Sunday, May 3, 2015
Second generation hybrids from Viola arvensis X pansy
At the top of this picture are two flowers of Viola arvensis. I tried to size it to around life size when you open the picture. A whole flower of Viola arvensis is so tiny that it would fit inside a regular kernel of field/dent corn. Below the two flowers of Viola arvensis are ten different grandchildren (second generation) from crosses with pansy. Notice the extremes in variation for size and shape of various parts. The upper left one has very broad rounded sepals that stick out all around the flower.
My favorites so far, are probably the two in the bottom row (far right) - the one with dark purple upper petals and the dark yellow with cool flower form. But there's something neat about the one in the upper row, second from the left. The two lateral petals on this one are held forward curving around the lower petal, so that it kind of makes a cup. Reminds me a little of a mini-orchid.
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Charming! I really like the top 2nd to left, and the lower 2 you pointed out. The leafy sepals are nice. It would be interesting to see typical, but hardy pansies with a profusion of smaller, arvensis-type blooms
ReplyDeleteHow do you cross violets?? The "private parts" are tiny! :P
It's not easy, especially with tiny ones like arvensis. Tweezers to remove all the unwanted parts and then I try to have a generous pile of pollen to dunk the stigma into, and hope for the best. ;0)
ReplyDeleteTom, did they set seed? I seeded a sunny strip of dirt with viola tricolor, now to find a good species...
ReplyDeleteYes, they set and scattered lots of seeds. What species are you considering for your tricolor cross?
ReplyDeleteViola canadensis- fragrant with nice form!
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