Viola tricolor nigra Blacky

This Viola tricolor nigra 'Blacky', also known as 'Blacky' black violet, has fascinating flowers, almost black and silky blue, illuminated by a tiny golden heart. This plant offers generous flowering for long months. It accompanies spring bulbs and blooms at the base of asters, while in rock gardens it quickly spreads its dark and evergreen carpet. It also allows for charming borders and opulent pots. Annual, biennial or perennial, it is cultivated in humus-bearing soil, in partial shade or dappled sunlight.

Belonging to the violet family, the pansy, or wild pansy, which grows spontaneously in many regions of Europe and temperate Asia, is a low perennial plant that has given rise to many hybrids, the most famous of which are horticultural pansies. The 'Blacky' variety, from which it originates, is a herbaceous ground-covering plant, 10 to 15cm (4 to 6in) tall when in bloom, with dark green, ovate and crenate evergreen leaves that form a spreading tuft. It is sometimes perennial, but most often biennial. Depending on the sowing date, this plant is covered with flowers from spring to autumn. Its flowers are so dark blue that they appear black, with a silky texture that reflects light well. They have a tiny yellow heart. Fairly large and round, they resemble those of pansies but their petals are arranged differently. The two upper ones are erect, the other three are reflexed. This plant spreads quite rapidly thanks to its rhizomes and also self-seeds easily in the garden, not always faithfully to the mother plant.

Horned violets and tricolor pansies are intended for low massif flowering, borders, as well as pots and balcony planters, where they will be associated with other plants with spring and summer flowering (Forget-me-nots, Dwarf Daffodils, Daisies, Primroses, Botanical Tulips, summer and autumn asters...). Violet flowers are edible, so don't hesitate to decorate your plates with one or two flowers, or even to add a few to your salads to give them a touch of colour.