Tree Violet (Hymenanthera dentata)

Taxonomy and growth

Family: Violaceae
Genus: Hymenanthera
Life cycle: perennial
Foliage: evergreen
Woodiness: woody
Height: 6 m
Flower type: hermaphrodite

Uses

Material uses

A light-fast purple dye is obtained from the berries^[2]. The plant makes a good screen or hedge^[3]. It is unlikely to be of any use for this purpose in Britain due to its tenderness[K]. Wood - hard, bright yellow. Used for turnery^[2].

Product or use: Dye

Product or use: Wood

Ecology and functions

Hedge

Environment

Range: Australia - New South Wales, Victoria.
Habitat: River banks and on basalt and silurian soils to high elevations^[2].
Light: full sun
Shade tolerance: no shade
Water: moderate
Hardiness: Zone 9+
Soil textures: sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH: acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage: well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil: No
Drought: intolerant

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in late winter or early spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 4 - 5cm with a heel, July/August in a headily shaded frame. Pot up in spring. Good percentage^[6]. Cuttings of mature side-shoots, 4 - 5cm with a heel, October/November in a cold frame. Lift in the following April. High percentage^[6].

Cultivation

Succeeds in a sunny position in most soils^[4]. Prefers a moderately fertile well-drained but moisture-retentive soil in a sunny sheltered position^[5]. Plants are frost-tender and so cannot be grown outdoors in Britain^[1]. They tolerate temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens^[3] though this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder and wetter winters. An alpine form of this species does exist and this should be hardier than the type^[3]. The very closely related H. angustifolia. DC., which is considered by some botanists to be no more than a variety of this species, is quite hardy at Kew and is said to tolerate temperatures down to about -10°c^[5]. Even if the two plants are separate species, then H. angustifolia is likely to have the same uses as this plant[K].

Melicytus ramiflorusWhitey Wood
Viola acuminata
Viola aduncaWestern Dog Violet
Viola bifloraTwoflower Violet

References

F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
↩
Ewart. A. J. Flora of Victoria.
↩1 ↩2 ↩3
Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M. Australian Native Plants. Collins. (Australia) 1988-00-00 ISBN 0-7322-0021-0
↩1 ↩2 ↩3
Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
↩
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
↩1 ↩2
Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00
↩1 ↩2