Parma violet

Parma violet

Infobox Cultivar
name = Parma Violet


image_width = 240px
image_caption =
species = "Viola alba"
group = Parma Violet
origin = Mediterranean region
subdivision =

Parma violets belong to the more exotic branch of the violet family. First appearing in Italy, in the 16th century, most types of parma violets have lavender flowers of varying sizes. The d'Udine, for example, features large, bluish-lavender flowers and a strong perfume, whereas the Neapolitan displays much paler flowers, although very rarely - it seems to be far more selective about its living conditions.

There is, also, a single variety of white parma: the Comte De Brazza. Hardy, and with a sweetly delicate perfume, the Comte produces pure white blooms, which in some climates, produce pale blue tips when they are exposed to plenty of good, strong spring sunlight.

The origins of the parma violet are a source of some mystique. First imported into Naples a certain Count Brazza took the plant to Udine in the latter part of the 19th century. There are no records of his work, though it is widely believed that he made deliberate crossings to produce at least two varieties of parma. One of these is still available, whereas the other one is romantically believed to languish in some forgotten back garden somewhere, just waiting to be rediscovered.

Parma violets are widely believed to be sterile, and there is much store laid by their reproduction through cuttings. Armand Millet, French violet grower, proved this belief to be a myth, however, and with the right conditions any sturdy and content violet could well produce a seed pod.

The delicate purple flowers of the parma violet plant also give their name to a delicate, violet-scented sweet. Parma Violets, manufactured by Swizzels Matlow for decades, come in a cellophane roll.

The once much sought after Creme Yvette was a liqueur made of this particular strain of violets.

References

*cite journal |last=Malécot |first=Valéry |authorlink= |coauthors=Jérôme Munzinger, Roxana Yockteng and Max Henry |year=2007 |month= |title=On the origin of the sweet-smelling Parma violet cultivars (Violaceae): wide intraspecific hybridization, sterility, and sexual reproduction |journal=American Journal of Botany |volume=94 |issue= |pages=29–41 |id= |url=http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/abstract/94/1/29 |accessdate= 2007-10-15 |quote=|doi=10.3732/ajb.94.1.29|format=abstract

External links

* [http://www.sweetviolets.net/Spring2005/page4.html Parma Violets]


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  • Parma violet — a variety of the sweet violet, Viola odorata, that is the source of an essential oil used in perfumery. [1855 60; after PARMA, Italy] * * * …   Universalium

  • Parma violet — /pamə ˈvaɪələt/ (say pahmuh vuyuhluht) noun 1. a cultivar of Viola alba with durable, scented flowers ranging from light to deep purple. 2. a deep or medium shade of purple. {Parma, a city in N Italy + violet} …  

  • parma violet — n. a variety of sweet violet with heavy scent and lavender coloured flowers often crystallized for food decoration. Etymology: Parma in Italy …   Useful english dictionary

  • Parma violet — noun a scented sweet violet, crystallized and used for food decoration …   English new terms dictionary

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