Taxon:  Viola odorata L.



Summary
Genus:
Viola
Family:
Violaceae
Subfamily:
Violoideae
Tribe:
Violeae
Nomen number:
41733
Place of publication:
Sp. pl. 2:934.  1753
Verified:
02/13/2003 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
55 (2  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Viola wiedemannii Boiss.

Images (2 total. Click on image for more.)
Flower

Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  2. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  3. Ali, S. I. & S. M. H. Jafri, eds. 1976-. Flora of Libya.
  4. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  5. Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
  6. Backer, C. A. & R. C. Bakhuizen van den Brink, Jr. 1963-1968. Flora of Java.
  7. Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
  8. Castroviejo, S. et al., eds. 1989-. Flora iberica: plantas vasculares de la Peninsula Iberica e Islas Baleares.
  9. Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
  10. Correa, M. N. 1969-. Flora patagonica.
  11. Craker, L. E. & J. E. Simon, eds. 1986-1987. Herbs, spices, and medicinal plants, 2 vols.
  12. Czerepanov, S. K. 1995. Vascular plants of Russia and adjacent states (the former USSR) Cambridge University Press.
  13. Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 175.
  14. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  15. Demilly, D. et al. 2001. Liste alphabétique des principales espèces de plantes cultivées et de mauvaises herbes. Noms latins et noms français, ed. 7 GEVES-SNES, Beaucouzé, France.
  16. Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
  17. Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage
  18. Facciola, S. 1990. Cornucopia, a source book of edible plants Kampong Publications.
  19. Fennane, M. et al., eds. 1999-. Flore pratique du Maroc.
  20. Fernández Casado, A. 1984. Estudios sobre el género Viola L. en la península Ibérica I. Cariología. Fontqueria 5:24.
  21. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
  22. George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
  23. Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
  24. Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
  25. Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
  26. Hickman, J. C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: higher plants of California
  27. Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening 4:671.
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  29. Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
  30. Jahandiez, E. & R. Maire. 1931-1941. Catalogue des plantes du Maroc.
  31. Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
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  34. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
  35. Magee, D. W. & H. E. Ahles. 1999. Flora of the Northeast. A manual of the vascular flora of New England and adjacent New York.
  36. Marcussen, T. et al. 2001. Viola hirta (Violaceae) and its relatives in Norway. Nordic J. Bot. 21:6.
  37. Marcussen, T. 2006. Allozymic variation in the widespread and cultivated Viola odorata (Violaceae) in western Eurasia. Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 151:563-571.
  38. Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
  39. Marticorena, C. & M. Quezada. 1985. Catálogo de la flora vascular de Chile.
  40. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
  41. Meikle, R. D. 1977-1985. Flora of Cyprus.
  42. Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
  43. Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
  44. Ohio Flora Committee (E. L. Braun, T. S. Cooperrider, T. R. Fisher, J. J. Furlow). 1967-. The vascular flora of Ohio.
  45. Orell, J. & A. M. Romo. 1991. The genus Viola in the Balaeric Islands. Butl. Inst. Catalana Hist. Nat. 59:83.
  46. Pajaujis Anonis, D. 1993. Flower oils and floral compounds in perfumery.
  47. Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
  48. Pignatti, S. 1982. Flora d'Italia.
  49. Pittier, H. F. et al. 1945-1947. Catálogo de la flora venezolana.
  50. Pottier-Alapetite, G. 1979-1981. Flore de la Tunisie: Angiospermes-Dicotyledones.
  51. Press, J. R. & M. J. Short, eds. 1994. Flora of Madeira.
  52. Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
  53. Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
  54. Russell, N. H. 1965. Violets (Viola) of central and eastern United States: An introductory survey. Sida 2:108.
  55. Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
  56. Sharma, B. D. et al., eds. 1993-. Flora of India.
  57. Silva, L. et al. 2005. Listagem da fauna e flora terrestres dos Açores. Lista des plantas vasculares (Pteridophyta e Spermatophyta).
  58. Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova.
  59. Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
  60. Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
  61. Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
  62. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  63. Valdés, B. et al., eds. 2002. Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du nord du Maroc, incluant des clés d'identification
  64. Voss, E. 1972-. Michigan flora.
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  69. Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishcommon violet  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
EnglishEnglish violet  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Englishflorist's violet  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Englishgarden violet  1Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening 4:671.
Englishsweet violet  1Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Chinesexiang jin cai香堇菜 2Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
English (Canada)sweet violet Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada official name2Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 175.
Frenchviolette odorante  2Demilly, D. et al. 2001. Liste alphabétique des principales espèces de plantes cultivées et de mauvaises herbes. Noms latins et noms français, ed. 7 GEVES-SNES, Beaucouzé, France.
French (Canada)violette odorante Agriculture & Agroalimentaire Canada nom officiel2Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 175.
Indiabanafsha  2Sharma, B. D. et al., eds. 1993-. Flora of India.
Japanese Rōmajinioi-sumire  2Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
Swedishluktviol  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Transliterated Russianfialka  2Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaMacaronesiaPortugalMadeira Islands Press, J. R. & M. J. Short, eds. 1994. Flora of Madeira.
1NativeAfricaMacaronesiaSpainCanarias Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaAlgeria  Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaMorocco  Fennane, M. et al., eds. 1999-. Flore pratique du Maroc.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaTunisia  Pottier-Alapetite, G. 1979-1981. Flore de la Tunisie: Angiospermes-Dicotyledones.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaCyprus  Meikle, R. D. 1977-1985. Flora of Cyprus.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIran  Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIraq n.Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaLebanon  Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaTurkey  Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaJammu and Kashmir Sharma, B. D. et al., eds. 1993-. Flora of India.
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeBelarus  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeMoldova  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeRussian Federation-European partEuropean part Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeUkraine incl. KrymTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeAustria  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeBelgium  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeCzechoslovakia  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeGermany  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeHungary  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeNetherlands  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropePoland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeSwitzerland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeNorthern EuropeDenmark  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeNorthern EuropeIreland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeNorthern EuropeNorway  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeNorthern EuropeSweden  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeNorthern EuropeUnited Kingdom  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeAlbania  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeBulgaria  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeFormer Yugoslavia  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeGreece incl. CreteTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeItaly incl. Sardinia, SicilyTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeRomania  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropeFrance incl. CorsicaTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropePortugal  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropeSpain incl. BalearesTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
2Cultivated    also cult.Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
4Naturalized    also natzd.Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
Native
Africa
  • MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias], Portugal [Madeira Islands]
  • NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia
Asia-Temperate
  • WESTERN ASIA: Cyprus, Iran, Iraq (n.), Lebanon, Turkey
Asia-Tropical
  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India [Jammu and Kashmir]
Europe
  • NORTHERN EUROPE: Denmark, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden
  • MIDDLE EUROPE: Czechoslovakia, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland
  • EASTERN EUROPE: Russian Federation-European part [European part], Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine (incl. Krym)
  • SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Former Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece (incl. Crete), Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Romania
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal
Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized (also natzd.)

Reference(s)
  1. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  2. Fennane, M. et al., eds. 1999-. Flore pratique du Maroc.
  3. Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
  4. Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
  5. Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
  6. Meikle, R. D. 1977-1985. Flora of Cyprus.
  7. Pottier-Alapetite, G. 1979-1981. Flore de la Tunisie: Angiospermes-Dicotyledones.
  8. Press, J. R. & M. J. Short, eds. 1994. Flora of Madeira.
  9. Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
  10. Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
  11. Sharma, B. D. et al., eds. 1993-. Flora of India.
  12. Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
  13. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Environmentalornamental Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Environmentalornamental Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening 4:671.
Food additivesflavoring Craker, L. E. & J. E. Simon, eds. 1986-1987. Herbs, spices, and medicinal plants, 2 vols.
Food additivesflavoring Facciola, S. 1990. Cornucopia, a source book of edible plants Kampong Publications.
Materialsessential oilsfrom leaves used in perfumeryPajaujis Anonis, D. 1993. Flower oils and floral compounds in perfumery.
Medicinesfolklore Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Medicinesfolklore McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=41733. Accessed 12 May 2026.