Japanese name: スミレ（菫） Scientific name:Viola mandshurica var. mandshurica
[Overview]
A perennial 6–20 cm tall, commonly found along roadsides, in vacant lots and on sunny lawns.
It has a short underground stem and reddish brown roots.
The leaves grow from the base; they are triangular-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, 3–8 cm long, and rise up at an angle.
The leaf margins have low serrations.
The petioles are 3–15 cm long, often tinged red, and winged in the upper part.
The flowers are borne at the tips of upright flower stalks 6–20 cm tall; they are about 2 cm across and deep magenta.
The center of the lip petal is white with deep purple streaks.
A spur extends behind the flower, where nectar collects.
Flowers from summer to autumn are cleistogamous.
The fruit is a capsule that splits into 3 when ripe and scatters the seeds.
[Uses]
The leaves and roots are used as a folk remedy.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, root cuttings, 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).
