Persian Violet seems to deepen before your eyes. Fine, ferny foliage first carries white flowers brushed with sky-blue edges; as the blossoms mature, the color gathers into a rich indigo-violet that gives each planting a beautifully layered look.
At 2–3 feet tall, this heirloom love-in-a-mist slips gracefully among perennials and airy grasses. Both the flowers and the striped, lantern-like seedpods lend uncommon texture to petite bouquets and dried arrangements.
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Botanical name: Nigella damascena
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Cultivar: Persian Violet
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Life cycle: Hardy annual
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Colors: White, sky blue, and indigo-violet
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Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
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Sowing: Direct sow from early spring through early summer; fall in mild climates
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Planting depth: 1/4 in.
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Germination: 10–15 days
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Mature height: 2–3 ft.
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Final spacing: 6 in.
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Approximate seed count: 245
Make several sowings for a longer season, then cut pods before they split for winter arrangements or leave a few to scatter seed naturally. Find more distinctive flowers in our flower seed packets.
