Japanese violet
Viola japonica
Family: Violaceae
What it is like
Viola japonica is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in). It is in flower from April to April. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.2
Where it is found
Lowland areas, C. and S. Japan. Hillsides and damp places in China.
E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
Young leaves and flower buds - raw or cooked. When added to soup they thicken it in much the same way as okra. Root - cooked. Mucilaginous. Rich in starch, it is eaten in soups. A tea can be made from the leaves.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Tea: the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The whole plant is anodyne, anti-inflammatory, antiphlogistic and depurative. A decoction is used in the treatment of abscesses, boils, acute conjunctivitis, hepatitis, acute jaundice, laryngitis and ulcers.
Anodyne: Relieves pain, it is milder than an analgesic.
Antiphlogistic: Reduces inflammation.
Depurative: Eliminates toxins and purifies the system, especially the blood.
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
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. 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.
Propagating it: 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.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 0-0
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist