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outstanding confustion exists not only amongst us gardeners about what is and what is n’t a sweet-smelling reddish blue , but also with plant scientist . Luckly , with recient DNA sequence the problem seems to have been solved . Yet while we those of us who manage about such things will change what we compose about and perhaps grow , design on continue to see heaps confusing and wrong information about Scented violets both in write spiritualist and on social media . Then , of course , there are those multitudinous posts that throw the African Violet with rightful viola species . I wo n’t address that disarray here , as most of us recognize the differences ( they are a completely unlike industrial plant , not even the same genus or plant life folk ) .
In a nutshell , here ’s the top - blood . There are 300 asset mintage of viola ( pansies and florist violas included ) , and perhaps G of variety ( those different case either hybridized or named as selections by humans ) out in the world today . Setting all aside except those few violas or violet that have scent , we are leave with a smattering of species to look remarkably alike but are very different .
African violets used in a funeral wreath featured on a site of a florist.
The vulgar violets many of in North America have in our gardens ( often as a ego - seeding pestilence ) is Viola scoria . You will see this everywhere on - line , from decorate cakes on Pinterest boards to bouquet and tincture . While edible , it is n’t exactly the reddish blue that was once candy by the French for such use , and it is n’t even fragrant . That would be the Parma Violet , which we now know is right classified by systematist as any numeral of describe selections of a tender Mediterranean species Viola alba ssp . dehnhardtii .
Confusion starts here .
You will see Viola alba everywhere on a Google search , but rarely are the photos or plants the correct specie . More often than not writers of some blogs or mass medium posts sham that any white-hot violet in their garden is Viola alba . The rightful specie is more rare in civilisation , and is tender , does n’t produce seed and does n’t spread .
African violets used in a funeral wreath featured on a site of a florist.
To make matter worse , if you have violet that smack fairly in your garden ( in North America or in Europe and the UK ) it ’s believably the Sweet Violet or Viola odorata . This species looks near identical to Viola scoria and other reddish blue coinage , but it has a strong aroma . It also sets seeds and is sluttish so many vividness forms be and some are very lovely in the garden . But it is n’t the same specie not plant as those grown by the great violet craze growers in the 19th century , not the same violet that Queen Victoria hold at her bedside nor the same 1 develop for the redolence manufacture , perfumery , the intellectual nourishment diligence in confect and extracts , in hard liquor or candy as sugarcoat violets .
I only note this as you will see many posts out there on how to utilise your garden violets in any of those above way . On cakes fresh or even perhaps dip in egg white and sugar and used on bake goods , you may not be disappoint , but again , not the same matter . I ve even hear some societal media posts on using V. scoria or V. odorata in making hard drink , flavor syrups and such , but the result must be disappointing as the rare compound found in V. alba the Parma violet strains is drop – the inscrutable Ionone . Once the only germ of this fragrant volatile all important crude oil , now sytheticaly created ( since 1910 when it virtually killed the Parma violet trade ) , and not found in eminent enough quantity in any other reddish blue .
I continue to be delight with what was once a world full of Parma violets , but I hypothesize those years are far in the past . But why then do I still have such a fascination with them ? I hypothesise its just like life account . To be able-bodied to smell out something from 1830 is wizard , and to be able to produce what once captivated so many is special today .
Old 19th century books on violet cultivation often show how to harvest and pack cut violets for shipping via train to nearby cities.
Parma violets where once so fashionable , at keen balls in Paris , at the opera house , their unfermented perfume must have waft through the streets amidst coal fumes and puking . No curiosity masses loved them . Nearly every western country grew scented violet in the mid-1800s , Russia , France , England , Australia and the US . Near the death of the 19th hundred disease began to defeat of many of the most cherished strains making flowers hard to amount by . Growers check to pull up the necessary chemicals from the leave-taking of the works , something that continue today in Grasse France where most cultivars just do n’t produce the heyday that the quondam form once did . In fact many farmers have switched to growing V. odorata ‘ Victoria ’ or ‘ The Czar ’ instead as it produced more racy plant with one-half of the chemistry postulate , but more works can be uprise . Who care if the flower themselves are not as exciting , for only the leaves are call for .
The finest Parma violet had long prow that were warm and intense scent with dual flowers . raiser often grew them in pots , even in the UK and in the US estates keep back hundred of pots in cold frames just for foot . Some old cultivars were said to be able-bodied to price 600 -1000 flowers a calendar week . This all came to an end just after the first World War and the twenties when the violet only fall out of fashion . What was once the peak for Christmas , Valentines Day or any fountain societal consequence , died away and along with it did many of the assortment and raiser .
There is a bit of a revitalization in stake , though . John Barleycorn manufacturer are rediscovering reddish blue liquors now being produced again for posh vintage cocktails such as the Aviator , and the perfume industry continues on ( violet are said to be used by Chanel in Chanel No . 5 ) and in the south of France festivals abound in February in town and village that still turn violets for the few uses in food , drink and fashion .
Viola odorata while slightly fragant, musn’t be confused with the Parma violet for the Parma Violet is a completely different species – V. alba.
Now , my goal is to acquire as many of the vintage varieties again , and raise them , shoot them for a young ledger concept , and learning the classic cultural proficiency for cultivation . I ’ve been lucky enough to feel two authoritative vintage book from the early 1900 ’s on growing scented Parma reddish blue commercially in England , and a playscript from America from the late 1800s ’ , as well as find a source for some plants . Since they have to be ordered in May , this was perfect timing .
Even though I have a few Parma violets growing now in the nursery , I will be adding five other named French motley , and hopefully propagating them for some cut bloom this wintertime . I find that the idea of recreating a lost ethnical custom such as the intro of a posy of gelded parma violet , fascinatingly witching , and exactly the focusing that mod horticulture should turn to . If one wish well to discover something fresh and meaningful about plant life that others forget about . keep antiques . Let ’s see this autumn , when they start blooming , if I can play the success that the French have had , and regardless , I am planning a trip to the Violet festival in Toulouse and Grasse next February . After all – that ’s mimosa season too ( the efflorescence , not the drink ! ) .
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The true Parma violet is double and intensely fragrant like no other flower.
