Viola cucullata - Marsh Blue Violet

Family:	Violaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.15
Width:	0.15
Synonyms:	V. cucullata. Ait.
Range:	Eastern N. America - Quebec to Ontario and south to Georgia.

Viola cucullata (Marsh Blue Violet) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.15m and a width of 0.15m . It has a hardness rating of 0.
Marsh Blue Violet will flower in November to January. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Insects, cleistogamous

Soil Information

Marsh Blue 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
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Marsh Blue Violet prefers soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Marsh Blue Violet can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Wet places, often in open woods[187]. Wet meadows, springs, bogs, swamps etc[43].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Grows on a sunny edge
• Works within dappled Shade
• Can spread to cover ground and will out compete weeds
• A bog garden plant

Cultivation Details

Prefers a cool moist well-drained humus-rich soil in partial or dappled shade and protection from scorching winds. Very intolerant of drought[187]. Succeeds in dense shade[197]. Tolerates sandstone and limestone soils but becomes chlorotic if the pH is too high. Prefers a pH between 6 and 6.5. This plant produces cleistogamous flowers as well as the usual insect pollinated flowers[187]. It usually self-sows freely[188]. 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]. A polymorphic species[188]. there are many named forms, selected for their ornamental value[200].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 3/5
Young leaves and flower buds - raw or cooked[61, 105]. When added to soup they thicken it in much the same way as okra[85, 159, 177]. A tea can be made from the leaves[85].

• 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 plant has been used in the treatment of coughs, colds and dysentery[257]. A poultice of the leaves has been used to reduce the pain of headaches[257]. A poultice of the crushed root has been applied to boils[257].

• Analgesic - Relieves pain.
• Poultice - A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.

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 good ground cover plant but it is slow to thicken up and may need weeding for the first year or so[197]. An infusion of the root has been used to soak corn seeds before planting them in order to keep off insects[257].

• Ground cover - Usually low growing plants that can be grown with other plants, especially shrubs and trees, to prevent the growth of weeds.
• Repellent - Plants that are said to deter but not necessarily kill various mammals, birds, insects etc.

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

Gray's Manual of Botany.
Fernald. M. L.
Author: Fernald. M. L.
Rating:
Publisher : A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
Date of Publication : 1950

Flora Europaea
?
Author: ?
Rating:
Publisher : An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
Date of Publication : 1964

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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