Viola 'Tiger Eye Red'
viola
- Position: Full sun or partial shade
- Soil: Moderately dertile, moist but freely-drained soil
- Rate of growth: Average
- Hardiness: Hardy annual
Named after the Tiger’s eye stone, these stunning amber-chestnut brown blooms with a yellow centre have petals adorned with delicate dark brownish red veining. ‘Tiger Eye Red’ is a sturdy and resilient perennial, often grown as an annual and can be used in either summer or winter bedding displays. Violas are perfectly suited for this, they’re cool-season bloomers, sometimes remaining in flower throughout the winter.
Keep well watered, and feed with a good, high potash fertiliser (such as Tomorite) on a regular basis. Pinching off the spent flowers will encourage more to form.
Sow seed into trays from late winter to early spring or in late summer. Germination should occur within 10 to 21 days (temperatures above 20°C can inhibit germination). Cover seeds completely, Violas prefer darkness to germinate. Keep the growing media moist. Pot on seedlings individually and grow on in a cooler place. Plant out when roots have filled the pots or modules and young plants have been hardened off for frost resilience.
- Sow: March to May or August to September
- Flowering: May to October or November to April