April 2024 - 26

CULTURE REPORT
Product
Information
Cultivating
the beauty of
'SViolailver Gem'
After 20 years, this
wild variant is now
an excellent pick for
your perennial program
BOTANICAL NAME
Viola walteri 'Silver Gem'
FAMILY
Violaceae
USDA Hardiness Zones
6-8
SUN EXPOSURE
Full shade to part sun
NATIVE RANGE
Eastern U.S. from Pennsylvania to Texas
MATURE PLANT SIZE
3-5 inches tall, 10-15 inches wide
Finish
Culture
RECOMMENDED FINISH SIZE
Quart; 1- and 2-gallon
WATER REQUIREMENTS
Well-drained, with even moisture ranging
between a level 4 and 2 to avoid disease
GROWING MEDIUM
Well-draining soil mix
BY ARDEN PONTASCH
A
t North Creek Nurseries,
a wholesale propagation
nursery in southeastern
Pennsylvania with a strong emphasis
on North American native plants,
we pride ourselves on growing
plants that stand the test of time.
That test begins in our trial gardens
and expands to every inch of the
company, as we constantly assess
the resiliency of each plant within our
internal greenhouse and production
processes, too.
The means by which a plant is
introduced to the nursery trade,
while often nuanced, is also often a
testament to the character of those
plantsmen who know when a plant
that is worthy of said nuance has
graced their gardens.
26
APRIL 2024 GPNMAG.COM
While the path to introduction has
been somewhat circuitous for Viola
walteri 'Silver Gem', the charisma
of the striking - almost glowing -
silvery foliage and the dainty lavender
flowers, which float effortlessly above
the stretching tendrils, make this
plant a horticultural specialty to add
to your perennial product lineup for
2024 and beyond.
'Silver Gem' was first discovered
along a tributary of the Little Cahaba
River in Bibb County, Alabama, in 2003
by Rick Lewandowski, then director
of Mt. Cuba Center in Hockessin,
Delaware, and Fred Spicer from the
Chicago Botanic Garden. This wild
seedling variant was spotted in the
rich woodlands, near an exposed
cedar glade on a dolomitic limestone
RECOMMENDED pH
5.5-6.2
FERTILIZER
Feed established plants at
75-150 ppm Nitrogen
PESTS/DISEASES
Botrytis, Thielaviopsis and
Powdery Mildew due to persistent wet
PROPAGATION METHOD
Tissue culture
PLUG TRAY SIZES OFFERED
LP32 and 72
Production
Seasons for 2024
WINTER: week 1 and 3
SPRING: week 20 and 22
AUTUMN: week 38 and 51;
week 3 of 2025

http://www.GPNMAG.COM

April 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2024

Table of Contents
Editor's Report | Plant health and chemistry
Plant Health | Investing in your plant health
Pest Management | Rotating chemical treatments
Growing Media | Hand-in-hand
Plant Nutrition | What if plants could talk?
Forty Under 40 Perspectives | Frost protection using irrigation
Culture Report | Cultivating the beauty of Viola 'Silver Gem'
Dr. Bugs | Resulting resistance
Product Marketplace
Industry News/Events
Classifieds/Ad Index
April 2024 - 1
April 2024 - 2
April 2024 - Table of Contents
April 2024 - Editor's Report | Plant health and chemistry
April 2024 - 5
April 2024 - Plant Health | Investing in your plant health
April 2024 - 7
April 2024 - 8
April 2024 - 9
April 2024 - Pest Management | Rotating chemical treatments
April 2024 - 11
April 2024 - Growing Media | Hand-in-hand
April 2024 - 13
April 2024 - 14
April 2024 - 15
April 2024 - 16
April 2024 - 17
April 2024 - 18
April 2024 - 19
April 2024 - Plant Nutrition | What if plants could talk?
April 2024 - 21
April 2024 - 22
April 2024 - 23
April 2024 - Forty Under 40 Perspectives | Frost protection using irrigation
April 2024 - 25
April 2024 - Culture Report | Cultivating the beauty of Viola 'Silver Gem'
April 2024 - 27
April 2024 - Dr. Bugs | Resulting resistance
April 2024 - 29
April 2024 - Product Marketplace
April 2024 - 31
April 2024 - 32
April 2024 - Industry News/Events
April 2024 - Classifieds/Ad Index
April 2024 - 35
April 2024 - 36
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/2024-guide-to-cannabis-production
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/november-december-2023
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/new-varieties-digital-guide-2024
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-july-2023
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/2023-guide-to-hemp-production
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-january-2023
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/2023-guide-to-cannabis-production
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/november-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/gpn-new-varieties-digital-guide-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/may-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/cannabisguide-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/hempguide-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/newvarieties-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-november-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/november-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/cannabisguide-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/hempguide-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/newvarieties-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/californiaspringtrials-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/cannabisguide-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/hempguide-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/december-2019
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