Common Name: Palmate Violet

General Information

Viola palmata is a stemless, herbaceous perennial plant growing from a thick, fleshy rhizome; it forms a mat of growth around 6 - 50cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. The plant is grown as an ornamental in gardens.

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[, , ]. The flowers of this species are blue.

Botanical References

, 274

Range

Eastern N. America - Iowa to Ontario and Massachusetts, south to New Mexico, Texas and Florida

Habitat

Rich deciduous woods, shaded calcareous ledges etc[]. Dry to mesic woods, thickets, disturbed ground; at elevations up to 2,500 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.12 m
Pollinators	Insects, Cleistogamous
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a dry soil[]. Prefers a cool moist well-drained humus-rich soil in partial or dappled shade and protection from scorching winds. Tolerates sandstone and limestone soils[].
Self-sows freely[].
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[, , ].
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[, ]. The leaves have a mucilaginous texture and when added to soup they thicken it in much the same way as okra[, , , , ].

Flowers - raw or added to jams etc[, ].

A tea can be made from the leaves[].

Medicinal

The bruised leaves are mucilaginous - they are used as an emollient application[].

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.