Low-growing ground cover with intensely fragrant deep-purple flowers in earliest spring. Flowers and leaves edible and medicinal.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 3–8 | −40 °C to −6.7 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H7 | down to −20 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 3–8 | −34 °C to −1 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 1–4 | −15 °C to 5 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- One of the first flowers to bloom — a reliable late-winter / early-spring seasonal marker
- Larval food plant for fritillary butterflies — silver-washed, dark green, and pearl-bordered all depend on Viola species
- Flowers traditionally crystallised as cake decorations
- Spreads by runners and seed
- Always consult a qualified medical or herbal practitioner before using any plant medicinally
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Sweet violet against your zones