The night violet, which smells wonderful in the evening, is an easy-care contemporary that can be planted in the garden with ease.
The night violet, also known as Hesperis matronalis in technical jargon, has a reason for its name. After all, it is the case with this perennial plant that its flowers exude the most intense fragrance in the evening. Sometimes referred to as common night violet, this fragrant night bloomer also goes by the following names:
- Kilt
- Matron Flower
- Common Night Violet
- Red Night Violet
As a scent of moonlight, the night violet can also impress in the home hobby garden with its particularly long flowering period, whereby a second flowering after pruning is quite possible. The scent of the small flowers, which are usually purple, is not only beguiling, but also far-reaching. However, it is a rather short-lived plant that can only please its viewers with its pretty appearance for two years. The herbaceous plant with its lush flower clusters definitely attracts everyone's attention. This plant goes just as well with roses as it does in a pretty cottage garden.
If you want to bring the scent of the night violet, which is reminiscent of violets and contains a hint of cloves, into your home, you should only pick the flowers in the evening. In addition, the flowers can not only serve purely decorative purposes. The night violet blossoms look just as good in wonderful, pleasantly scented potpourris.
Profile of the night violet
The 2-year-old plant can reach a height of 60 to around 70 centimeters. The night violet feels most comfortable with a planting distance of 40 centimetres. This means that six to seven of these plants can be planted on one square meter of soil. However, you should know that the plant, which is perfect for an insect pasture, is slightly poisonous. The seeds of the night violet are the most poisonous. In moderation, however, they should be recommended against various chest diseases and coughs. In addition, the plant is also said to have a sweat-inducing and therefore he alth-promoting effect.
For the external characteristics of the plant,record this information:
- multi-headed, fusiform roots
- erect, branched, hirsute or almost glabrous stems
- Oval or lanceolate leaves, tapering to a point
- Flowering period: from April to July
- Flower coloration: from violet/purple to pink and white
- Flowers in racemes without any bracts
- Diameter of each flower: 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters
- 3 millimeter long seeds
Distribution of Night Violet
This species is not only native to southwest and central Asia, but also to Europe. The nocturnal violet can be found primarily at higher altitudes, while this is less common in the lowlands. The night violet has adorned cottage gardens in central Europe for several centuries. This has also led to the naturalization of the night violet in Germany. The herbaceous plant has also been widespread in North America since the 16th century. The fact that night violet is mainly found in stream and river valleys says a lot about the type of soil that the plant expressly prefers in its ideal location.
Meaning of the night violet in medicinal plants
Meanwhile, the night violet is only of secondary importance in medicinal plants. In the past, however, the seeds and the night violet leaves played a far more important role in naturopathy. In addition to the diaphoretic properties of this medicinal herb, the diuretic and expectorant properties were also valued.
In the case of gout, abscesses, gallstones, skin care, kidney stones and other stone diseases, the individual components of the night violet were therefore used both externally and internally. For example, a drink consisting of the juice of the night violet mixed with milk for internal use could be produced. Poultices made from the crushed leaves of the plant were used as a tried and tested home remedy for treating abscesses, for example.
However, in order to notice some of this promising effect, the plant components of the night violet had to be processed very fresh. Caution was also required when collecting the night violet in the wild. From a purely optical point of view, the night violet looks very similar to the gold lacquer, to which it is also related, and is therefore not that easy for laypeople to distinguish from its cousin.
The perfect location for the night violet
The night violet is very suitable for a sunny location, even if the plant withshade as well as semi-shady locations without any problems. In addition, the soil in the preferred location of the plant should be as rich in nutrients as possible. A humic and permeable soil is also a must so that the kilt can thrive wonderfully. The soil may also be slightly damp and as loose as possible. A stony-sandy loam soil is therefore considered ideal for planting the common night violet. The soil must not tend to waterlogging, as this could harm the night violet. Ideally, the pH value of the soil should be in the neutral to slightly alkaline range.
In addition to the scented and cut plants, these plant partners are doing particularly well:
- Umbelliferous Bellflower
- Armenian Cranesbill
- White Willowherb
- Columbine Meadow Rue
- Mountain Knapweed
Care of the Night Violet
The common night violet is a rather low-maintenance species. For hobby gardeners, this means that the maintenance effort is very low. Just don't neglect the following maintenance measures:
❍ Water & fertilize:
The night violet must not dry out under any circumstances if it is to thrive magnificently. It is therefore important to water the perennial plant at regular intervals, but without keeping it too moist. Because the night violet would not get that. The night violet never needs to be fertilized.
❍ Pruning:
It only makes sense to cut back after flowering. This is recommended, for example, if the perennial plant has a tendency to fall apart a lot. Even if self-seeding of the night violet is to be prevented, it is definitely advisable to cut back the plant in good time.
If the night violet is cut back immediately after the first flowering, it will even flower a second time. Therefore, pruning makes sense in order to be able to enjoy the lovely violet scent longer in the evening.
❍ Overwintering:
Since the night violet is used to the local regions and is native to this country, it is very frost hardy. Thus, the perennial plant can easily overwinter in the garden. Even in winter, the night violet retains its green colour, although the flowers only shine in their colorful splendor in summer.
❍ Diseases and pests:
Normally, the night violet does not have to struggle with pests or diseases. Only excessive moisture can lead to the perennial plant dying in the long run. snailsare not interested in the Red Night Violet.
How can the night violet be propagated?
The propagation of the common night violet is possible, for example, via the slightly poisonous seeds of the plant. You can sow them outdoors from April. Fresh garden soil is ideal for this. However, you can also play it safe by using special seed or propagation trays. The best germination success can be achieved in these bowls at temperatures of a good 20 degrees Celsius. Temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees Celsius should prevail outdoors so that the night violet seeds can germinate as desired within one to two weeks.
You can also carefully divide the plant in spring and autumn to propagate it. A division even contributes to the rejuvenation of the perennial plant.