Viola adunca - Western Dog Violet

Family:	Violaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.1
Synonyms:
Range:	Eastern and Western N. America - Alaska to California, also Ontario to Quebec and New Brunswick.

Viola adunca (Western Dog Violet) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.1m . It has a hardness rating of 4.
Western Dog Violet will flower in October to November. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Insects, cleistogamous

Soil Information

Western Dog Violet will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is / is important for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
Western Dog Violet prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Western Dog Violet can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Damp banks and edges of meadows in most forest communities, 1500 - 2400m from Alaska to N. California[71].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Grows on a sunny edge
• Works within dappled Shade
• Grows in a shady edge

Cultivation Details

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[200]. All members of this genus have more or less edible leaves and flower buds, though those species with yellow flowers can cause diarrhoea if eaten in large quantities[62, 85, 159]. There is at least one named form selected for its ornamental value[200]. 'Alba' has white flowers[200]. Flowers formed late in the season are cleistogamous (lacking petals, the flowers do not open but are self-pollinated)[212].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 3/5
Young leaves and flower buds - raw or cooked[177, 183]. When added to soup they thicken it in much the same way as okra[62, 85, 159]. A tea can be made from the dried leaves[183].

• Flowers -
• Leaves -
• Tea - the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 1/5
An infusion of the leaves and roots has been used to treat stomach problems and asthma in children[257]. An infusion of the roots and leaves has been used as a wash and poultice on sore and swollen joints[257]. The roots and leaves have been chewed by women during childbirth[257]. A poultice of the chewed leaves has been applied to sore eyes[257]. A poultice of the crushed flowers has been applied to the side or chest in the treatment of pain[257].

• Analgesic - Relieves pain.
• Antiasthmatic - Treats asthma.
• Birthing aid - Used in facilitating birth, but not just to cause uterine contrctions.
• Ophthalmic - Treats eye complaints.
• Poultice - A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
• Salve - Soothes and heals damaged skin.

Propagation

Seed - best sown in the autumn in a cold frame. Sow stored seed in early spring in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer. Division in the autumn or just after flowering. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, though we have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

A blue dye can be obtained from the flowers[257].

• Dye - Plants that provide dyes.

Cultivars

'' - There are some named forms for this species, but these have been developed for their ornamental value and not for their other uses. Unless you particularly require the special characteristics of any of these cultivars, we would generally recommend that you grow the natural species for its useful properties. We have, therefore, not listed the cultivars in this database[K].

References

A California Flora.
Munz.
Author: Munz.
Rating:
Publisher : An excellent flora but no pictures. Not for the casual reader.
Date of Publication : 1959

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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