Viola glabella

What to Eat

Edible parts: Flowers, Leaves

Young leaves and flower buds can be eaten raw or cooked. Added to soup, they thicken it in much the same way as okra. Some caution is advised, as the yellow flowers of this species can cause diarrhoea if eaten in large quantities. The leaves can also be brewed into a tea.

Where to Find It

It grows in woodland and near watercourses. It grows up to 2440 m altitude. It is often in moist conifer forest. It suits hardiness zones 5-9.

Asia, Australia, Canada, Japan, North America, USA,

How to Identify

A small plant. It grows 10-30 cm high. It spreads 20-40 cm wide. The leaves are kidney shaped. They are slightly hairy. The leaves are broadly oval and pointed or kidney shaped. They are 25 mm long. The flowers are yellow with green tints. There are 5 petals. The fruit is a dry capsule with 3 valves. It has many seeds.

How to Grow

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, such as this one, with yellow flowers can cause diarrhoea if eaten in large quantities.

Propagation: Sow seed in autumn in a cold frame for best results, or sow stored seed in early spring in a cold frame. Prick out seedlings into individual pots once large enough to handle, then plant out during summer. Divide plants in autumn or just after flowering. Larger divisions can go directly into their permanent positions, but smaller divisions are best potted up and grown on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until establishing well, then planted out in summer or the following spring.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Other Uses

None known

Viola glabella, the stream violet or pioneer violet, is usually found along streams or in moist woods in northeastern Asia and northwestern North America. Its petals are yellow on both sides, with the exception of dark purple nectar guides on the front of the lower three petals. The flowers arise from the same stems as the leaves. Viola glabella is a perennial herb, growing to 0.1 m (0 ft 4in) by 0.2 m (0 ft 8in) and blooming from April to July. The plant is deciduous and dies back completely to its roots during Autumn. Viola glabella prefers moist, well-drained soil and can grow in part shade. Acidic and neutral soils are suitable for Viola glabella, which prefers a pH between 6 and 6.5, and becomes chlorotic if the pH is too high. Young leaves and flower buds are edible, raw or cooked, but the yellow flowers can cause diarrhoea.

Notes

There are about 500 Viola species.

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