Viola riviniana - Common Dog-violet - (Violaceae)

The Common Dog-violet is very common and widespread throughout the UK and Ireland.

There can be few wildflowers less well known than the violet, and yet they are not always so easy to spot. Violets have a habit of hiding among other vegetation beneath hedgerows.

Dog-violets bloom chiefly from March to May, but occasionally you will see them as early as February and as late as July. They spread by means of runners and are unscented.

A group of Common Dog-violets

The colours vary considerably from deep 'violet' to pale mauve.

Common Dog-violet

There are several other species of violets. Sweet violets occur in the woods and they do have a scent. Whereas the Common Dog-violet is almost hairless, Sweet Violets have downy stems and leaves.

The flowers on this page were photographed in West Wales.