Viola

( VYE - ol - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus of annuals and perennials includes flowers commonly referred to as Violet or Pansy that need regular water for best performance. Their exposure needs vary depending on the individual species. Violas and Pansies are mainly used as garden annuals that bloom in winter, spring and summer in sun or partial shade. Violets, on the other hand, are more commonly seen in woodland or rock garden settings, where they grow in full to partial shade. Violets can have flowers that are normal (conspicuous flowers that sit above the foliage to be pollinated in order to set seed) or cleistogamous (those which are inconspicuous, but set seed without pollination). They can spread via runners and may bully other small plants. Grow Violas in mixed beds and borders, alongside spring bulbs, in containers or hanging baskets, or simply as borders along pathways.

Viola Species and Varietals

The genus Viola is the type member of the plant family Violaceae and includes over 680 species. The best growing zones for Viola vary depending on the species. For more information see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Viola adunca (California Sweet Violet, Western Dog Violet, Hookspur Violet, Early Blue Violet)
This species grows well in zones 1-9 and 14-24, and is native to the coastal regions and Sierra Foothills in central California, the Pacific Northwest and all the way East to New England. They can reach between 3 and 6 inches tall and spread indefinitely by stolons and seeds. Leaves are dark green and flowers are lavender0blue with white petal bases and bright orange stigmas. This species produces very fragrant blooms that flower well in cooler temperatures in fall to spring. They prefer to be shaded in summer and have about a half day's sun in wintertime. Western Dog Violet can be invasive due to its spreading and free-seeding nature, and can handle various soils, exposures, and mild droughts.

Viola arborescens (Tree Violet, Shrubby Violet)
These plants can reach between 6 and 10 inches tall when in bloom, and are very cold-hardy. This species produces flowers all winter long, ending in early springtime. They are native to France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Algeria, the Balearic Islands, and Sardinia. Species flower color is typically light purple or mauve, but cultivars have flowers in magenta, gold, dark purple, maroon, and off-white.

Viola arvensis (Field Pansy)
This species is native to Europe, western Asia, and North Africa, and is distributed worldwide as an introduced species which colonizes cultivated and disturbed soils. These annuals have serrated leaves and white flowers with yellow lower lobes. Sometimes, the tops of the blooms will be flushed with purple. Individual plants reach up to 8 inches tall.

Viola bakeri (Baker's Violet)
Native to the western United States, this species prefers to grow in forest openings. It grows from a woody taproot, reaching to about a foot tall when mature. Leaves are lance-shaped and green, and flowers are held singly atop stems. Blooms have five petals, the lower three of which are marked with brown veins, and the upper pair flushed with purple or brown on their outer surfaces.

Viola beckwithii (Great Basin Violet, Beckwith's Violet, Sagebrush Pansy)
These plants are native to the western United States. They are perennials, forming decumbent or erect stems about 8.5 inches long (or tall), often with some of their length under the soil surface. Leaves are fleshy and green, and flowers are shades of purple, with upper petals darker than the lowers. Centers are yellow to orange-yellow.

Viola canadensis (Canadian White, Canada Violet, Tall White Violet, White Violet)
These perennials are widespread in their native range, which includes most of Canada and the United States. Flowers are white with yellow centers, and are sometimes streaked with various shades of purple. Petals are tinged purple on their undersides. Foliage is green and heart-shaped. These plants are considered endangered with extinction in some areas of their native range.

Viola cornuta (Viola, Tufted Pansy, Horned Pansy, Horned Violet)
Great in all zones as an annual, this species can be grown as a perennial in zones 1-10 and 14-24. They reach 6-8 inches tall and 8 inches wide, with wavy leaves and purple flowers .Strains and varieties have larger flowers and come in a variety of solid or blotched colors, including purple, blue, apricot, yellow, red and white. English Violas under this species name reach 2 feet wide and are more reliable as perennial flowers.

Viola corsica (Corsican Violet)
Native to Corsica and Sardinia, this species grows well in zones 2b-10 and 14-24, and forms a mound 6-10 inches tall and just as wide. Foliage has a trailing habit and produces violet-blue flowers blotched with purple and white. Flowers pop from spring through fall, and will produce seeds that reseed freely. This species needs full sun to partial shade and likes well-draining soil amended with organic matter. Corsican Violet can handle extremes in temperatures and is a great addition to rock gardens.

Viola cotyledon (Hierba de Corazon)
These evergreen perennials are native to Argentina and Chile, and reach about 20 inches tall when mature and in bloom. Plants form dense basal clusters of semi-succulent leaves from which flowering stems emerge in the summertime. Flower color varies from white through violet to dark blue. Hardy to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, but needs a sheltered position in well-draining soil with lots of sunlight.

Viola cucullata (Hooded Blue Violet, Blue Marsh Violet, Purple Violet, Bog Violet)
These plants are native to eastern North America, and form low-growing perennial plants. Individuals reach about 8 inches tall when mature, and produce green foliage. Flowers range in color from white to violet or dark blue. This species prefers habitats such as wet meadows, prairies, and fields.

Viola cuneata (Wedge-Leaf Violet)
These plants are native to southwestern Oregon and northwestern California. They typically are found growing in coastal mountain ranges in serpentine soils. They grow from rhizome, and produce purple-veined basal leaves with long petioles. Flowers bloom atop slender stems, and are white with yellow bases. The upper petals typically have purple spotting. Outer petal surfaces can be deep purple to red, often with purple veining.

Viola decumbens (Wild Violet)
These small, woody-based shrubs reach up to 10 inches tall and produce somewhat succulent green leaves. Flowers are lightly scented and purple, often with violet or darker purple veining. These flowers are endemic to the southern Western Cape province of South Africa, where they bloom between July and December.

Viola glabella (Stream Violet, Pioneer Violet)
Stream Violets are native to moist woods and streambanks in northeastern Asia and northwestern North America. Petals are yellow on both sides, and interiors of flowers have dark veining. They bloom from April to July, and are deciduous, completely dying back to the ground each fall and returning the following spring. Leaves are large and green. Individual plants reach up to 4 inches tall and twice as wide.

Viola hallii (Oregon Violet, Hall's Violet)
These wildflowers, native to southwestern Oregon and northwestern California, typically grow in open areas with gravelly soil. They reach about 8.5 inches tall when in bloom, and produce strappy, flattened greyish-green foliage. Flowers are bicolored white and purple, and have yellow-orange centers with darker markings.

Viola hederacea (Australian Violet)
This species grows in zones 7-9 and 14-24 and is native to Australia. It reaches 1-4 inches tall and spreads slowly by runners, eventually covering a few feet wide. Summertime flowers bloom in violet, blue or white, and commonly have veining in the throat. This species is used as a groundcover in lightly shaded areas of the garden. If planted in sun, Australian Violet needs ample amounts of water to perform well. These plants will go dormant around thirty degrees Fahrenheit. Choice variety 'Baby Blue' has sky blue flowers.

Viola kitaibeliana (Dwarf Violet)
These plants are native to the Canary Islands and across Europe. They are annuals, and prefer to grow in areas with disturbed or grazed soils. They typically don't reach over 5 inches tall when mature, hence the common name Dwarf Violet. Flowers are white to light violet, with purple-marked upper petals and yellow centers. Foliage and flowering stems are green.

Viola lanceolata (Lance-Leaved Violet, Bog White Violet)
These ornamentals are typically found growing in boggy or very moist soils near bodies of water. They are native to North America, and bloom between the months of May and June. These plants frequently hybridize with Viola primulifolia; they grow in close proximity in their native ranges. Blooms are white with yellow to yellow-orange centers, and have purple veining on their lower petals.

Viola lobata (Pine Violet, Yellow Wood Violet)
This species of Violet is native to an area that ranges from southern Oregon through California and down into Baja California, Mexico. They typically grow in mountain ranges and foothills in woodlands and other habitats. Leaves are large, deeply lobed, and green, and individual plants reach just under 20 inches tall. Flowers are yellow with purple to brownish veining. Upper petals have purple to brown undersides.

Viola mandshurica (Northeastern Violet, Sparrow Flower)
These plants are native to China, Korea, Siberia, Mongolia, and Russia, and grow in a variety of habitats, from woodlands to urban areas, mountainous landscapes, and plains. Flowers are purple, and bloom between April and May. Flowers are sometimes used to make Flower Pancakes in the plant's native range.

Viola nephrophylla (Northern Bog Violet, Leconte Violet, Kidney-Leaved Violet)
These plants are annual or perennial, depending on the climate they are grown in. They are native to North America, and the species was named by Edward Lee Greene in 1896. This species typically grows in moist meadows and open woods, but also grow in bogs and wetland areas. It is considered endangered in some areas of its native range.

Viola odorata (Sweet Violet, Wood Violet, English Violet, Common Violet, Florist's Violet, Garden Violet)
This species of Viola grows well in zones 1-24 and reaches 8 inches tall and a foot and a half wide. It can spread widely by seed and runners and can become a pest in the garden if not contained. Flowers are fragrant and come in deep violet, bluish-rose or white. Leaves are dark green. Can take full sun in cool-summer areas. For a neater appearance in springtime, remove runners and shear in late fall, and apply fertilizer in early springtime.

Viola palmata (Viola triloba) (Trilobed Violet, Early Blue Violet)
These flowering plants are native to southern Ontario and the central and eastern United States. It is an introduced species in Austria, Germany, and Japan. They typically grow in hardwood forests. Flowers are purple with darker violet flushing towards and dark purple lining. Centers are yellowish.

Viola pedata (Birdfoot Violet, Bird's Foot Violet, Mountain Pansy)
These plants are native to central and eastern North America. There are multiple forms of this species with varying flower colors, one with solid pink-lilac-lavender flowers, and another with deep red-purple upper petals and pink-lilac-lavender lower petals. There is also a white flowered form.

Viola pedatifida (Paririe Violet, Crow-Foot Violet, Larkspur Violet, Coastal Violet)
These plants reach between 2 and 12 inches tall when in bloom, and produce violet flowers and deeply divided dark green leaves. Flowers bloom between March and June and are bicolored light violet and white. This species is native to Canada and the United States.

Viola pedunculata (California Golden Violet, Johnny-Jump-Up, Yellow Pansy)
These plants are perennial wildflowers which grow across the coast and coastal ranges of California and northwestern Baja California. They prefer to grow in open, grassy areas, chaparral landscapes, and oak woodlands. Plants are typically low-growing, but have the potential to reach up to 6 inches tall.

Viola reichenbachiana (Early Dog-Violet, Pale Wood Violet, Slender Wood Violet, Hedge Violet, Wood Dog Violet)
These plants are native to Eurasia, and produce heart-shaped green foliage. Flowers are purple, and typically bloom in spring and summertime. The common name Dog Violet refers to the flowers being scentless, apparently making it only fit for dogs to smell.

Viola sororia (Dooryard Violet, Wooly Blue Violet)
Best in zones 1-11 and 14-24, this species is native to Eastern and Central North America, and reaches 4-6 inches tall and 8 inches wide. Self-sows freely. Leaves can be hairy or smooth, and early summertime flowers come in a range of colors from red-violet to blue to white. They are great when used as groundcover under shrubs. Popular varieties include 'Albiflora' (white flowers with yellow throats), 'Freckles' (white flowers spotted with blue) and 'Priceana' (also called Confederate Violet; white with dark veining in the throat).

Viola tricolor (Johnny-Jump-Up, Wild Pansy, Heartsease, Heart's Ease, Heart's Delight, Tickle-My-Fancy, Come-and-Cuddle-Me, Pink Of My John)
This species grows well in all zones and is native to Europe and Asia. Forming a foliage clump 6-12 inches tall and just as wide, this plant produces purple and yellow or blue and yellow flowers in springtime. Hybrids of this species have flowers in violet, blue white, yellow, lavender, mauve, apricot, orange, and red, and can be solid-colored or marked with contrasting hues.

Viola trinervata (Sagebrush Violet)
This species of wildflower is native to eastern Washington and Oregon. These are low-growing plants, producing showy flowers in springtime. Blooms are typically pink to mauve in color, with darker maroon to purple upper petals and lower blotchmarks. Centers are white and yellow with striped patterning.

Viola ucriana (Viola de Ucria)
These plants are endemic to Sicily, Italy, where they grow in Mediterranean shrubby vegetation and rocky areas. They are perennial evergreens with light peach-colored flowers with yellow centers and dark brown to violet central linear markings.

Viola x wittrockiana (Pansy)
This species grows in all zones, with a bushy habit reaching 6-10 inches tall and 9-12 inches wide, with flowers that can come in white, blue, mahogany, red, rose, yellow, apricot, purple, and bicolored or multicolored blends of these colors. Many have dark blotches on the lower petals. Leaves are shiny green. There are many varieties of this species sold.

Caring for Viola

Violas are typically purchased as starts from nurseries, but can also be grown from seed or planted using divisions of an existing plant in the landscape. Shrubby Violas should be spaced 6-8 inches apart, and more trailing types should be planted 10-12 inches apart. Install these classic ornamentals in a space in the landscape that receives full sun to partial shade. They prefer to be situated in well-draining soil that is moderately fertile and that has a pH of between 6.0 and 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Mulch around the base of plants to increase soil moisture retention, suppress weed growth, and to maintain consistent soil temperatures. Water new plantings regularly to help them establish a strong root system. They need regular waterings (about two inches of water per week) when mature. When growing Violas in window boxes, containers, or hanging baskets, make sure to irrigate daily, especially if temperatures rise above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Take care to not overwater, however, as they are susceptible to developing root rot.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with a application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. These plants are not heavy feeders, and this should be sufficient to provide the necessary nutrients for the active growing and flowering seasons. Prune off dead, damaged, or diseased foliage at any time to improve appearance. Spent flowers can be dedheaded (unless you will be collecting seeds for propagation), which will clean up the look of the plant and encourage more blooms to emerge. Annual species of Violas are dug up and tossed at the end of the growing season. Perennial species can be left in the ground, and cut back in early springtime to improve structure and encourage vigorous growth and blooming. Every so often, especially if perennial species are grown in cramped spaces or containers, they may need to be divided, depending on how vigorously they have been growing. A good rule of thumb is to divide when the performance (either foliage or flowering) declines. For instructions on how to successfully divide Viola plants, see the Propagation section below.

Propagation

Viola, or Pansy, can be propagated by division, cutting or seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the division or cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant, especially if you are propagating a hybrid cultivar. To propagate your Pansies, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Viola by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
Harvest your seeds. The seed heads on plants are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will continue to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
Get your container prepared. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 2-6 weeks from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Propagating Viola by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
In early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 3-4 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new plant.

Propagating Viola by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil (any kind will do, though it does need to be well-draining), compost and pots (only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in very early spring (after the plant has entered dormancy, but before it has begun its new spring growth), and needs to be done every few years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagating the plants for best performance. To propagate by division, follow these steps:

Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the root(s). Once you have worked it up out of the ground, lay it out.
Start to tease apart the roots with your fingers. Once the roots are untangled, separate your plant into segments, ensuring that each one has at least one thick root section attached.
Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost to complete this task. Then, plant your divisions and water thoroughly.
Apply a thick layer of mulch over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout in the next growing season.