ORNAMENTAL PLANTS OF HORTICULTURE VALUE

Selection of perennials

A large genus of about 500 species wordwide, of which 100 in the FSU. One well-known species is V. altaica Ker-Gawl., native to Altay, Tien Shan, Dzungaro-Tarbagatay and northwestern China. V. hirta L., of wide distribution, is also in cultivation. Other species have been investigated. Unfortunately, most of them are short-lived plants. The following are among the long-lived.

V. langsdorffii Fisch.

Siberia (eastern regions), Far East (Kamchatka, Kuril Islands, Sakhalin), Japan and Alaska. In meadows, in moist places.

Plant 20-30 cm. Rhizome creeping. Leaves broadly ovate, long-petiolate (up to 25 cm long). Flowers violet, large, 2.5-3.5 cm diam. V - early spring to late autumn, some leaves overwinter. Fl - May-June. Fr - July. P - by seed and easily self-sown. Can grow in a moist partially shaded site. Z 4 (3).

V. mandshurica W. Becker

Far East (southern regions), Japan and China. In reedgrass meadows on loose, woodland humus-rich soil.

Plant 6-10 cm. Rhizome short. Leaves long-petiolate, with winged petiole, 2-7 cm long. Flowers large, 2.5-3.0 cm diam., dark violet. One plant bears 8-14 flowers. V - early spring to late autumn, some leaves overwinter. Fl - April (in St. Petersburg May) for 3-5 weeks. Fr - July-August. P - by seed and by cuttings, also self-sown. Grows in semi-shade, on rich soil. Z 4.

V. oreades Bieb.

Crimea (mountain areas), Caucasus and northern Iran. On rocky slopes and meadows in subalpine and alpine zones.

Rhizome many-branched. Stem 5-15 cm. Leaves in rosettes, ovate, oblong-elliptic, long-petiolate, 7-10 x 3-15 mm. Flowers yellow or violet, large, 2.5-3.5 cm diam. V - evergreen, new leaves early spring to late autumn. Fl - May-July for 2 months. Fr - July-September. P - by seed and cuttings. Very attractive, well suited for flower beds and the rock garden. Z 6 (5). New.

The following are also of horticultural interest.

V. disjuncta W. Becker

Altay and Tarbagatay.

20-50 (-100) cm, with violet-yellow flowers. New.

V. variegata Fisch. ex Link

Southern Siberia and adjacent regions of the Far East, northern China and Japan.

5-15 cm, flowers large, red-violet, leaves dark green, violet beneath. P - easily by seed and cuttings.