Viola corsica

In a message dated 5/1/02 12:51:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Meum71@aol.com 
writes:

<< I have to agree that V. corsica is an out standing Viola and tough too.  I
 planted out a few real small ones last fall and they all made it threw the
 winter, even though they had the smallest of a root structure, very good
 bloomer and large flowers for such a compact plant.  Claire, do all your
 plants produce the same flowers?  I seem to have a variation of "whiskers'
 but all have the same shaped flowers with the tall up right shape and wide
 bottom petals. >>

You are more observant than I on the blossoms.  I will go out and have a look 
later today in between the rains.

I have been keeping over the plants from the year before plus starting new 
ones to see if they are truly perennenial ( a viola is a ????? )

They do seem to be a long lived perennial here.  When in July, they have 
become a bit lax, I shear them off and get a new fall blooming plant.  At the 
same time I have new ones from seed.  I won't seed anymore as they show they 
can seed themselves although not as numerous as the more common violas.  It 
would be my impression that you should keep the johnny-jump-up away from V. 
corsica to keep them from cross pollinating and ruining the perennial quality.

So, I use the new plants seeded in the veg frames which are not near other 
flowers.  I you get NARGS seed and it is garden collected, it is chancy what 
will grow.  I got my original plants from Blue Meadow Nursery in 
Massachusetts and they have been as described.

I first saw them described by Henry Correvon in "Rock Garden and Alpine 
Plants" published in 1930.  Correvon was an alpine gardener, a Swiss, who 
came to the US to study plants here, taught himself English and wrote the 
book in English as a tribute to the many gardeners who helped him on his 
travels here.  If you read on later, Lauren Springer's book gives Viola 
corsica star billing.

Keeping your stock away from others so the plant remains strong and hardy is 
probably the most important part of growing them.

Later:

I went outside and had a look, mine, the flowers,  are are all about the same 
size whatever size the plant.  Maybe you should cull out the smaller ones and 
keep the best.  I don't know how anyone can keep Viola seed pure unless it is 
only Viola in your garden.  I had NARGS seed twice and twice did not get 
Viola corsica.

I have some new Viola from Blue Meadow growing now in a frame. I am thinking 
that I will put it in a container and keep it away from the corsicas.  Their 
advice is usually the best for our area.  It is Viola 'Mount Spokane'.  
Supposed to be very hardy also.

I tried bringing it indoors one year to the cool plant room.  It does not 
like being indoors and promptly died.  It really does well in cold weather 
blooming best in spring and fall.  It the sun warms up a foundtion wall here, 
a south wall, the plant will open flowers in winter on an afternoon above 
freezing.   No other plant ever did that in my garden.

Claire Peplowski
NYS z4

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