Viola labradorica ‘Purpurea’

PURPLE LEAF DOG VIOLET

Viola labradorica ‘Purpurea’
PURPLE LEAF DOG VIOLET

Viola labradorica ‘Purpurea’ creates a wonderful groundcover of purple, heart-shaped leaves.
Studded with dainty lavender-blue flowers.

Carpet of purple, heart shaped leaves year round

It makes an outstanding, low, dense groundcover – with foliage that hums with purple shades all year round.
Creating a wonderful colour contrast to other plants and foliage colours.

Studded with dainty lavender-blue flowers right through spring

Then it stars with a mass of flowers right through spring.
When dainty, lavender-blue flowers twinkle above the dark foliage from the earliest days of spring and on into the early days of summer.
It then continues to pop some flowers right through summer to winter, but fewer than the massed spring flush.

Sweetly scented in garden & vase

Flowers are also sweetly, though lightly scented, and make a delightfully fragrant groundcover.
Plus a sweetly scented indoors, without being overpowering, picked for a posy in a tiny vase.

Easy groundcover under trees & shrubs

Viola labradorica ‘Purpurea’ makes a showy groundcover under roses, trees and shrubs.
The dark, sultry tones of the foliage makes a perfect foil year round for flowers and foliage of all different colours.
Especially when teamed with winter blooming Hellebores, spring blooming Foxgloves and bulbs, and summer blooming roses or Hosta foliage.

Very popular for planting under roses

They are very popular as a weed suppressing underplanting for rose bushes.

Versatile little groundcover – never any trouble

Fortunately this tough little groundcover is very versatile, and tolerates a wide range of conditions.
And it is never any trouble.
While it gently spreads by both plant increase and self-seeding, it is never invasive.

Weed suppressing groundcover in shade or sun

Growing easily in Dappled Light & Shade; Full Shade; Morning Sun; or Full Sun in cooler climates.
Where the pretty foliage makes a dense carpet that helps suppress weeds.

Delicious & decorative edible flowers & foliage

The buds, flowers and young leaves of Viola labradorica ‘Purpurea’ are all edible.
All with a sweet flavour.
So they make pretty decoration for cakes, mixed into green salads, stir-fries, fruit salads and cool drinks.
They are very popular for herbal tea mixes; or just as a prettily coloured and edible garnish.

Deer resistant groundcover

However deer do not like the taste and so the plants are deer resistant.
But unfortunately hungry rabbits will have a nibble if no tastier fodder is available.

Pollinator friendly

Though our essential little friends the flying pollinators, including native bees and honey-bees, find the flowers a real nectar treat.

Tough enough to tackle clay & a wide range of soils

Viola labradorica ‘Purpurea’ easily adjusts to a wide range of soil types – from sandy, through average garden loam, and is even tough enough to tackle clay based soils.
It will also tolerate a wide range of soil pH, from acid to neutral, and even the lime so loved by roses.

Frost hardy

Viola labradorica ‘Purpurea’ is also exceptionally frost hardy, and can easily tolerate temperatures to below -20°C.

Resilient & low maintenance

This lovely little evergreen (ever-purple really) groundcover requires no pruning or deadheading.
In fact no treatment of any description – apart from perhaps a boost of fertilizer sometime in the growing season – when you feed the roses is fine.

Hardy evergreen perennial groundcover

The Purple Leaf Dog Violet creates a flat carpet of foliage, with the flowers sitting perkily on top with approx. 10-15cm. high stems. Each plant makes an approx. 15cm wide, dense mound of foliage.

SEED SOWING ADVICE:

Seeds of Viola labradorica ‘Purpurea’ can be sown at any time when suitable temperatures can be provided (15-20°C).
OR
Scattered directly in the garden in autumn, winter or early spring.

Sow indoors for maximum germination early quick plants: First sow the seed in a punnet on the surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Then gently press the seeds onto the surface of the mix, to ensure good contact.

Then barely cover the seed, because light helps germination of this plant.
You can use sieved mix, fine grit, fine vermiculite, to sprinkle over the seeds.

Now stand the sown punnet in a shallow water bath.
And allow the moisture to percolate up through the mix from below to the surface, to thoroughly moisten the mix throughout.

Remove and drain – the mix needs to be moist throughout, but not wet.

Then you can place the moist, sown punnet in a warm, well-lit position (not in any direct sun).
Temperatures of 15-20°C approx. are best for rapid and optimum germination.
You can use a temperature-controlled heat mat if you have one to encourage rapid germination, but it is not essential. A warm, well-lit corner is also fine.

However a period of chilling will usually enhance the germination rate and speed with Viola labradorica ‘Purpurea’ – so it thinks it has had a pretend winter.

So wrap the moist, sown punnet in cling-wrap or a plastic bag.
And place in the fridge (not freezer) for 4-6 weeks.

Then remove, re-soak, and place in the warm, well lit position (not in any direct sunlight) – 15 to 20°C  is optimum.

And continue to keep the punnet moist by spraying the surface of the mix with a fine spray water bottle.
Adding a clear plastic cover helps to retain moisture in the punnet

Seedlings often begin to emerge in approx. 14-30 days, though do not discard the punnet too quickly, as it is natural for some seeds to come later in a staggered germination.

Prick out seedlings as soon as they show their first set of true leaves, and continue as they appear.

Seed Count: 30 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

Click here for Nursery Open Days & Open Gardens Information
https://www.gardivalia.com.au/open-gardens

Click here to go back to Seeds Shop
https://www.seedscape.net.au/shop/