Viola riviniana Common Dog-violet

A common, perennial violet which grows in woodland, hedgebanks, meadows and heathland. It is the most common violet in the British Flora and is more or less ubiquitous throughout Britain and Ireland. The blue-violet flowers have a creamy-white spur which distinguishes it from Early Dog-violet (Viola reichenbachiana) and Heath Dog-violet (Viola canina). It is very common in West Glamorgan and often quite weedy in gardens. It hybridises with Early Dog-violet (Viola x bavarica), Heath Dog-violet (Viola x interstita) and Pale Dog-violet (Viola x lambertii) but the status and distribution of these hybrids in our region is poorly understood.

Native