Japanese name: ビオラ Scientific name:Viola ×wittrockiana
[Overview]
This refers to those pansies that are small and grow in tufts.
The characteristics of Viola cornuta are said to show strongly.
It is a perennial, but it is weak to heat and humidity and often dies before summer, so it is treated as an autumn-sown annual.
The flowers are bilaterally symmetrical with 5 petals.
There are many cultivars, with a wide variety of flower sizes and colors.
[Cultivation]
It prefers a sunny, well-drained, well-ventilated place.
When planted in the garden, almost no watering is needed.
For potted plants, water when the soil surface dries.
Excess moisture causes disease, so take care.
In addition to base fertilizer, place slow-release fertilizer on the soil once a month while the plant is in flower.
The plant weakens once fruit forms, so if you want to enjoy the flowers for a long time, snap off spent flowers at the base of the plant.
Pests and diseases include gray mold, leaf spot, aphids and slugs.
