Viola 'Red Giant'
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Common Name: violet
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Violaceae
Zone: 4 to 8
Garden Location: Jane and Whitney Harris Secret Garden
Height: 0.5 to 0.75 feet
Spread: 0.5 to 0.75 feet
Bloom Time: April to May
Bloom Color: Red
Bloom Description: Rose red
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Flowers: Showy Flowers
Tolerates: Deer
Uses: Groundcover, Will Naturalize

Culture

Best grown in organically rich, fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. In the St. Louis area, it prefers part afternoon shade. Plants spread by rhizomes and may self-seed in the garden.

Noteworthy Characteristics

‘Red Giant’ is a stemless violet that grows to 6-8” tall. Large rose-red flowers appear in spring. Oval to heart-shaped leaves are medium green. Flowers and leaves rise directly from the rhizomes/crown. ‘Red Giant’ is sometimes sold in commerce as a cultivar of V. odorata or V. cucullata, but its actual parentage is not clear.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. In optimum conditions, plants may spread rapidly.

Garden Uses

Group or mass in border fronts, rock gardens, cottage gardens and prairie areas. May be grown in part shade areas as a ground cover or small edger.

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