Common Name:

General Information

Viola diffusa is an annual to perennial plant, branching from the base and producing procumbent stems that root at their ends to produce dense rosettes of leaves and flowers; the plant grows around 8cm tall[, , ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine.

Known Hazards

All members of this genus have more or less edible leaves and flower buds, though those species, like this one, that can have yellow flowers can cause diarrhoea if eaten in large quantities[, , ].

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - central and southern China, southern Japan, Nepal, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Philippines, New Guinea.

Habitat

Wasted slopes, stream edges, sparse forests and roadsides where they are damp and shady[]. Mountain forests, forest margins, grassy slopes, stream valleys, rock crevices; at elevations below 2,000 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.08 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Viola diffusa is found from the warm temperate regions of southern China to higher elevations in the tropics of southeast Asia, the Philippines and New Guinea[].
Prefers a cool 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[].
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[, , ].

Edible Uses

Young leaves and flower buds - raw or cooked[]. When added to soup they thicken it in much the same way as okra[, ]. The flowers of this species are usually purplish or yellowish[] - some caution is advised if the plant has yellow flowers since these can cause diarrhoea if eaten in large quantities[].

A tea can be made from the leaves[].

Medicinal

The whole plant is blood tonic and depurative. It aids tissue regeneration[]. It is used in the treatment of abscesses, aplastic anaemia, boils, cough, fever, gas, leukaemia, mastitis and mumps[].

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.