SimplePlant

Violaceae

Sweet violet

Viola odorata L.

Family
Violaceae
Genus
Viola

Pets and kids

  • CatsNot sure
  • DogsNot sure
  • KidsNot sure
Why

Cats: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for cats, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Dogs: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for dogs, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Kids: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for young children, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with a doctor or poison control.

Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.

Sweet violet (Viola odorata)
FlowerPhoto: Katerina Kalogerini, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

Is yours looking unwell? Scan your plant — free

Common names

By language (39)
ang
Aeppelleaf, Æppellēaf
Arabic
البنفسج الحلو, بنفسج, بنفسج الزهور, بنفسج العطور
Azerbaijani
Ətirli bənövşə
Belarusian
Фіялка духмяная
Bulgarian
Горска теменуга, Миризлива горска теменуга
Catalan
Viola d'olor, Viola d’olor, Violer d'olor, Violeta
Chinese
香堇菜
Czech
Violka vonná
Danish
Marts-Viol, Martsviol
Dutch
Maarts viooltje
English
Sweet violet, Common violet, English violet, Florist's violet, Garden violet, Wood violet, Florist’s violet
Esperanto
Odora violo
Estonian
Lõhnav kannike
Finnish
Tuoksuorvokki
French
Violette odorante
German
Duftveilchen, März-Veilchen, Märzveilchen, Wohlriechendes Veilchen
Hebrew
סגל ריחני, סיגלית
Hindi
बनफ्शा
hsb
Wonjata fijałka
Hungarian
Illatos ibolya
Indonesian
Bunga violet
Japanese
ニオイスミレ, ヴァイオレット
Kazakh
Хош иісті шегіргүл
Lithuanian
Kvapioji našlaitė
Macedonian
Миризлива темјанушка
nds
Blaag Ööschen, Blage Öschen, Vijole, Vijool, Vijölken, Vijöölken, Vioileke, Viool
Norwegian Bokmål
Marsfiol
Norwegian Nynorsk
Marsfiol
Persian
بنفشه انگلیسی
Polish
Fiołek wonny
Romanian
Toporaş, Toporaș
Russian
Фиалка душистая
Slovak
Fialka voňavá
Slovenian
Dišeča vijolica, Babji stolček, Fijolica, Fiola, Fiolca, Ljubica, Vijolica
Spanish
Violeta acopada, Violeta aromática, Violeta blanca, Violeta común, Violeta de olor, Violeta de olor o común, Violeta doble, Violeta olorosa
Swedish
Luktviol
Turkish
Kokulu menekşe
Ukrainian
Фіалка запашна
Welsh
Fioled bêr

Synonyms

  • Viola austriaca A.Kern. & Jos.Kern.
  • Viola consimilis Jord.
  • Viola cyclophylla Gand.
  • Viola favratii Hausskn. ex Favrat
  • Viola floribunda Jord.
  • Viola hortensis Schur
  • Viola incompta Jord.
  • Viola jucunda Jord.
  • Viola maderensis Lowe
  • Viola odora Neck.
  • Viola odorata f. odorata
  • Viola odorata subsp. maderensis (Lowe) G.Kunkel
  • Viola odorata var. albiflora Pančić
  • Viola odorata var. incompta (Jord.) Espeut
  • Viola officinalis Crantz
  • Viola pirottae Chiov.
  • Viola plantaginea Webb ex Christ
  • Viola propinqua Jord.
  • Viola pseudosuavis Schur
  • Viola sarmentosa M.Bieb.
  • Viola spectabilis K.Richt.
  • Viola steveni Besser ex Fauc.
  • Viola suaveolens Schur
  • Viola suavissima Jord.
  • Viola subcarnea Jord.
  • Viola sulfurea Cariot
  • Viola vilmoriniana Delacour & Mottet
  • Viola vinealis Boreau
  • Viola wiedemannii Boiss.

Flowers

In flower
March to April (from 5,958 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

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

Photos

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.