Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 24, 2026

Viola canina

Viola canina, commonly known as heath dog-violet and heath violet, is a species of the flowering plant in the violet family Violaceae. It is native to Europe, where it is found in heaths, fens, and moist woodlands, especially on acidic soils.

Last revised
Jul 24, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
209 w
Citations
5
Source
Viola canina
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Violaceae
Genus: Viola
Species:
V. canina
Binomial name
Viola canina

Viola canina, commonly known as heath dog-violet2 and heath violet, is a species of the flowering plant in the violet family Violaceae. It is native to Europe, where it is found in heaths, fens, and moist woodlands, especially on acidic soils.3

It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 5–15 cm (2.0–5.9 in) tall. The flowers are pale blue, produced from April to July. Colonies of plants may be extensive.3

It is host to the pathogenic fungi Puccinia violae and Ramularia lactea.4

References

References

  1.  Viola canina was first described and published in Species Plantarum 2: 935. 1753 "Name - Viola canina L." Tropicos. Saint Louis, Missouri: Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  2. BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  3. Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). Flora of Britain and Northern Europe. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 0-340-40170-2.
  4. Helgi Hallgrímsson & Guðríður Gyða Eyjólfsdóttir (2004). Íslenskt sveppatal I - smásveppir [Checklist of Icelandic Fungi I - Microfungi. Fjölrit Náttúrufræðistofnunar. Náttúrufræðistofnun Íslands [Icelandic Institute of Natural History]. ISSN 1027-832X