About
A herbaceous perennial up to 20cm high with rather weak stems, green leaves, the lower ones rhombic or rounded and the upper ones oblong or linear, and flowers, 3.5cm long, whose petals do not overlap, and which are sometimes yellow, but usually violet-purple with darker rays and white and yellow centres, from spring to early summer in the wild, but in cultivation may be from spring to autumn.
About the genus
Viola can be annuals, biennials or deciduous or evergreen perennials, with simple or pinnately lobed leaves and 5-petalled flowers of characteristic shape
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeChalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, East-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH4
Plant details
Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial
HabitClump forming
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCoastal, Mediterranean climate plants, City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Rock garden
Native toCorsica, Sardinia
Care notes
CultivationGrow in well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade
PruningNo pruning required
PropagationPropagate by seed, sown in containers in a cold frame as soon as ripe or in spring, or by division in spring or autumn, or by stem-tip softwood cuttings in spring or late summer; it will also self-seed
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to slugs, snails, aphids, glasshouse red spider mite, and violet gall midge
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to pansy leaf spot, pansy downy mildew, mosaic virus diseases, rust diseases, and powdery mildews