Viola cornuta ‘Brush Strokes’ - Horned Violet

This is truly a beauty! Viola 'Brush Strokes' produces small violas that look as if someone has gone over them with a paintbrush. The flowers feature stripes and streaks in shades such as yellow, apricot, purple, wine red, and blue. And the best part? No two flowers are exactly alike.

The plants remain compact, making them ideal for pots, window boxes, or the front of a border. But I would certainly also include them in a cutting garden. The delicate stems are incredibly beautiful in small vases or as a playful detail in a spring bouquet.

The flowers are also edible. You can use them to add a beautiful touch to a cake, salad, or summer drink.

Sowing

Sow from February to April for flowering in the same year. Do you want extra early flowers in spring? Then sow as early as August or September and let the young plants overwinter.

Cover the seeds with a thin layer of seed compost or vermiculite, as they prefer to germinate in the dark. Don't keep them too warm: about 15°C is ideal. Germination takes approximately 7 to 14 days.

Good to know

• Type: hardy annual
• Position: sun or partial shade
• Height: approximately 15 cm
• Sowing: February–April or August–September
• Flowering: March–August, depending on sowing time
• Plant spacing: approximately 10 cm
• Suitable for pots and window boxes
• Suitable as a small cut flower
• Edible flower
• Pinching out is not necessary
• Number of seeds: +/- 100 seeds

Chrisje's Tip: Violas don't like intense heat. In summer, give them a spot with some shade and regularly remove spent flowers. This will encourage them to keep blooming much longer. For example, I plant them at the base of my sweet peas, nice and close together: this results in longer stems!