Common Violet

How to grow Common Violet

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Plant in autumn or spring at the foot of a hedge, under deciduous shrubs or along a shady path edge. It spreads by runners into a low mat and copes with the dry shade of a hedge base better than most woodlanders.

Pruning

No pruning needed. Clear old and mildewed leaves in late summer or autumn to let the new growth and next spring's flowers show.

Propagation

Detach rooted runners in autumn or spring, or divide clumps. It also self-sows, and seed is often carried off and distributed by ants.

Pests and diseases

Violet leaf midge causes thickened, rolled leaves. Red spider mite and powdery mildew appear on dry, sunbaked plants; rust also occurs.

Value to wildlife

One of the earliest nectar sources of the year for bees emerging in late winter. Violets are the larval food plant of several fritillary butterflies, though those are rare visitors to gardens.

Notes

The scent is famous but genuinely fickle — the compounds in it temporarily dull the sense of smell, so a flower can seem to lose its perfume after a few seconds. Later in the year it also produces closed, self-fertile flowers at ground level that set most of the seed.

This guidance was researched and written by GardenDecoded — see our editorial policy for how guides are checked and reviewed.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Viola odorata but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

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