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Viola tricolor

European Wild Pansy · Heartsease · Johnny Jumpup

Family ViolaceaeGenus Viola

A viola with two deep purple upper petals, pale violet side petals and a yellow lower one streaked with dark lines, on a wiry stem.
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About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
Annual, Herbaceous Perennial, WildflowerExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
annual or subshrubPlants of the World Online
Height
3-10 in10-25 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
0.2-1 ft5-30 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
Blue, Cream/Tan, Gold/Yellow, Orange, Purple/Lavender, Variegated, WhiteExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
Spring, SummerExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Albania, Altay, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
2-9Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sun; Partial ShadeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
Loam (Silt), SandExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
MoistExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • In Hamlet, Ophelia's pansies are for thoughts, from the French pensée. Shakespeare meant this wild pansy, not a garden one. Wikipedia: Viola tricolor
  • In a Roman myth, Cupid missed with an arrow and struck the wild pansy instead, which is why its juice became a love potion. Wikipedia: Viola tricolor

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

Germination happens during step 1, in 28 days.

27% germination in 28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Viola p. 67Public domain
Show the original text
Viola (Violaceae). Eight samples of rosulate Viola had been studied (2nd Ed.) and found to germinate with GA-3 at 40. This was unchanged by 4 y of DS at 70, and there was no sign of dying. It thus came as a surprise to receive seéds of seven species all of which rotted completely in either 70D, 70 GA-3, 40, or 40 GA-3.1 have no explanation for this. The seven species were V. tricolor hybrids (six samples) had complex, behaviors but generally germ. best under oscillating temperature conditions. A sample freshly collected germ. 40(6/22 in 4th w), 70L(6/22 in 5th w), and 70D(none).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Viola p. 67. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 1, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 35 days to germinate.

27% germination in 35 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Viola p. 67Public domain
Show the original text
Viola (Violaceae). Eight samples of rosulate Viola had been studied (2nd Ed.) and found to germinate with GA-3 at 40. This was unchanged by 4 y of DS at 70, and there was no sign of dying. It thus came as a surprise to receive seéds of seven species all of which rotted completely in either 70D, 70 GA-3, 40, or 40 GA-3.1 have no explanation for this. The seven species were V. tricolor hybrids (six samples) had complex, behaviors but generally germ. best under oscillating temperature conditions. A sample freshly collected germ. 40(6/22 in 4th w), 70L(6/22 in 5th w), and 70D(none).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Viola p. 67. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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