Common Name: Canada Violet

General Information

Viola canadensis is a herbaceous, perennial plant usually forming a clump of growth 3 - 46cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. It is grown as an ornamental in gardens where it can be used as a ground cover.

Known Hazards

All members of this genus have more or less edible leaves and flower buds, though those species with yellow flowers can cause diarrhoea if eaten in large quantities[, , ]. This species has mainly white flowers that are at first yellowish at the base then turn violet[].

Botanical References

, ,

Range

N. America - Yukon and British Colombia to Nova Scotia, south to California, northern Mexico, Arkansas and Georgia

Habitat

Riparian, coniferous or aspen forests, deciduous and mixed forests, cove hardwoods, northern hardwood forests, moist, shaded slopes, sandy, rich, or rocky soil, talus slopes, road cuts; at elevations from 50 - 3,600 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.20 m
Pollinators	Insects, Cleistogamous
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Viola canadensis is hardy to about -25°c[]. It grows best in more northerly latitudes, disliking hot summers[].
Easily grown in any fertile soil in full sun or partial shade[]. Prefers a cool position[] in a moist well-drained humus-rich soil in partial or dappled shade and protection from scorching winds[, ]. Tolerates sandstone and limestone soils but becomes chlorotic if the pH is too high. Prefers a pH between 6 and 6.5.
The plant can self-sow to the point of nuisance in gardens[].
All members of this genus have more or less edible leaves and flower buds, though those species with yellow flowers can cause diarrhoea if eaten in large quantities[, , ]. This species has mainly white flowers that are at first yellowish at the base then turn violet[].
There are some named varieties selected for their ornamental value[].
Like several other members of this genus, this species has two types of flower. The first type has petals and is pollinated by insects, the second type, known as cleistogamous, does not have petals, never opens, but self-fertilizes and produces fertile seed.

Edible Uses

Young leaves and flower buds - raw or cooked[, , ]. A very mild flavour, when boiled as greens they are best mixed with other stronger tasting leaves[]. When added to soup they thicken it in much the same way as okra[, , ].

Flowers - raw[, ].

The leaves are a good tea substitute[, , ].

Medicinal

A tea made from the roots has been used in the treatment of pain in the bladder region[, ].

The roots and leaves have traditionally been used to induce vomiting, they have also been poulticed and applied to skin abrasions and boils[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant can be used as a ground cover[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown in the autumn in a cold frame. Sow stored seed in early spring in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer.
Division in the autumn or just after flowering. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, though we have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.