NATIVE VIOLET

FAMILY: Violaceae
BOTANICAL NAME: Viola hederacea
INDIGENOUS NAME:
COMMON NAME: Native Violet or Ivy-leaved Violet


FLOWER                                                                                      LEAVES
                                                  

                                                                  
                                                 

                                                  
                                                      WHOLE PLANT IN WEEMALA
                                                      (no flowers yet on 24/04/2015)

                                                      WHOLE PLANT IN WEEMALA
                                                (flowers starting to grow on 13/04/2015)
                                                          

 



 

  
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Australia

LIFE HISTORY: Perennial

PLANT DESCRIPTION: Growth habitat: shrub or fast growing creeper
                                        Height and width: up to 20 cm  high, 1 stem and flower up
                                                                       to 3cm wide, whole shrub can grow as wide
                                                                       as 3m

FLOWERS: Inflorescence:
                    Shape: 5 lobed petals, 9mm petals on 2-4 cm stems
                    Colour: white with violet centre
                    Seasons/months: all seasons except winter/September to May

LEAVES: Simple/Compound: simple, 0.8-3 cm smooth leaves
                Arrangement: alternate, tufted along numerous creeping stems
                Shape: reinform
                Margin: dentate, entire or irregularly toothed margins
                Colour: bright, lush green

USES OF PLANT:
Medicinal: no medicinal properties
Food: the flowers are edible, you can use them in salads or as a garnish
Other: butterfly friendly, provides a refuge for local native fauna species

                                                      NATIVE VIOLET IN SALAD

REFERENCES:
Barton, A., Coutts, R., Donatiu, P., Leiper, G., McDonald, B., Stephens, K.,

        Barnes, D., Hauser, J., Plant, L. (2003). Wild plants of greater Brisbane. Queensland,

        Australia: Queensland Museum.

Cherikoff, V. (1993). The bushfood handbook: How to gather, grow, process & cook Australian
       
        wild foods. Boronia Park, Australia: Bush Tucker Supply Australia.

Haslam, S. (2011). Noosa's native plants (3rd ed.). Tewantin, Australia: Noosa Integrated

        Catchment Assoc. Inc.

Rotherham, E., Briggs, B., Blaxell, D., Carolin, R. (1982). Flowers and plants of New South
   
        Wales and Southern Queensland. Terry Hills, Australia: Reed.