Wild violets (Viola sororia) are a common sight in many lawns and gardens. These low-growing perennials spread aggressively by seeds and underground rhizomes. While some view wild violets as an undesirable weed, others appreciate them for their ornamental flowers and ability to thrive in a range of conditions. This article will examine the key considerations in determining whether wild violets make good ground cover.
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What are the Benefits of Wild Violets as Ground Cover?
There are several potential advantages to allowing wild violets to function as ground cover in your yard or garden:
Low maintenance
Once established, wild violets form a sturdy, self-sustaining ground cover that requires little care. The plants are drought-tolerant and resistant to pests and diseases. Mowing or trimming just a few times per year helps keep them contained. Less time and money spent on upkeep can be a major plus.
Crowds out weeds
The dense mat of wild violet foliage and rhizomes helps block sunlight from reaching weed seeds. This natural mulch inhibits germination and growth of many common weeds. A healthy wild violet ground cover acts as a living mulch.
Stabilizes soil
The extensive root systems of wild violet help hold soil in place, preventing erosion. This makes them well-suited for slope stabilization and other areas prone to runoff.
Provides habitat for pollinators
The nectar-rich blue-purple flowers of wild violets provide an early spring food source for bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects. Allowing violets to bloom supports local pollinator populations.
Edible uses
All parts of wild violets are edible. The flowers and leaves can be used for salads, syrups, or decorative garnishes. The roots have been used as a coffee substitute. For the adventurous forager, violets offer free food and herbal ingredients.
Beautiful purple blooms
The small flowers of wild violets add a splash of color to lawns and yards in early spring before most other plants have greened up. These cheery harbingers of the growing season are welcomed by many gardeners as a sign of life after winter.
What are the Drawbacks of Wild Violets?
On the flip side, there are some potential downsides to embrace wild violets:
Invasive spread
Left unchecked, wild violets can aggressively colonize large areas of open ground. Their rapid spread can overtake lawns, gardens, and landscape plantings. Keeping them contained requires diligent maintenance.
Competes with desired plants
Violets compete with other plants for moisture, nutrients, and sunlight. A dense wild violet ground cover may crowd out grass, perennials, annuals, and other desired vegetation. They can be difficult to control among established plantings.
Can alter soil pH
Wild violets thrive in slightly acidic soil, while many lawn grasses and garden plants prefer a more neutral pH. Over time, a violet ground cover may make the soil more acidic. This can negatively impact other plants.
Provides cover for rodents/pests
A violet ground cover gives cover for voles, mice, and other small rodents to establish homes and pathways. Slugs and certain other pests may also take refuge in the thick foliage. The rodent issues can be a nuisance.
Messy dieback in summer
Once wild violets bloom in spring, the foliage dies back and turns unsightly by mid-summer. This can leave bare patches of dead foliage in the lawn or garden before violets regrow in fall.
Hard to eradicate if unwanted
Trying to remove an established wild violet ground cover is challenging due to the deep roots and spreading rhizomes. Eradication often requires repeated applications of herbicide over several seasons. Preventing regrowth takes diligence.
Cultural Requirements for Wild Violet Ground Cover
The optimal growing conditions for wild violets include:
- Location – Partial shade is ideal, but violets tolerate full sun with sufficient moisture. They need at least 2-3 hours of direct sun daily.
- Soil – Violets thrive in moist, humus-rich soil and will spread faster with increased fertility. Avoid overly wet or compacted clay soils.
- pH – Slightly acidic soil in the 5.5 to 6.5 range is preferred, though violets are adaptable to neutral pH.
- Water – Average moisture is needed. Supplement during droughts. Avoid saturated soil.
- Maintenance – Mow or trim foliage back in late spring once blooms fade. Remove spent flowers to curtail seed spread.
Providing the right growing conditions encourages vigorous growth of a violet ground cover. But beware, violets can take over any area with partial shade and adequate fertility.
How to Plant Wild Violets as Ground Cover
Wild violet plants or seeds can be introduced to serve as a flowering ground cover:
Transplanting
Cut small patches of established violets in early spring, being sure to get plenty of roots and rhizomes. Replant the violet clumps in the new area spaced 8-12 inches apart. Water well and keep moist until the transplants are growing strongly.
Propagating from seed
Collect wild violet seed pods in late spring once they turn brown. Spread the tiny seeds over prepared soil in fall and water in. Seeds need a cold period to break dormancy, so growth will emerge the following spring.
No-mow lawn
Allowing a lawn to go unmowed in spring will allow existing violet plants to bloom and set seed. Gradually violets will spread to form a naturalized ground cover amongst the grass.
Eradicating turf grass
Remove turf grass by stripping sod, applying herbicide, or solarizing the area. Once the area is cleared, existing violet plants will readily expand into the bare ground. Seeds can also be spread.
How to Control Wild Violets
Where a rampant wild violet ground cover is undesirable, control measures include:
Manual digging
Thoroughly dig up all roots and rhizomes. This is easiest to do in spring when the soil is moist and roots are small. Repeat periodically to catch regrowth.
Smothering
Covering violets with several inches of mulch, cardboard, or landscape fabric deprives them of light and oxygen. Leave barriers in place for at least a full growing season.
Selective herbicides
Certain broadleaf weed killers containing 2,4-D, dicamba, or triclopyr work on wild violets. Use with caution near desired plants, following label directions. Repeat applications are likely needed.
Improving lawn growth
Violets often invade thin, stressed lawns. Improving cultural practices to promote vigorous grass growth–fertilizing, aerating, dethatching, appropriate mowing height, etc.–can help crowd out violets.
Solarization
Covering infested areas with UV-stabilized plastic sheeting during hot, sunny weather raises soil temperatures, killing plants, seeds, and roots. Monitor edges for new growth.
Consistency is key when trying to eradicate an established violet ground cover. Don’t allow any regrowth between control measures.
Key Considerations for Allowing Wild Violets
If you’re open to using wild violets as a ground cover, evaluate the following:
- Are violets already present and vigorous in your habitat? Letting them expand may be easier than removing them.
- Do you prefer a manicured lawn or formal landscape? The informal look of violets may not fit.
- Are you comfortable with wildflowers and a more natural aesthetic? Violets thrive in a relaxed setting.
- Do you have time to keep violets contained? They may spread faster than you expect.
- Are desired garden plants and turf grass already established? Removing violets from planted beds takes patience.
- Can you mow/trim violets before they set seed? This curtails spread via self-seeding.
Consider both the benefits and challenges of wild violets when deciding whether to allow their growth or remove them. Weigh your goals, time, and tolerance for less-manicured plantings.
Conclusion
Wild violets offer a low-care, self-sustaining ground cover with ecological benefits. However, their aggressive spread can become problematic in cultivated gardens and lawns. Whether you view wild violets as a desirable flowering ground cover or an unwanted weed depends on your site conditions, maintenance goals, and aesthetic preferences. With appropriate management, their growth can be directed and contained where they are welcomed. Otherwise, persistent control measures are needed to eradicate unwanted violets. Understanding the growing habits of wild violets in balance with your needs as a gardener can help inform choices about managing this adaptable native plant.