1 / 12

Viola odorata

sweet violet

Violaceae Europe, western Asia, North Africa

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Fragrant (strong)Container Friendly

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 4–8

Overview

Viola odorata is a low, stoloniferous perennial in the violet family, forming spreading clumps 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) tall and 8-16 inches (20-40 cm) wide from a basal rosette and creeping runners. The heart-shaped to kidney-shaped leaves are 0.8-2.4 inches (2-6 cm) long, scalloped, and held on long stalks, forming a dense, low mound. In late winter and early spring it bears solitary, sweetly scented flowers about 0.6-0.8 inch (15-20 mm) across on slender stalks, usually deep violet-purple but also white or pink in some forms, with five petals and a short spur. Later in the season it also produces closed, self-pollinating flowers near the ground that set most of the seed. The plant spreads by runners that root at the tips, knitting into a weed-suppressing groundcover in shade and part shade. It can seed and run beyond its intended spot, naturalizing into lawns and borders. The foliage is semi-evergreen, fading in hard winters and dry summers.

Native Range

Native to Europe, western Asia, and North Africa, growing in woodland, hedge banks, scrub, and grassy verges. It has been cultivated for centuries and has naturalized widely, including in North America.

Suggested Uses

Used as a fragrant groundcover under shrubs and trees, along shaded paths, and in cottage and woodland gardens, spaced 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) apart. The early flowers are cut for small posies and have long been used in perfumery and as a culinary garnish. The blooms supply nectar for early bees and other spring pollinators.

How to Identify

Recognized by heart-shaped, scalloped leaves on long stalks and solitary, sweetly fragrant violet-purple flowers held just above the foliage in early spring. The fragrance separates it from the scentless dog-violets, and the rooting runners distinguish it from clump-forming violets that spread only by seed. Hairs on the leaf stalks point downward.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height4" - 6"

Width/Spread8" - 1'4"

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Winter Spring

Fragrant flowers open from February to April, among the earliest of the season, lasting several weeks. A few plants rebloom lightly in autumn in mild climates. Closed self-pollinating flowers follow in summer and produce most of the seed.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Violet-purple, also white or pink

Foliage Description

Dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Requires 2-6 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam silt chalk

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years to fill in

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in part to full shade on moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil of neutral to slightly alkaline pH. It tolerates a range of soils but needs steady moisture in the growing season and may go dormant in dry summers. Plants are hardy to about -30F (-34C) in zones 4-8 and need no winter protection. A mulch of leaf mold keeps the roots cool and feeds the spreading runners. It self-sows and runs freely, so it may need thinning to stay within bounds. No feeding is needed in a woodland setting.

Pruning

No formal pruning is needed for this low groundcover. Tattered foliage can be sheared off in late winter to make way for the flowers and fresh leaves. Runners and self-sown seedlings can be lifted in spring or autumn to control spread or to propagate.