How to Grow Wild Violets

With its tiny purple flowers and lush green leaves, wild violet makes a beautiful ground cover, reaching only two to five inches in height. A member of the viola family, wild violet is native to North America and performs especially well in moist, shady areas that have trouble supporting grass growth. It can be grown from seeds purchased from a nursery or from preexisting plants, which you might find growing wild in or near woodland areas.

Wild violet is often considered a weed or pest because it multiplies rapidly and is very difficult to control, rarely responding to chemical herbicides, so choose your planting location with this in mind.

Wild violet seeds or plants

Choose a planting site with moist, fertile soil and partial to full shade.

If growing wild violet from seeds, sow them anytime from spring to fall but be aware it may take up to five years to see blooms.

If using preexisting plants, plant in early spring, about 4-6 weeks before the last frost.

Water but don't soak the planting site and expect blooms from March to June.

If placed in a moist, shady area, established wild violet plants need to be watered only when the weather is dry.

Wild violets are especially common in the eastern part of the U.S. so gardeners in this area can search woody or shady yards for a few plants to transplant; if you live in the western part of the country you may have to buy plants or seeds from a nursery.

Wild violets prefer shade when they are young but will not hesitate to spread into sunnier areas of the garden as they mature.

This low-maintenance wild plant requires no fertilizer.

Wild violets spread quickly and aggressively and can easily take over your lawn so choose a planting site with barriers or one that doesn't threaten grass and other plantings.

Wild violet foliage can withstand frost while remaining green but it may begin to decay if covered by snow or ice for long periods of time.