2 alpine Violas

[ruweiss]

This year Viola cazorlensis and delphinantha flowered like never before.
Now at time they are already out flower and I hope for some seeds.

[Maggi Young]

Rudi, those are super. Not easy to grow those Violas but they are so worth it for their delicate charm. Congratulations on all those flowers!
Made me think of IRG 3 from March 2010
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2010Mar311270058840IRG_March_2010.pdf     

[ruweiss]

Maggi, I also wondered myself how good these plants grow in crevices in a northern position
without any protection,after some not too succesful attempts in the Alpine house.

[Ezeiza]

Rudi, is there something different now climate wise? Longer warmer conditions, for instance?

[ruweiss]

Alberto, I am not sure about the reasons of this good growth, but we had an outstanding hot and
dry springtime.  The climatic change cannot be ignored anymore and I remember the problems we
had with plants on the borderline of hardiness 35 years before. Now nobody cares anymore and
losses are quite rare.
On the other side the alpine house is a real chamber of torture for many alpine plants during the
warmer season ,especially in our climate.Fungus,red spider and other pest find ideal conditions to
harm the weakend plants.

[Lesley Cox]

Those are two beautiful species Rudi. I've read about them for many years and once when sent seed of V. delphinantha, ostensibly collected in northern Greece, it turned out to be a nice little yellow Helianthemum!

[Maggi Young]

A friend gave me this link to wonderful photos of Rosulate violas in South America....
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.453362701394794.108557.114292601968474&type=3

[ebbie]

Viola spathulata is my best violet, always tidy and very floriferous. It does not like wet conditions and is therefore in my alpine house.

[Gerdk]

Rudi, Great plants- they behaved well outside.
In my old garden I had the same experience with Vv. cazorlensis, delphianantha and kosaninii. Viola cazorlensis was the most persistent for nearly a decade. Unfortunately it didn't come back after a winter some years ago. I can't remember the special conditions during that season.

Viola spathulata is my best violet, always tidy and very floriferous. It does not like wet conditions and is therefore in my alpine house.

Yes - I agree/best violet and cultivation ! I tried Viola spathulata several times outside - unsuccessfully!
Maybe planting in a tufa wall with shelter from rain will work.

Gerd

[sokol]

I have seeds of all three rose Viola mentioned by Gerd. Is there a special treatment for germination necessary? I tried it several times, but without success.

[Gerdk]

I have seeds of all three rose Viola mentioned by Gerd. Is there a special treatment for germination necessary? I tried it several times, but without success.

Stefan,
All of the violets mentioned germinated easily here - no special treatment given.
Seeds were sown as soon as possible and not too deep. Temperatures below zero
seems to be of no harm.


Gerd

[sokol]

Thanks Gerd, shall I saw them inside or outside?

[Gerdk]

Thanks Gerd, shall I saw them inside or outside?

Stefan, you are welcome!
I had good results inside (keeping temperatures around zero) and waiting for germination in spring.
Maybe other metdods with alternating warm/cold exposure will work too but I didn't try them.
Gerd

[sokol]

Thanks again, I will try that.

[Paul Cumbleton]

Does the Viola spathulata prefer sun or shade? I can't find anywhere on the web that tells me this, nor in books. I recently obtained a plant of this so any advice would be much appreciated.

Paul