Viola cornuta XP Sorbet Marina - Horned pansy

Viola cornuta 'XP Sorbet Marina' is a pretty horned pansy that is floriferous and compact. It maintains its beautiful appearance throughout its short life. Its pastel flowers cover the evergreen foliage in spring and autumn. Its delicate blue colour will be remarkable with pink or mauve varieties, and dazzling with orange or red tones. It is a beautiful plant for semi-shaded borders, and it has a great effect in pots and hanging baskets. Horned pansies appreciate humus-rich soil and dappled sun.

Horned pansies belong to the Violaceae family. They grow wild in the Pyrenees. They are low-growing perennial plants that have given rise to numerous hybrids. These are plants mostly grown as biennials. Viola cornuta 'XP Sorbet Marina' is an herbaceous ground-covering plant, 10 to 15cm (4 to 6in) tall when in flower, with dark green, evergreen, oval and serrated leaves, forming a spreading but dense tuft. The flowers are pale silver-blue to pastel mauve, marked with white and violet in the throat and prettily adorned with black eyelashes radiating from the golden yellow centre. They resemble those of small pansies, but their petals are arranged differently. The two upper ones are upright, the other three are inclined downwards. The plant spreads quite rapidly with its rhizomes. It also self-seeds very easily in the garden, but not always reliably.

Horned pansies are perfect for beds, borders, pots, and balconies. They look wonderful with other spring-flowering plants, such as forget-me-nots, dwarf daffodils, daisies, primroses, botanical tulips, and summer and autumn asters. The flowers are edible, so use them to decorate your plates, or even add some to salads to give them a touch of colour.

Please be aware that our young plug plants are professional products intended for experienced gardeners. Upon receipt, transplant them as soon as possible in pots, flower boxes, or directly in flower beds.