Violaceae

Japanese violet

Viola japonica Langsd. ex Ging.

Family: Violaceae
Genus: Viola

Pet and kid safety: not checked yet. Check pet-safe plants

Japanese violet: Viola japonica , Kameoka city, Kyoto pref., Japan — Photo: Qwert1234, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons

Is yours looking unwell? Scan your plant — free

Common names

By language (4)

Chinese: 犁头草
English: Japanese violet, Gapsan violet
Japanese: コスミレ
Korean: 갑산제비꽃

Synonyms

Viola japonica var. stenopetala Franch. ex H.Boissieu
Viola kapsanensis Nakai
Viola metajaponica Nakai

Flowers

In flower: April to May, November (from 8 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Lower 48 states: introduced

Photos

Photo: Qwert1234, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Yoshihiro Tokue, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: peganum from Small Dole, England, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: WATANABE Hitoshi 渡辺仁, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: peganum from Small Dole, England, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: WATANABE Hitoshi 渡辺仁, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: peganum from Small Dole, England, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: carex1002, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Qwert1234, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: WATANABE Hitoshi 渡辺仁, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Qwert1234, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: W Rao, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

More in Viola

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.