Common Name: Wood Violet

General Information

Viola riviniana is a herbaceous perennial forming a cluster of growth up to 20cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. 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[, , ]. The flowers of this species are blue.

Botanical References

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Range

Europe - Norway to Portugal, east to Ukraine, Greece, Bulgaria; N. Africa - Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia; W. Asia - Leanon

Habitat

Woods, hedgebanks, heaths, pastures and mountain rocks on all types of soil that are not too wet[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.15 m
Pollinators	Bees, Lepidoptera
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

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.
A good butterfly plant[].
The plant flowers mainly during April to June. Like several other members of this genus, however, it also produces a second types of flower later in the season. Whilst 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[].
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[, ].

Flowers and buds - raw[].

A tea can be made from the leaves[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

Plants can be grown as a ground cover when spaced about 30cm apart each way[].

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.