Freefall Purple Wing

Class

Dicotyledons

Division

Angiospermae

Family

Violaceae

Order

Malpighiales

Genus

Viola

Species

x wittrockiana

Description

Viola x wittrockiana is one of the most interesting ornamental herbaceous plants both because of the wide assortment of colours available and the long flowering period, which manifests itself in a profusion of flowers with a highly decorative effect, suitable for terraces and flowerbeds where it will provide an elegant colour note even during the colder months.

Variety description

The freefall is a series of drooping basket violets ideal for colouring the balcony from mid-February until the first warm weather. It has somewhat smaller flowers than the superb basket violet. It has good vigour and at maturity covers the cultivation tray with flowers down to 40 cm. in length, depending on the size of the pot. In the greenhouse, the cultivation cycles in the 12 or 14 cm pot. They are fast in autumn, and longer in winter (at least 2-3 weeks longer), where it is advisable to start with a minimum temperature of 10°c until rooting is complete, and then maintain a minimum temperature of 5-7°c if you want to shorten the winter cycle by 1-2 weeks, achieving flowering as early as mid- to late February.

Curiosities and special features

The specific epithet, wittrockiana, was given in honour of the Swedish botanist V. B. Wittrock who first described it in the 1800s; it is also commonly called pansy, which derives from the French pensées, meaning thoughts or memories.

Origin and distribution

The pansy has been known since the early 1800s thanks to Lady Mary Elizabeth Bennet who used it to decorate her Thames Valley garden; it was also a favourite of Darwin who recorded more than 400 cultivars. The numerous crosses, made in the past by various gardeners from Viola tricolor, were often rather delicate and with flowerings that did not make it through the winter, only the more recent hybridisation techniques by crossing V. altaica × V. lutea subsp. sudetica × V. tricolor have led to a wide assortment of varieties with better resistance and flowering characteristics.

Flower size

The flower is medium-sized, lending elegance to the lush bloom.

Leaf

The leaf blade is lanceolate in shape.

Flowering period

Flowering lasts from mid-winter to late spring for between 130 and 180 days, allowing you to add a unique accent of colour to your green spaces during times of the year when many other ornamental grasses are dormant or do not flower.

Leaf colour

Solid colour.

Plant height

The height of the plant varies from 0.2 to 0.55 m in relation to the developed habit, representing an optimal choice as a first or second tier ornamental plant to be associated with other species of different heights in order to create landscape perspective effects.

Lifespan

Annual variety.

Where to plant

Suitable for adding elegance and colour to flower beds, balconies, outdoor tubs, hanging baskets, planters.

Stem

The stem is herbaceous, the variety has no thorns.

Flower

The flower has a simple, medium-sized form with an irregular corolla and two-coloured petals. It flowers from mid-winter to late spring, with a flowering period of between 130 and 180 days. It exudes a sweet, delicate fragrance. It is not particularly attractive to pollinating insects.

Growth

Vigorous growing variety, perfect for creating dense, homogeneous and proportionate groups.

Plant habit

Its drooping habit makes it ideal for pots or planters as well as for flower beds, even in compositions with other ornamentals.

Branching

Theabundant branching allows a widespread distribution of the very decorative blooms.

PH

The optimal pH of the soil or medium is slightly acidic, between 5.5 and 6.2.

Soil preparation

Before transplanting into the bed, carry out light digging to remove weeds, any residues from previous crops and bulky stones. We also recommend adding and possibly burying 5/7 cm of good soil on the soil surface to improve the environment where the plants will take root.

Sun exposure

For best flowering, expose the plant in half shade, full sun.

Ideal climate and temperature

The biological temperature is between 2 and 30 °C. The ideal temperature is between 10 and 18 °C.

Use

Due to its remarkable flowering performance, even during the coldest periods, it is used in different green areas such as

Outdoor ornamental Landscaping

Hardiness

The variety has medium hardiness.

Soil

For pansies, the ideal soil is medium-textured, non-clayey, well-draining and with organic matter; for use in pots or planters, a specific substrate for spring plants containing peat and perlite is recommended.

Difficulty

Easy cultivation and an average level of management effort add further value to the variety.

Growing tips

For best growth and flowering results, consider the following aspects and growing conditions:

Prefers cool climate Requires abundant but no stagnant watering

Combinations with other plants

Globose varieties can be enhanced in compositions with other ornamental species such as Bellis perennis, Hebe pinguifolia, Helychrysum petiolatum, Lysimachia nummularia, Myosotis sylvatica, Narcissus, Philadelphus, Ranunculus asiaticus, Veronica spicata, Viola cornuta. Refined, even in the case of a drooping habit, are the associations with other pansy varieties to create a chromatic texture with an important decorative effect.

Planting

For bed planting, an average density of 18 plants per square metre is recommended in order to ensure proper development of each specimen and thus obtain a harmonious and proportionate final composition. When transplanting take care not to damage the roots of the seedlings and avoid sinking the root balls completely, finally water immediately after planting without causing water stagnation.

Propagation

Multiplication is by sowing.

Watering

Use rainwater, or alternatively aqueduct water, either manually or by irrigation. After transplanting, assist the seedling to ensure proper root development in the new site by keeping it at a constant humidity without reaching a saturated condition. Then allow the substrate or soil to dry slightly after each watering, avoiding dryness; it is advisable not to over-water to prevent stagnation which can lead to the development of root rot, and not to water the aerial part of the plant from above during the late afternoon or evening to avoid the development of fungal diseases.

Fertilising

After proper establishment in the new planting site, carry out regular Fertilisation, proportionate to the needs of the plant, by adding to the soil or medium a balanced liquid fertiliser specifically for ornamental Flower plants, to be diluted in the irrigation water.

Edibility for humans

Non-edible ornamental variety.

Tip

From mid-March it requires both watering and abundant fertilisation, up to 2 g/l per week, with a fertiliser strength of 15.10.30. From the end of April, half-shade exposures are preferable to keep it longer and with less water requirements. Chelate iron once a month is useful to keep the foliage dark, especially after a dry spell.