- Botanical name: Viola odorata
- Common name: Sweet violet
- Family: Violaceae
- Plant Type: Perennial
Blue
Green
- Key features:
- Scented flowers
Sweet violet, Viola odorata, is a charming perennial, bearing tiny, strongly scented flowers over semi-evergreen foliage. It’s perfect for growing in a sheltered spot in light shade and can make good, light ground cover in a dappled woodland garden or under shrubs. A carpet of sweet violets makes fragrant ground cover in a rose bed, giving it a spectacular early flowering display leading up to the start of the rose season. Plants are easy to grow, and spread slowly.
How to grow sweet violets
Sow Viola odorata seeds in spring or autumn, either in pots or seed trays, or direct into a well-prepared seed bed. Plant out in moist soil in partial shade.
How to grow Viola odorata
-
Plant size
20cm height
30cm spread
-
Aspect
North facing, south facing, east facing, west facing
-
Position in border
Front
- Sun exposure: Dappled shade, full sun
- Hardiness: Hardy
- Soil type: Clay / heavy / moist / well drained / light / sandy
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | ||||||||||||
| Sow |
J
Do not Sow in January |
F
Do not Sow in February |
M
Do Sow in March |
A
Do Sow in April |
M
Do not Sow in May |
J
Do not Sow in June |
J
Do not Sow in July |
A
Do not Sow in August |
S
Do not Sow in September |
O
Do not Sow in October |
N
Do not Sow in November |
D
Do not Sow in December |
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Plant |
J
Do not Plant in January |
F
Do not Plant in February |
M
Do not Plant in March |
A
Do not Plant in April |
M
Do Plant in May |
J
Do Plant in June |
J
Do Plant in July |
A
Do Plant in August |
S
Do Plant in September |
O
Do not Plant in October |
N
Do not Plant in November |
D
Do not Plant in December |
| Flowers | ||||||||||||
| Flowers |
J
Plant does not flower in January |
F
Plant does not flower in February |
M
Plant does flower in March |
A
Plant does flower in April |
M
Plant does not flower in May |
J
Plant does not flower in June |
J
Plant does not flower in July |
A
Plant does not flower in August |
S
Plant does not flower in September |
O
Plant does not flower in October |
N
Plant does not flower in November |
D
Plant does not flower in December |
| Take cuttings | ||||||||||||
| Take cuttings |
J
Do not Take cuttings in January |
F
Do not Take cuttings in February |
M
Do not Take cuttings in March |
A
Do not Take cuttings in April |
M
Do Take cuttings in May |
J
Do Take cuttings in June |
J
Do not Take cuttings in July |
A
Do not Take cuttings in August |
S
Do not Take cuttings in September |
O
Do not Take cuttings in October |
N
Do not Take cuttings in November |
D
Do not Take cuttings in December |
Viola odorata and wildlife
Viola odorata has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
Is Viola odorata poisonous?
Viola odorata has no toxic effects reported.
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Cats
No reported toxicity to Dogs
No reported toxicity to Horses
No reported toxicity to Livestock
No reported toxicity to People
