Fragrant violet belongs to the herbaceous perennials of the genus Viola. Prefers forest, forest-steppe, meadow and mountain areas of Europe and Asia, grows in sunny glades and edges. It is cultivated easily.
Description of fragrant violets
Due to its medicinal properties and unpretentiousness, fragrant violet has long been grown in gardens and flower beds. The plant blooms in late April, and with proper care, its bluish-blue or purple buds pleases the eye until mid-July. It has a very strong creeping root system in which new buds are constantly forming, giving leaf rosettes. Upper shoots spread along the ground, due to which they tend to take root. Leaf plates are rounded, pointed at the top. On their sides they have a serrated edge. Fully bloom after flowering.
The flowers are solitary, have five petals, are located on a peduncle 12-15 cm long. The culture got its name due to the delicate and pleasant aroma, which intensifies when buds open in the morning and evening.
Fragrant violet - varieties
Breeders, in addition to traditional shades, brought varieties of white, pink and multi-colored violets. Some varieties may bloom 2 times per season.
Let us dwell on the most common in more detail.
| Grade | Description, application | Flowers |
| Bechtles Ideal | Suitable for use in flower beds and flower beds by distillation. | Large, bright, blue-blue. The middle petal at the base has a strip. |
| Queen Charlotte | The height of the culture is up to 20 cm. The leaf plates are rounded and have the shape of a socket. In winters with little snow, it can freeze, therefore, it needs additional shelter. It blooms in May and June. | Violet, fragrant, moth. |
| Coeur d'Alsas | Ornamental plant with a fragrant odor. | Pink, drooping, large. |
| Red charm | Leaves are heart-shaped, on long petioles, collected in bunches. The culture blooms in May for 25 days. | Medium, purple, fragrant. |
| Foxbrook cream | It blooms from May to September. | White with a yellow middle, tender |
| Parma | A hybrid variety, up to 20 cm high. Cultivated in the 16th century in Italy, from the 19th century on an industrial scale in the form of candied fruits, liquors and perfumes. Blooms 1 time per year, can have up to 20 petals. | Large, lavender or dark purple, rarely white, single, 5 petals. |
| Queen Victoria | The oldest variety used for cutting. The leaves are dark green, slightly pubescent. | Saturated dark pink, strewn with dashes and dots. |
Fragrant violet - growing, care
The plant is unpretentious, loves light soil, the composition is as close to forest as possible, with copious humus. Garden violet, placed in partial shade, can bloom for a longer time and maintains a bright color of its leaves than located in sunny areas.
For planting on the beds using a mixture of compost, peat and sand, taken in equal quantities.
The best way to propagate is to root young shoots with internodes.
They are separated from adult plants, including those that grow in the wild, transferring them to the garden plot. You can get flowers by growing from seeds, but this method is suitable for experienced gardeners, since the seed material dries quickly and requires special preparation: stratification, soaking, germination and seedlings.
Care of the crop consists of regular watering, weeding and thinning. Fragrant violet propagates very quickly, displacing other species from the space allotted for it. Therefore, it is recommended to periodically remove the resulting sprouts.
In dry weather, the leaves may suffer from a spider mite, which begins to become active during this period. Therefore, it is important to observe agricultural technology: to prevent overdrying of the soil and to irrigate it.
For good growth and flowering, it is necessary to add leaf compost, as well as special mineral fertilizers for flowers, two or three times a season.
Mr. Summer resident recommends: the benefits and use of fragrant violets
The healing properties of culture have been described since time immemorial. The ancient Greeks dedicated her to Persephone - the wife of the god of the underworld of Hades. The Romans planted it everywhere, using not only decoration, but also medicine. The violet contains saponins, essential oil and bitterness. Due to the presence of saponins, the plant is used in the treatment of diseases of the upper respiratory tract as an expectorant and sputum thinner, as well as a diuretic, blood purifier and laxative.
Ancient healers used infusions and oil from flowers as a remedy for migraine, crushed petals were applied to skin rashes. Preserved written sources, which indicate that some diseases could be cured simply by inhaling the aroma of violets.
In modern pharmacology, not only flowers are used, but the roots and leaves of the plant. To prepare a medicinal product, take 10 g of dried raw materials and pour a glass of boiling water. Take the resulting infusion of one tablespoon three to four times a day.
From freshly cut flowers, a syrup is prepared to relieve pulmonary diseases for colds: 200 g of washed sorted petals are placed in a pan and filled with two glasses of boiling water, tightly closed with a lid and left to insist until completely cooled. The resulting infusion is filtered. In a separate bowl, 650 g of sugar is dissolved in two more glasses of hot water and combined with the previously filtered liquid. Ready syrup should be purple. It should be taken 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.
