Viola sororia 'Priceana' (Vt)

Commonly known as the Confederate Violet, Viola sororia 'Priceana' takes its evocative name from its native range across the eastern United States — from the meadows and shaded banks of the Carolinas west to the Great Plains. The Confederate States of America adopted the violet as a symbol, and this pale, ghostly form — with its greyish-white flowers heavily veined in blue — captures something of that quietly dramatic character.

'Priceana' has a mat-forming, spreading habit, with heart-shaped leaves that create a dense green carpet of foliage. In the wild it grows in moist meadows and along shady banks, and it thrives in similar conditions in the garden — moist but well-drained soil in partial shade suits it best. Like many violas, it produces a second flush of self-pollinating flowers later in the season — small, unopening blooms that set seed without fanfare, quietly increasing the colony over time.

Plant towards the front of borders or use as ground cover beneath shrubs and trees, where the spring flowers can be enjoyed to the full. Deadhead regularly to prolong flowering, or leave some blooms to set seed and allow the plant to naturalise gently.

Height × Spread: 15cm × 30cm