| Botanical Name | Viola odorata |
| Family | Violaceae |
| Genus | Viola |
| Specie | odorata |
| Local Name in Urdu | Banafsha , Gul-e-banafsha |
| Common Name | Sweet violet |
| Life Cycle | Perennial |
| Cultivar Name | Many cultivars exist |
| Fragrant or Not | Very fragrant |
| Category(Bush/Vine/Tree) | Ground cover |
| Height | Approx. 3 inches |
| Spacing | Grows closely, at times covers the ground |
| Flowering Months | Late winter to early spring |
| Flower Color | Violets and its shades |
| Growing Areas | Native plant of Pakistan as per the "Flora of Pakistan" "Frequently cultivated in gardens, up to 1900 m". The pictured specimen is growing in Lahore |
| Frost Tender | Tell us |
| Exposure | Prefers shade |
| Soil pH | Tell us |
| Propagation | Rhizomes |
| Uses | Medicinal Plant, Floral Display |
| Other Details | [Text by M. I. Khurram] This elusive perennial is not known to many people and makes an ideal groundcover for shaded areas bearing vibrant green, heart shaped leaves and tiny dainty purple flowers. Whenever we hear of violet, our mind registers the image of spring annual pansies widely grown in our gardens. Adaptable to our climate Viola Odorata grows in the wild in mostly in our northern areas, Kashmir and is also native to Europe as well. It prefers a shaded environment or an area having very little sunshine (morning preferably), good drainage & moisture especially during our hot summers. Violas thrive in a rich soil having leaf mould. The size of the flower is very small approximately 1/4 the size of a pansy flower. I would suggest growing this plant in a pot first and later after it has multiplied then divide and consider placing it a soil bed but again the this plant is very particular about soil having richness, good drainage and a shaded portion having little sunshine preferably not the afternoon sun, and roots of this plant prefer moisture. |
