# common dog-violet (*Viola riviniana*)

The common dog-violet is a pretty little flower that blooms in spring. It has lovely purple petals and can often be found in grassy areas and woodlands, bringing color to nature.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Woodlands and grassy areas

![common dog-violet](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Viola_riviniana_and_canina.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Carl Axel Magnus Lindman, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Viola_riviniana_and_canina.jpg)

## Appearance

The common dog-violet has small, scentless, deep purple flowers, sometimes whitish, with a distinct spurred lower petal. Its leaves are heart-shaped and dark green. It often grows in clumps, forming a low, spreading carpet.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Malpighiales
- **Family:** Violaceae
- **Genus:** Viola

## Interesting facts

- Its name 'dog' means common or wild, not related to actual dogs!
- Its young leaves and flowers are edible and can be added to salads!
- Some butterfly caterpillars \*only\* eat dog-violet leaves to grow big.
- Unlike other violets, its beautiful purple flowers have no scent.

## Special abilities

- **Hidden Seeds:** Common dog-violet can produce cleistogamous flowers that never open, ensuring seeds are made even without pollinators.
- **Ant Deliveries:** Common dog-violet has seeds with a fatty attachment called an elaiosome, which ants carry away to help spread them.
- **Winter Survivor:** Common dog-violet forms a low rosette of leaves close to the ground, which helps it survive colder winter months.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-20 cm
- **Spread:** 10-30 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** Dark Green Fritillary (*Argynnis aglaja*) — Its caterpillars feed on violet leaves.
- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits its open flowers for nectar and pollen.
- **Depends on:** [Black garden ant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-garden-ant) (*Lasius niger*) — Disperses its seeds, attracted by a fatty elaiosome.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't pick flowers, so everyone can enjoy them!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify common dog-violet?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is common dog-violet?

5-20 cm

### How wide does common dog-violet spread?

10-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on common dog-violet?

1-2 cm

### When does common dog-violet bloom?

Spring

### Is common dog-violet edible?

Yes

### Is common dog-violet toxic?

Mild

### What is common dog-violet's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Garajonay National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/garajonay-national-park) — Spain, ES · National Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Common Dog-violet: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-dog-violet)