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Viola lifespan

alfharris8alfharris8 Posts: 513
in Plants
Last Autumn I bought a tray of Viola's which have flowered very nicely throughout the winter months and I noticed how well the colour complimented other plants in our wall.
I know there are perennial Viola's out there but does anyone know if the ones that are sold as "bedding " plants behave as such by having an annual or short lived perennial lifespan? 
Thank you. 

Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    You can keep them going, but you're better off with fresh each year.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • alfharris8alfharris8 Posts: 513
    Thanks @B3.
    You never seem to see the same ones again but it's interesting to know to save wasting time.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I treat them as annuals,  you can collect the seeds,  or they will self seed,   sow as soon as you collect them,  I leave them GH or a cool room if don’t have one, over winter.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • alfharris8alfharris8 Posts: 513
    @Lyn , thanks. 
    We've been surprised how well they self seed in the gravel where there must be so little for them to get the feet in. 
    Lovely plants. Cheerful.
  • Bright starBright star Posts: 1,153
    You can buy perennial violas which come back year after year, they are also known as Victorian violas or perennial Tufted violas. 
    Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    Mine that are planted in autumn live until about June then go rather tatty so I replace them with something like lobelia or osteospermum.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • kippsattackskippsattacks Posts: 33
    I've kept mine for 3 years now. They actually look better than ever now when in flower.
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