Practical
Plants

Hottonia palustris

Water Violet

a perennial member of the Hottonia genus in the family Primulaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
0.9 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Insects, Cleistogamous
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects, Cleistogamous

Uses

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant is used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for prescribing it are 'Pride' and 'Aloofness'[3].

Product or use
Bach

Environment

Range
North and central Europe, including Britain, south to northern Italy, east to Siberia.
Habitat
Ponds and ditches[1].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
aquatic
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in pots of soil standing in water and only just cover the seed[2]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division or cuttings in the spring. Just throw them into the water or place them into the submerged marginal mud[2].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A vigorous water plant, either rooting in the mud a few centimetres below water level, or floating in the water[2]. Plants overwinter by means of winter resting buds which sink to the bottom of the pond until the following spring[2]. Plants are useful oxygenators of the water[2]. The flowers have a delicate mossy scent rather like the primrose or the fading perfume of the violet[4].

References

  1. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩

  2. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  3. Chancellor. P. M. Handbook of the Bach Flower Remedies C. W. Daniel Co. Ltd. 1985-00-00 ISBN 85207 002 0

    ↩

  4. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩

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