Viola violacea

Flower name
Viola violacea
Scientific name
Viola violacea
AliasViola, 菫, すみれ
Place of originJapan to the Korean Peninsula
Place of floweringFields and footpaths, Low mountains
Flowering seasonMarch, April, May

What is Viola violacea

Viola violacea (scientific name: Viola violacea) is a perennial herb in the family Violetaceae. It is a stemless violet. The stemless variety means that the above-ground stem does not develop, and the leaves and flower stalks emerge from the base of the plant. It grows wild in sunny locations in the mountains from the Chubu region west to Kyushu.　The plant is less than 10 cm tall. The leaves have long petioles. The leaf shape is ovate-triangular, like an outstretched heart, with a deep heart shape at the base. The leaves are glossy, with a green surface and a purple underside. The flowers are reddish-purple with a floret. The base of the lip petals is white with purple streaks.

Queen who loved violets
Marie-Antoinette, the tragic queen, loved violets (not specifically this violet) as well as roses and chrysanthemums at the Petit Trianon, a detached palace in the Palace of Versailles.

Common name: Viola violacea, scientific name: Viola violacea, place of origin: Japan, Korean Peninsula, height: 5 to 10 cm, flowering season: March to May, flower color: purple, leaf shape: egg-shaped triangle, glossy, leaf surface color: green, leaf underside color: purple.