China violet
Viola patrinii

Family: Violaceae

What it is like

A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 20 cm tall. The rhizomes are erect and dark brown. There are 3-5 leaves at the base. They are narrowly sword shaped with teeth towards the tip. The leaf stalks are 2-12 cm long. The leaf blade is 2-6 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. The flowers are white with purple veins. The fruit capsules are 1 cm long with yellow to brown seeds.

There are about 500 Viola species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in forests between 1,900-2,700 m above sea level in the Himalayas. It suits moist shady places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, India, Indochina, Japan, Korea, Manchuria, Mongolia, Myanmar, Russia, SE Asia, Siberia, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The shoots and leaves are eaten. They can be added to soups to thicken the soup.

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves, leaves - tea

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Hoa-tim

Synonyms

Viola patrinii var. brevicalcarata Skvortsov; Viola primulifolia var. glabra Nakai;