Forest violet

In this article, we will dwell in more detail on what the forest violet is, what are its features and characteristics. We will also touch on the species diversity of this culture, talk about sowing seeds, caring for plantings and what diseases and pests can threaten this wonderful plant. This article will be equally useful for both experienced florists and those who are just getting involved in this activity, and are trying to find as many interesting and attractive crops as possible in order to grow them indoors and develop floricultural skills.

Forest violet: Description of the variety, origin, its main features and types

photo: violet forest

Origin

Forest violet (in other words, this plant is also called viola) Is a very gentle and modest plant, which at the same time has a very attractive appearance and the fact that this culture can grow mainly in northern latitudes, without fear of harsh climatic and temperature conditions. Various sources describe from five hundred to seven hundred different species of this plant, which belongs to the wild group of the violet family. Wild violets usually grow in the Northern Hemisphere, where the climate is moderately cold. This is what determines some of the features and requirements in caring for this flower.

The homeland of the forest violet is East Africa, but then the culture was able to quickly spread to completely other parts of the world, including the territory of Russia. Viola was first demonstrated in all its glory in 1893, and it was from that moment that the active cultivation of this variety of flowers in floriculture began. Today, the vast majority of these plants are found in North America, and also, oddly enough, in Japan. But at the same time, the violet grows well in Australia and New Zealand. In our country, you can most often meet a more cultivated type of forest violet, which is called Pansies. Some violets, namely their herbaceous part, have medicinal properties, which makes the planting in a sense quite versatile.

What is the forest violet flower

forest violet flower

Forest violet Is a perennial and medium-tall plant that has a creeping shape. The bushes are quite compact and miniature, they can reach a height of only fifteen centimeters, remaining very cute and, at the same time, very strong. The root system of the plant is characterized by extensive branching, every year the rhizome gives many new shoots. It is on new shoots that young rosettes of leaves can subsequently form, which are used for reproduction of violets. One copy in about one and a half to two years can grow and occupy a rather impressive area - about one square meter. This area is really impressive when you compare the size of the plant with how it can expand as a result.

The forest violet does not have a stem, the leaves can be small, there are also large, slightly rounded leaves. They can also be in the shape of a heart - it all depends on what type and variety the forest violet belongs to. All leaves are collected in a rosette, its lower tier is larger than the upper part.By the winter period, the leaves remain as fresh and attractive, they do not die off, they can quite safely endure frosts under the snow. The fact that they are so resistant to frost is the result of the fact that the entire surface of the leaves is very pubescent, and this pubescence helps the plant to tolerate sudden changes in temperature and lowering temperatures to their significant, fatal minimum.

There are five petals on the flowers, all of them can be painted in completely different shades, but one thing unites them - they look incredibly beautiful and attractive, decorative. The flowers are small, in diameter they can reach only one and a half centimeters, but even this does not make them less attractive. Some flowers emanate a very delicate and pleasant aroma, which gives off a little sweetish notes. Basically, the aroma intensifies in the evening and morning hours, but in the daytime it is almost impossible to hear it - this is another feature of the plantings. In the hot season, violets also do not give any smell at all.

As for the color of the flowers, the colors can vary from pale blue, light blue, heavenly to purple and lilac. The core of the flower is painted in a yellow tint, which sometimes can border on almost snow-white. One way or another, the plants look incredibly interesting and attractive, the colors of such colors attract the attention of flower growers due to their atypicality and originality. In general, these flowers are able to surprise and stand out against the background of many other plantings, so you should definitely pay attention to them, since they are good both for a single planting and as an accent in a group planting.

The flowering of violets begins in April, when the young leaves have not yet had time to form, and flowering continues for a very long time - until September. Wild viola is a wonderful honey plant, but at the same time it is a self-pollinated flower, so there is no need for outside interference and pollination of this culture. Violet propagation is carried out in a vegetative way. In the autumn, after the flowering is completed, the fruit is formed on the plant in the form of a box, and inside the fruit there are many small and slightly moist seeds of brown-black color.

Types and varieties

Under natural conditions in our country, you can meet about twenty species of forest violets. We will list some of them and tell you about their features and characteristic properties. Among the most common and demanded species and varieties, the following are found:

- tricolor violets (pansies) - they are mainly found in rural areas and in woodlands, in vegetable gardens, but pansies are perceived by flower growers and gardeners as weeds rather than as full-fledged decorative plantings. The flower consists of two upper and three lower petals, which are painted in blue and white shades, and their core is painted in a fresh yellow shade that looks great in contrast. Flowering occurs from May to September.

- dog violet - most often this variety can be found on the edges, as well as in a very modest rare young growth, which is located right in the field. The flowers of this species are very small in size, while the stench is painted in an even sky-blue color. This plant does not bloom for long - in May

- swamp violet - basically, based on the name, it can be found in very humid, damp places - in swampy areas, in mossy areas of forests, as well as in flooded meadows, where the plant feels most comfortable. The flower has a light blue color, which is close to a snow-white shade, and dark veins can be seen on the petals. Flowering begins in May and may continue until August.

- field variety of forest violets - such flowers grow in the fields or on forest edges, in meadows, roadside, they can also be found quite often. Most of all, in terms of their external characteristics, these flowers resemble a tricolor violet, but at the same time they are painted white, very tiny and neat, and the mouth of such flowers is painted in a bright yellow color. Planting height can reach in natural conditions almost thirty centimeters, flowering begins in April, rather long, ends only in September.

- fragrant violet - this variety can be found only in the forest, you can recognize it by the flowers, which are painted in purple and bright blue shades, they also emanate a rather persistent sweetish aroma, which is very pleasant and does not cause headaches. This variety blooms from April to May, not very long, but even at this time it can delight those who meet it in its natural habitat.

- Altai forest violet - it grows well on mountain slopes. The flowers are painted in a violet-blue hue, while the center is very prominent in contrast due to the bright yellow color. The landing height is about twenty centimeters, no more. Flowering begins in late April and lasts for forty days. There is a second flowering - it falls in September and lasts until the first snow falls.

- Yellow violet - it grows mainly on fairly fertile soils, also in thin forests, which are well ventilated. The flowers are yellow-green, very bright and look incredibly decorative. On the back of the petals, you can notice pleasant purple streaks, which look just beautiful and decorative in contrast. This variety begins flowering in June and lasts about three weeks.

- hill violet - based on the name of the variety, you can immediately understand that the plant takes root well on open slopes, and can also be located under bushes. The flowers of such a plant are painted in light blue tones, there are purple flowers, but this color is very rare. A wonderful aroma emanates from the flowers, they are very large in size, the flower stalks are very long. Flowering begins in May and does not last long - with the onset of June, the flowers disappear

- incised violet - this species is found in Siberia, but in other regions it certainly cannot be found. The flowers are painted in a bright purple color, very elegant and sophisticated, rise above the common bush, look incredibly attractive. In shape, this species looks more like a cyclamen than a violet, and due to this, it arouses such interest. But, unfortunately, this endemic can not be found everywhere, and its flowering is short-term - from June to July, no longer than three weeks

- Aetolian forest violet - prefers to grow in sunny places, the soil is recommended loose or stony, but still the root planting system needs to be supplied with as much oxygen as possible, only in this way the planting will feel as comfortable as possible. The upper petals of the plant are colored yellow, but the lower petals are very bright, orange in color. Flowering begins in May and can continue throughout the summer season.

- oak (in other words, this violet is also called mountain) - it mainly grows in the European part of our country, near the Caucasus Mountains, as well as in the southern part of Siberia, where the flowers feel as comfortable as possible. The flowers are painted in light blue shades, most of all in their appearance they look exactly like violets from all the varieties that we have already managed to present here. But at the same time, the flowers are much larger, and the stem is very high - in length it can reach twenty-five centimeters, or even more.It blooms from May to July, quite abundantly and for a long time. This variety is considered one of the most common among all the others.

- peach, pond variety of violets - rarely found in some regions of Siberia, mainly in its central part. The peduncles are quite long, the flowers are small, painted in creamy beige, milky shades, which can also have an admixture of a bluish-heavenly shade. Flowering begins in May, lasts until June, very short, but small flowers look quite graceful and cute

- purple violet - this is one of the rarest species among all considered, such violets grow exclusively in the Caucasus mountains, since they are very adapted to that climate and only there can demonstrate the maximum of their own development. this species blooms very profusely, forming small flowers, painted in a purple hue (hence the name, which speaks for itself). In this case, the inflorescences are collected in a small ear, which can include up to twenty small flowers. It is worth noting that a very pleasant but unobtrusive aroma emanates from the flowers, which makes them very attractive. This species blooms twice - the first flowering occurs in the spring, and the second time you can observe the flowering with the onset of autumn.

Of course, there are some subtleties in planting this crop, as well as in how to take care of forest violets in the future. We will devote the next part of our article to this. The information is very interesting, because these violets are mostly domesticated, and are found quite often. To get the result from their growth, development and flowering, you need to know about some of the intricacies of agricultural technology. Only in this way can a florist be able to achieve a positive result.

Description of planting violets forest

After planting the seeds, the first shoots may appear in about three weeks. You can sow forest violets both in spring and summer, in autumn (in general, at any time of the year, except for winter, since in general it is not the most favorable season initially). It is recommended to use exclusively fresh, freshly harvested violet seeds for planting, since next year these same seeds may almost completely lose their tendency to germination.

Seeds can also be grown by seedlings, it is quite simple to do this, it is enough to follow a certain algorithm and take into account the subtleties and nuances. To grow seedlings, you need to take ordinary leafy soil, add components such as sand and peat to it, and also season it with a small amount of humus. The seeds can simply be carefully laid out on top of the soil, lightly sprinkled with it, but not buried, otherwise this may negatively affect the similarity of materials. Next, the area should be carefully moistened with warm, settled water, and then covered with a film to create a greenhouse effect. Periodically, the film is lifted, the plantings are aired and the seeds are checked to see how much they hatch.

It is recommended to plant the shoots to a depth of no more than half a centimeter, and the soil must be prepared in advance. The landing site should be protected from direct sunlight, light should penetrate, but diffuse. After the shoots have been planted, for about a few days they should be closely monitored, looked after and controlled whether the plantings have taken root or not. Also, cuttings should be sprayed from a spray bottle; only warm, settled water is suitable for this. When the seeds are in the soil, it is also necessary to provide them with regular care - it is recommended to water the plantings every day and ventilate exactly until the very first shoots finally appear.

Field violets reproduce well by seed, they are completely unpretentious in this process.A forest violet is much easier and faster to breed if you dig out budded rosettes of leaves. This is best planned and implemented after the spring bloom is complete. In the fall, before the first frosts come, plants may simply not have time to take root and take root, so it is recommended to calculate the days when the frosts begin and schedule the procedure about three to four weeks before that. This nuance and its consideration will save future plantings and help multiply the desired variety of violets.

An adult bush can be dug out of the soil, carefully examined and selected several young rosettes that have already taken root. It is they who will become the future planting material with which it will be possible to propagate the violet. Large seedlings can be sown one at a time, and if the bushes are very small, then they can be placed in two. The distance between the seedlings should be between twenty and thirty centimeters. Already in the second year after these procedures, new violets will begin to bloom beautifully either on the garden plot, or under the windows of the gardener's own house. The most important thing is to choose the right place, as you should definitely listen to the advice of more experienced gardeners and try to do it as best and correctly as possible.

Agrotechnics and care of forest violets

The advantage of forest violets is that these plants are completely unpretentious in terms of care and agricultural technology. Violet can winter quite calmly without additional shelter, she calmly tolerates both protracted and short-term droughts. Forest (wild) violet prefers to grow in shaded areas of the garden and vegetable garden, but you can plant the plant even in sunny glades. It will be comfortable for planting there, but the gardener should take care of making regular watering, otherwise the plant will not feel as comfortable as it could if the gardener looked after it and followed some caring measures.

Also, violets can easily reproduce in the simplest way - self-seeding. Some garden ants can help her in this, which can drag seeds around the site, and because of them, violets can appear in the most unexpected places. Of course, self-seeding will be convenient for the gardener himself, because he does not have to spend time preparing the site and preparing the seed, and in this case, violets will take root and bloom equally well. The main thing is that you never know in which part of the site a given landing will appear, so you should constantly monitor it.

Forest violets are fed with humus tincture. Complex fertilizers, which are just intended for flowering plants, are also perfect as top dressing. But more experienced gardeners say that such violets should be handled very carefully in terms of feeding. It is better not to feed the plant than to overfeed. If there is an excess of certain substances and microelements, then the violets will begin to grow and stretch too abundantly, lose their decorative effect, the flowering will be completely nondescript. In order for the young growth to take root faster and better, it is also recommended to mulch the root circle with the help of light humus. Plus, mulch keeps the soil warm and prevents excess moisture from evaporating. They also mulch in order to protect the near-stem circle from attacks from pests and from common bacteria. So you should pay attention to this procedure and not ignore it, moreover, mulching is a very simple process that brings colossal benefits to plantings.

If a flower grows in shade, then its flowering is pale, but the flowering process itself can be stretched.Violets absolutely do not tolerate stagnation of moisture in the soil, since for this reason the root system begins to suffer - it gradually decays and, accordingly, damage is done entirely to the entire planting. Ultimately, if you do not pay attention to the planting ailments in time, this can lead to the fact that the violets will die. It is also not recommended to grow violets in the lowlands, since there is a very close occurrence of groundwater, and they can cause total harm and damage to plants.

The shoots of violets are creeping, and many flower growers consider this option more advantageous due to the fact that it is more convenient for violets to be located on gentle slopes, and you can also use it to decorate a garden as part of an alpine slide or a decorative accent in a flower bed. The violet grows beautifully, forms a blooming carpet, which immediately attracts the views of not only flower growers, but also all those who generally caught sight of this plant. It can advantageously hide some irregularities and imperfections in the soil. A florist should definitely prepare himself for the fact that the plant can grow very much and go beyond the zone and the area that was originally intended for it. In this case, it is worth removing some especially overgrown shoots by pruning or pinching. Usually this procedure is very similar to pinching strawberry shoots - exactly the same algorithm and a similar result.

Diseases to which the forest violet is susceptible

Diseases - these are the most important enemies that can overtake violets and lead to their death. Let's talk a little about this problem, because it is important to know the signs and symptoms in order to take the necessary measures in time and save the plant from imminent death. Let's start with a description of such a disease as root rot - with it, the root system begins to rot, then the fungus moves to the stem and leaves. Ultimately, the plant in most cases simply dies, since its key system has already been affected.

Gray rot - manifests itself in the form of gray pubescence, which is first localized on the upper parts of the planting. These are affected peduncles and seed bolls. Powdery mildew - a whitish bloom appears on the leaves and flowers, which usually manifests itself at the very beginning of the summer season. Rust and spotting are also enemies that you need to "know by sight" - they appear as brown spots on the green parts of the plant, and then the planting begins to dry out gradually, which also suggests that not everything is in order with the planting, and that the plant certainly needs intervention from the gardener, otherwise it will perish.

Smut - this disease looks like abnormal swelling on the petioles, and similar swellings appear already on the leaves. The bubbles contain a dark liquid that contains pathogenic fungi and microbes. Blackleg is a disease that usually affects young seedlings and seedlings. First, darkening of the stems is noticed at the base, and then the leaves begin to deform and droop. The death of the plant is very fast - within three to four days. Phytophthora - penetrates through the pistil or very thin roots, affects the entire plant system, but it can be cured if it is detected at the earliest stages. In most cases, gardeners notice too late, and the only way out is to simply remove the plant from the site so that other crops do not become infected. All these diseases are united by their causative agent - they appear due to pathogenic fungi, which are in the soil for a long time at rest. Fungi can also wake up and progress if the air temperature is too low, and the humidity rises to an unacceptable maximum.Also, these diseases can actively develop due to the increased acidity of the soil, therefore, it is always necessary to regulate it before planting violets, since this is one of the planting requirements in order to grow and develop safely.

Aphid can become the causative agent of diseases such as variegation and ring mosaic. The first disease manifests itself on the leaves - they acquire a very variegated, almost marble color, and then gradually dry up and die altogether. As for the ring mosaic, rings appear on the leaf plates, which are painted in a dark green tint. Gradually, these rings begin the process of necrosis, as a result, the plant can no longer develop normally and die.

Clover scoop (in other words, gardeners and florists call this disease mother-of-pearl) - the leaves, namely the tips, are eaten. Mother-of-pearl develops from the beginning of May to July, just at this time the larvae actively feed in order to increase their mass. This disease is provoked by moth larvae. They are colored orange, they also have some black blotches, and on the back side of the pest's wings, the span of which is almost four centimeters, have a silver-pearl color - hence the name.

Nematodes - absolutely all aerial parts of violets are affected, and the root system can also be affected. It all depends on which species the pest in question belongs to. Plants are stressed, their immunity drops very quickly, they grow much more slowly, and lose their decorative effect. As a result - loss of external characteristics and death. These ailments are provoked by parasites - both air and earth nematodes, with which it is imperative to fight in order to save the plant from destruction, given that violets are already incredibly fragile plantings.

Of course, it is not easy to fight diseases. Usually, if several plants are affected, then the entire plantation may die. If we are dealing with a very rare species of forest violets, then it is almost impossible to restore it after the experience. So it is still worth making all possible attempts to save the plant and prevent its death. It is usually recommended to remove all affected parts of the plant, and if the plant is damaged entirely, then it is immediately removed from the site along with the earthen lump and destroyed. For surviving violets, treatments must be carried out. For this, antifungal drugs are usually used. Fertilizers also play an important role - first of all, these are top dressing with a high content of potassium and phosphorus. It is also worth regularly inspecting the plantings, carrying out preventive treatments, because only the well-being of the plants and their health will depend on the gardener himself.

Useful properties and qualities of forest violets

In large quantities, forest violets contain a sufficient amount of nutrients. These are essential oils, flavonoids, vitamins and fats, carotene - everything that is so necessary for the human body. Due to the fact that violets contain a certain amount of alkaloids, violets can be poisonous and damage human health, so be that as it may, but the plant in home medicine should be handled very carefully. It is best to first consult with experts, and only then apply the violet in practice.

The forest violet is great to use as an element of folk healing. It can become an effective antipyretic agent; a violet-based decoction can be used to gargle the throat in case of sore throat or inflammation; violet can become a means for thinning phlegm, for separating phlegm from the respiratory tract in case of bronchitis; heals violet migraine and headache, which is also its undoubted advantage.The broth on the violet becomes an effective diuretic, can become a disinfectant, disinfectant, and also actively stops the blood (in this case, the violet can greatly help women who have encountered complications as a result of childbirth, as well as during menopause). The forest violet stops the signs of an allergic reaction; they can also be used to make compresses for joint pain, rheumatism.

In aromatherapy violets can be used to calm down after a tough day, and can also help with anxiety, seizures and tantrums. Increases vitality and immunity - but at the same time, you should be very careful when using it, so it is better to consult with a professional doctor in advance to make sure that the violet will not cause even more damage and harm to the body.

Violet oil is effectively used in cosmetology. With its help, without any surgical intervention, it is possible to smooth out wrinkles, heal cracks on the lips, and eliminate their chapped. If the concentration of the extract from oils is high, then this can lead to an allergic reaction and poisoning. So any violet-based preparations should be used with great care. Store tinctures and oils out of the reach of children. For the rest, you don't have to worry - the forest violet will become not only an attractive part of the backyard planting, but also has an excellent effect on the human body and immune system.