Botanical Interests Back To Black Viola

Bring dark beauty to your gardens and containers. The compact plants are bedazzled with 3/4" flowers of the deepest purple, so dark they appear black. Violas love the cool weather of spring and fall, making them ideal for spring bulb cover and for fall color after annuals are spent. In mild climates, they cheerfully bloom through the winter. Reseeds. Perennial in USDA zones 6-9. Deer resistant.

3/4" blooms in the deepest shade of purple that appears black.

• Family: Violaceae
• Native: Southwestern Europe
• Hardiness: Frost-tolerant perennial in USDA zones 6-9; often grown as an annual. Reseeds readily
• Exposure: Full sun to part shade. Too much shade causes plants to stretch. Afternoon shade is beneficial in hot climates
• Plant Dimensions: 8" Tall; 5" Wide

Recommended Cold Climates: 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date or midsummer for fall and the following spring bloom. Mild Climates: Late summer for cool-season blooms.

8 to 10 weeks before your average last frost date for early spring planting and midsummer for fall planting in both mild and cold climates.

• Days to Emerge: 7-20 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/8"
• Seed Spacing: A Group of 3 Seeds Every 4"-6"
• Thinning: When 1/2"-1" Tall, Thin To 1 Every 4"-6"

For longest vase life, harvest flowers in the morning, choosing stems where flower buds have just begun to open. Change vase water frequently.

If grown under optimum conditions and regular attention given to proper deadheading and pruning, violas will last year after year. Pinch off faded flowers to the bottom of their stems to encourage more blooms and prevent reseeding. In all climates, when the weather warms up in summer, plants tend to get ragged, stretched out and slow to bloom. Trim back the flower stalks to promote new foliage and encourage fall bloom.

• Type: Conventional