Viola odorata Sweet Violet

A hairy, perennial violet with violet or white flowers that are scented. Although there are native populations in the British Flora it is also commonly grown in gardens and escaped plants, which are often white-flowered, are frequent. It is a plant of open woodland, woodland edges, scrub and hedgebanks. It prefers base-rich soils and produces long runners (stolons) which allow it to spread vigotously under suitable conditions. Hairy Violet (Viola hirta) is similar but neither has stolons nor scented flowers. It is widespread in much of southern Britain, thinning out northwards, but it s absent from most of mid Wales. It is not common in West Glamorgan where it has a scattered distribution. Some Gower poulations are probably native but population in churchyards and other semi-natural habitats in the South Wales Coalfield are likely to be garden escapes.

Native (and neophyte)