Viola odorata (Vt)

RHS Plant Profile
sweet violet

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sweet violet RHS 2003
sweet violet visionspictures.com

Other common names

English violet, florist's violet, garden violet, March violet, sweet pansy

Herbaceous Perennial
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a rhizomatous perennial forming a loose mat of heart-shaped leaves with fragrant violet or white flowers 2cm across in late winter and early spring

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

Up to 10 cm

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
Up to 10 cm

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or North–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H6

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Violaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
Yes
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Matforming
Genus
Viola can be annuals, biennials or deciduous or evergreen perennials, with simple or pinnately lobed leaves and 5-petalled flowers of characteristic shape
Name Status
Correct
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea

Violets are stoloniferous perennials with small, highly fragrant, self-coloured purple, blue or white flowers in late winter and early spring
Plant Range
Europe

How to Grow

Cultivation

Excellent for wild or woodland garden. Grow in moist but well-drained soil

Propagation

Propagate by seed or division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Wildlife gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildflower meadow
  • Low Maintenance
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Underplanting of roses and shrubs

Pruning

Deadhead to prolong flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, snails, glasshouse red spider mite and violet gall midge

Diseases

May be susceptible to pansy leaf spot and powdery mildews