Viola Sorbet XP Morpho - Viola cornuta

Viola cornuta Sorbet XP' Morpho' combining cobalt-blue and bright yellow petals, has a long flowering period full of vitality and cheer and is enhanced by a carpet of dark green, evergreen foliage. Vigorous, flowering abundantly and early, this biennial produces compact plants that are perfect for containers or borders. The horned violet thrives in humus-rich soil, in partial shade.

Belonging to the Violaceae family, the horned violet, which grows wild in the Pyrenees, is a low-growing perennial plant that has given rise to numerous hybrids. Often crossed with Viola tricolor (wild pansy), their most famous descendants are the garden pansies. The 'Sorbet XP Morpho' variety is a spreading herbaceous plant, 10 to 15 cm (3.9 - 5.9 in) in height when in bloom, with dark green, oval, crenated and evergreen leaves forming a spreading clump. It is covered with flowers from spring to autumn. Its flowers combine two complementary colours, a splendid cobalt-blue and a very bright yellow. The throat of each flower is marked with black stripes radiating from a bright yellow centre. They resemble small pansies, but their petals are arranged differently. The upper two are upright and blue, while the other three are inclined downwards, bright yellow with a fine blue border along the upper edge of the petal. The plant spreads quite rapidly thanks to its root system and also self-seeds easily in the garden, not always true to type.

Horned violets are intended for low beds and borders but also pots and window boxes, where they can be used to create beautiful colour combinations on their own, or with other plants that flower in spring and summer (forget-me-nots, dwarf daffodils, daisies, primroses, tulips, summer and autumn asters, etc.). The flowers of horned violets are edible, so do not hesitate to decorate your plates with one or two flowers, or even sprinkle some on your salads to give them a splash of colour.

Note: Please be aware that our young plant plugs are professional products reserved for experienced gardeners: upon receipt, transplant them as soon as possible, into containers, flowerpots, or directly into flowerbeds.