Growing Guide
 
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Violet, Sweet

Herbaceous Perennial Flower

Also known as Garden Violet, English Violet, Florist’s Violet
Viola odorata
Violaceae Family

The sweet scent of the Garden Violet’s dainty blooms brings the essence of springtime to the garden. Spreads by rhizomes and self-seeding.

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Site Characteristics
Sunlight:
  • full sun
  • part shade

Soil conditions:

  • requires well-drained soil
Prefers moist but well-drained soil.

Hardiness zones:

  • 5 to 8
Plant Traits

Lifecycle: perennial

Ease-of-care: easy

Height: 0.5 to 1 feet

Spread: 0.5 to 1 feet

Bloom time:

  • mid-spring
  • late spring

Flower color:

  • blue
  • violet
  • white

Often violet but also white and shades of rose and blue.

Foliage color: dark green

Shape: cushion, mound or clump

Shape in flower: same as above

Flowers borne slightly above the foliage.

Special Considerations
Special characteristics:
  • non-aggressive - Spreads by rhizomes and self-seeding, but not too hard to contain.
  • non-invasive
  • not native to North America - Native to Europe, Asia.
  • fragrant - Flowers have a unique pleasing fragrance.
Special uses:
Growing Information
How to plant:

Propagate by seed, division or separation - Sow the seeds in late summer. Divide in early spring or late fall. Cut the plants back by ½ before dividing to minimize stress on the plant.

Maintenance and care:
Keep the soil moist but not soggy.

More growing information: How to Grow Perennials

Pests:
Green peach aphid
Citrus mealybug
Mites
Celery (greenhouse) leaftier
Sawfly
Slugs and snails
Varieties
‘Alba’: pure white blooms.

‘Clive Groves’: deep violet-purple blooms.

‘Rosina’: rose colored blooms with deeper rose blotching near the flower’s throat.

‘Royal Robe’: blue-purple blooms with tiny white “eye.”

‘White Czar’: white blooms with cream-colored throats and purple veining on the bottom petal.

‘Queen Charlotte’: deep blue blooms. Prolific self-seeder.