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Marsh Violet

©Philip Precey

Marsh violet

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Scientific name: Viola palustris
As its name suggests, the Marsh violet likes damp spots, such as marshes, bogs and wet woods. It is a low-growing plant with kidney-shaped leaves and pale lilac flowers.

Top facts

Category

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Height: up to 10cm

Conservation status

Common.

When to see

April to July

About

The Marsh violet, also known as the 'Bog violet', is a relative of the well-known pansy and likes damp and acidic places, such as wet woodlands, bogs and marshes. It flowers between April and July and makes a good addition to the garden at the edge of a pond or in a bog garden.

What to look for

Flat, green and heavily veined, the kidney-shaped leaves of the Marsh violet grow out from the base of the plant. Pale lilac flowers that resemble washed-out pansies hang on tall stalks that sprout from the centre of the plant.

Where to find

Widespread in the north and west of the UK, local in the south and east, and very rare in Central England.

Habitats

Did you know?

The Marsh violet is the foodplant of the Small pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly which is a priority species under the UK Post-2010 biodiversity framework because it is declining.