We found this large patch of white sweet violets, with more than 100 blooms, beside the disused railway line near Cotherstone in Teesdale at the weekend.
Sweet violet Viola odorata is the earliest of the violets to bloom and also the species that most often produces white-flowered variants. It spreads via stolons and this patch, which was more than a metre across, must be quite old. Although sweet violet is a native species it's often hard to tell whether plants are genuinely wild or are descendants of plants that have been planted in gardens and have then escaped back into the wild after being dumped with garden waste. This patch is difficult to reach, under a very prickly hawthorn, and grows amongst stinging nettles which must hide it in summer.
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Have not seen a white Violet, they are quite nice white.
ReplyDeleteWe had this conservation this week about descendant plants, a area I record my flowers has at some point been planted with shop bought wild flowers, now left to go wild they cover large areas, do they at some point become wild flowers.. At the same place there was flowers, flowering that should not be out till May. If you have time have a look at my wild flower Blog
Pretty. I have not seen the white variety.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother had it in her garden when I was a child - I have some cuttings from her plants in my garden
DeleteI wish I had some to go with my very thuggish violet-blue ones.
ReplyDeleteMy violet violets produce a lot of leaves but not enough flowers!
DeleteI could send you some of mine!
ReplyDeleteAre you overrun with violets? Nice situation to be in!
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