Viola plant named 'Amy'

A new cultivar of Viola plant named ‘Amy’ that is distinguishable by compact basally branching habit, medium to large violet colored flowers with dark ray markings and striking bright orange eyes, and flowers which are heavily pleasantly fragrant. ‘Amy’ is hardy in USDA Zone 5 and blooms from early spring through fall.

GENUS AND SPECIES

VARIETY DENOMINATION

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety ofViola, botanically known asViola×hybridaand hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘Amy’. ‘Amy’ originated and was selected from a large population of hybrid seedlings from an open-pollinatedViolabreeding program which was started by the inventor in 2010. The breeding program was conducted in a greenhouse nursery in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. The aims of the breeding program were to produce a series of newViolavarieties exhibiting a range of flower colors borne on vigorous plants which are highly scented.

In spring 2011, the inventor organized open-pollination using combinations of selected unnamed and unreleased seedlings retained from previous breeding cycles. The male and female parents of ‘Amy’ are unknown. Seeds were harvested in late summer 2011, sown and grown over winter as seedlings which flowered in spring 2012. ‘Amy’ was selected by the inventor in spring 2012. The inventor selected ‘Amy’ together with the inventor's varieties ‘Bonny’, ‘Sunny Jim’ and ‘Sweetheart’, for their close similarity in plant habit and flower size and in order to create a consistent and uniform series.

‘Amy’ was first vegetatively propagated by the inventor in spring 2012 using asexual shoot cuttings. ‘Amy’ has been found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.

SUMMARY

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the distinguishing characteristics of the newViolacultivar named ‘Amy’. ‘Amy’ has not been tested under all possible conditions and phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, however, without any variance in genotype.

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom.

2. The foliage mound of ‘Amy’ is 10 cm in height and 15 cm in diameter in its first season of flowering.

3. ‘Amy’ exhibits medium to large single violet-colored blooms, reaching 3.8 cm in diameter, with dark ray markings and striking bright orange eyes.

5. ‘Amy’ does not require vernalization to initiate flowers.

6. ‘Amy’ blooms continually from spring until fall.

7. ‘Amy’ is hardy to USDA Zone 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

COMPARISON TO COMMERCIAL VARIETY

‘The closest comparison plant in commerce known to the inventor isViola cornuta‘Prince Henry’ (unpatented). ‘Prince Henry’ is raised as a seed strain and is variable in flower but is predominantly purple-mauve with a yellow eye. In comparison with ‘Prince Henry’, ‘Amy’ is markedly more branching, more floriferous and more fragrant.