Viola pumila

DWARF MEADOW VIOLET

Viola pumila
DWARF MEADOW VIOLET

Viola pumila, the Dwarf Meadow Violet, is now endangered and rare in the wild.

Endangered in the wild but saved by gardeners

The dear little Meadow Violet was once widespread across parts of eastern Europe and western China.
As clearing and modern farming techniques have pushed it to a few, isolated wild patches.
But fortunately it has long been treasured and kept safe by gardeners.
So it is now being re-introduced from gardens back into protected, natural sites.

Dainty lavender-blue flowers through spring & into summer

Viola pumila stars right through spring and into summer – with blooms opening from rich violet buds, then paling through blue with a bold white eye, to almost all white as they mature.
So each plant sparkles with colour as it bears a succession of many flowers in all colour stages.

Whiskered faces like little kittens

Each bloom has pretty markings, like the whiskers on a kitten’s face.
And perky top petals sticking up like little donkey ears.

Carpet of narrow pointed leaves

Viola pumila makes an outstanding, low, dense groundcover under trees and shrubs.

Easy groundcover for under trees & shrubs

Viola pumila makes a showy groundcover under trees and shrubs, especially when teamed with winter blooming Hellebores, spring blooming Foxgloves and bulbs, and summer Hosta foliage.
The rich colour of the flowers, and their shining white centres, really light up a gloomy place.

Weed suppressing groundcover in shade

Growing easily in Dappled Light & Shade; Full Shade; or Morning Sun.
Where the foliage makes a dense carpet that helps suppress weeds.
Viola pumila are perennial plants which make denser clumps each year, and also gently self-seed. So they soon make a low, neat, ground covering carpet.

Deer resistant groundcover

Fortunately Viola pumila is a deer resistant plant, as they do not like the taste.
While rabbits do not choose them unless there is nothing else available.

Pollinator friendly

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

Tough enough to tackle clay & a wide range of soils

Viola pumila easily adjusts to a wide range of soil types – relishing average garden loam, and is even tough enough to tackle clay.
It will also tolerate a wide range of soil pH, from acid to alkaline.

Frost hardy

The charming little Dwarf Meadow Violet is exceptionally frost hardy, and can easily tolerate temperatures to below -20°C.

Resilient & low maintenance

Viola pumila creates a 10cm. high mound of foliage, with the flowers sitting perkily on top. Clumps will make up to a 15cm. wide dense mound of foliage.

SEED SOWING ADVICE:

Indoors for early quick plants: First soak the seeds for 24 hours in warm water that has been previously boiled.
This will help to soften the hard coating of the seed.

Now 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.

And fully cover the seed, because dark helps germination of this plant.
You can use sieved mix, fine grit, fine vermiculite, or washed sand to sprinkle over the seeds.

Now stand the sown punnet in a shallow water bath.
So the moisture percolates up through the mix from the bottom to thoroughly moisten the mix throughout.
Soak until moisture appears on the surface of the mix, and then remove and drain.
The mix needs to be moist throughout, but not wet.

Seeds can begin to germinate within 10-30 days.
But it is natural for these seeds to germinate erratically, because the plant hedges its bets, and does not sprout all its babies at once.

A “pretend winter” helps improve germination rates

Giving the sown, moist punnet a pretend winter usually improves the germination success rate and speed.
So wrap the moist, sown punnet in cling-wrap or a plastic bag, and place in the fridge (not freezer) for 6-8 weeks.

Then remove from the fridge, cover the punnet with some cardboard or black plastic to keep the seeds in the dark until they begin to sprout.
And place the moist, sown, covered punnet in a warm position (not in any direct sun).

Temperatures of 17-21°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, corner is also fine.

Adding a plastic cover helps to retain moisture in the punnet.
And continue to keep the punnet moist by spraying the surface of the mix a fine spray water bottle, or re-soaking in the water bath, as required.

Seedlings often begin to emerge in approx. 10-30 days.
And the dark covering should be removed as soon as seeds begin to sprout.

Seed Count: 15 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

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