Japanese name: マルバスミレ（丸葉菫） Scientific name:Viola keiskei
[Overview]
A perennial 5–10 cm tall, found at bright woodland edges and roadsides in hilly areas.
The underground stem is thick and short.
The leaves grow from the base; they are round heart-shaped, 1.5–8 cm long, and spread flat.
The leaf margins have rounded serrations.
The petioles are 2–20 cm long, and may be hairy or hairless.
The flowers are borne at the tips of upright flower stalks 5–10 cm long; they are about 2 cm across and white, though rarely pale reddish purple.
There are purple streaks at the base of the lip petal.
A spur extends behind the flower, where nectar collects.
Summer flowers are cleistogamous.
The flower stalks are sparsely hairy.
The fruit is a capsule that splits into 3 when ripe and scatters the seeds.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by division.
It prefers sunny, well-drained soil rich in humus.
Water thoroughly when the soil surface dries.
In addition to a base fertilizer, apply diluted liquid fertilizer once every 2 weeks from spring to autumn.
It is easy to grow, but powdery mildew may occur.
Pests include aphids, spider mites, cutworms and the Indian fritillary (Tsumaguro-hyomon).
