Magnolia Lois 1                                   
Magnolia Lois 2
Cercis canadensis Forest Pansy
Cercis canadensis Forest Pansy cl                       
Halesia carolina                           
Halesia carolina cl.                             
Cornus florida Sweetwater

[Maggi Young]

Magnolia 'Lois' is a wonderful colour.... is it a  strong growing plant, Luit?
I like the colour of the Cornus 'Sweetwater' too.... like crushed raspberrie s in cream 

[angie]

Hans I thought it might be a hibiscus - does it flower with you. I have a couple that my mum had but I only manage to get them to flower if l start them in off in my polytunnel.

Angie

[Hans J]

Angie ,

This kind of Hibiscus are really common here ....they are in near each garden -but I dont know the name.
They are always full of flowers each year ...I will send later a pic
In gardencenters they sell here a other kind of Hibiscus -they are not hardy outside .

Hans