Chinese violet
Viola yezoensis
Family: Violaceae
What it is like
A plant that keeps growing from year to year. It has slender underground stems or rhizomes. It grows 20 cm high and 20 cm wide. The leaves are oval or heart-shaped. There are teeth around the edge. The leaves are 6 cm long. The flowers are white with purple stripes. They are 3 cm long. The fruit are 3 lobed capsules.
There are about 500 Viola species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. Plants are frost hardy.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Japan (country/location of origin), Tasmania
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Flowers, leaves