General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Water Preferences: Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 2 -45.6 °C (-50 °F) to -42.8 °C (-45°F)
Plant Height: 7-10 inches
Flowers: Showy
Uses: Suitable for miniature gardens
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Butterflies
Propagation: Seeds: Self fertile
Days to germinate: 14 to 21 days
Suitable for wintersowing
Sow in situ
Start indoors
Can handle transplanting
Other info: Needs darkness to germinate, so a very thin covering of soil over the seed is recommended.
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Cuttings: Root
Division
Pollinators: Self
Bees

Image
Common names
  • Johnny Jump-Up
  • Heartsease
  • Herb Trinit
  • Wild Pansy
  • Pinkeney John
  • Call-Me-to-You
  • Love-in-Idleness

Photo Gallery
Location: Caribou Maine
Date: July 2017
Location: Caribou Maine
Date: May 2017
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Date: 2020-06-27
Violas still going strong at the end of June

Date: 2008-07-14
Location: My garden, central NJ, Zone 7A
Date: 2018-04-25
Clump of self sowed Johnny Jump Ups
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-04

Date: 2023-10-12
Location: Maine
Date: 2023-07-03
Location: Caribou Maine
Date: April 2018
Location: Athol, MA
Date: 2017-05-01
Such happy plants!
Location: My Garden of Good and Evil
Date: 2023-03-11
Location: My garden near Lincoln UK
Date: 2010-05-19
They turn up in different places where they are happy!

 Courtesy Outsidepride
  • Uploaded by vic
Location: Lake Macquarie, N.S.W., Australia
Date: 2014-10-09
Location: Lake Macquarie, N.S.W., Australia
Date: 2010-10-09
Location: Caribou Maine
Date: April 2018
Location: Caribou Maine
Date: July 2017
Location: My Garden, Ontario, Canada
Date: 2021-04-24
Such a nice welcome to spring!

Courtesy Outsidepride
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Athol, MA
Date: 2017-05-01
First spring bloom.
Location: Eagle Bay, New York
Date: 2017-05-18
Johnny Jump-Up (Viola tricolor)
Location: Killeen,Tx
Date: 2023-02-24
Photo by SongofJoy
Location: Michigan
Location: In our garden - Central Valley area, CA
Date: 2011-03-29
Container gardening with Violas

Date: November 2018
Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2012-05-18
Easy from seed;)
Location: Coastal San Diego County 
Date: 2018-02-05
Location: Caribou Maine
Date: April 2018
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-03
Location: Southern Maine
Date: May 13, 2022
Location: Dallas,Texas
Date: 2021-01-17
Location: Bronx NY
Date: 2017-05-07
First bloom on tiny plant!
Location: Winter Park, Colorado
Date: spring 2017
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: May 5, 2012
Location: Pacific Northwest
Date: 2009-08-14

Date: 2008-05-15
Location: Coastal San Diego County 
Date: 2017-11-19

Date: 2015-06-04
Location: In our garden - Central Valley area, CA
Date: 18-Feb-2011
Close-up of Viola
Location: My garden in Bark River, MI
Date: 2017-06-22
#Pollination
Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2012-05-18
Reverse
Location: Pacific Northwest
Date: 2009-08-14

Date: May
credit: Jörg Hempel
Location: 5b
Date: 2017-09-19
Self seeding
Location: Tennessee
Date: 2012-01-24
Seedlings

By Johan Spaedtke via Wikimedia Commons
Location: Richmond
Date: 2015-05-17
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2015-05-21
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2015-05-21
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2014-08-06
Location: Fairfax, VA | April, 2023
Date: 2023-04-25
Location: Fairfax, VA | April, 2023
Date: 2023-04-25
Location: My garden near Lincoln UK
Date: 2010-08-15
They make many colours!
Location: My garden near Lincoln UK
Date: 2010-08-14
I have them setting around, when they set in the grass that had t

By Arend from Oosterhout, Netherlands via Wikimedia Commons
Location: DFW, Texas (zone 8)
Date: 2016-05-13
Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2012-05-14
Location: Coastal San Diego County 
Date: 2017-12-18
Location: Coastal San Diego County 
Date: 2017-12-20
Location: Illinois, US
Date: 2010-04-27
Location: DFW, Texas (zone 8)
Date: 2016-04-15
Location: Wildseed Farms, Fredericksburg, TX
Location: Viola tricolor. Found in wood south of Oslo, Norway.
Kjetil Lenes
Location: Moraine Lake, Canada | August, 2022
Date: 2022-08-03
Photo by DaylilySLP
Location: Gent, Belgium
Date: 2007-04-22
On waste land
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2013-07-07
Location: Ontario, Canada
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2014-08-05
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2014-08-05

Photo courtesy of: Tom Potterfield

Photo courtesy of: Tom Potterfield
Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2011-09-14
Location: Pacific Northwest
Date: 2009-09-08
Location: Athol, MA
Date: 2017-06-28
Seeds just before leaving their pod.
Location: Canoga Park, California
Date: 2006-05-19
Location: Michigan
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: 2014-08-06
This plant is tagged in:
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Comments:
  • Posted by SCButtercup (Simpsonville SC - Zone 7b) on Aug 28, 2014 4:58 AM concerning plant:
    Has grown in my garden every year since we moved in 9 years ago, and I have never planted it. The previous owners were not gardeners, so it must have blown in or had its seeds deposited by birds. It is a welcome visitor each spring. Not invasive like violets, and very early bloomer. Plant disappears as weather heats up, but reseeds reliably.
  • Posted by valleylynn (Oregon City, OR - Zone 8b) on Oct 10, 2011 8:40 PM concerning plant:
    Common European wild flower, growing as an annual or short-lived perennial.

    Known as the Johnny Jump Up (though this name is also applied to similar species such as the Yellow Pansy). It is the progenitor of the cultivated Pansy, and is therefore sometimes called Wild Pansy; before the cultivated Pansies were developed, "Pansy" was an alternative name for the wild form.

    It can creep and hoist itself (ramping) as much as a meter into a dense tangle of other growth.

    They are hermaphrodite and self-fertile, pollinated by bees. Flowers have been used to make yellow, green and and blue/green dyes.
    Reseeds readily.

    The plant, especially the flowers, contain antioxidants and are edible.

    The first year I planted seed they were all the normal tricolor. Over the years as they have reseeded they have had different combinations of the three colors.
  • Posted by Marilyn (Kentucky - Zone 6a) on Jun 20, 2012 5:44 PM concerning plant:
    One year I planted 24 of these. In a couple of days, one or more wild rabbits ate all of them down to the ground and they never grew and/or bloomed again. I'd like to plant them again, but if I do, I'd have to plant them into a tall container to keep the rabbits from getting to them.

  • Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Dec 23, 2012 9:10 AM concerning plant:
    Only plant these in full sun in zones/areas with cool summers. In warmer climates, give them some shade and keep them out of the path of strong, drying winds.

    Viola tricolor is very frost tolerant and prefers cool, moist conditions. Provide rich, moist well-drained soil. A mulch is often helpful. Deadheading can help prolong blooming. Self-seeds.
Plant Events from our members
chelle On March 6, 2015 Potted up
(2) two-finger paper
chelle From February 18, 2015 to February 27, 2015 Seeds germinated
Light was not excluded. Seeds germinated in ambient room light.
chelle On February 17, 2015 Seeds sown
Room temp.
Catmint20906 On May 9, 2015 Bloomed
carlysuko On January 25, 2018 Bloomed
Birds ate most of the ones I planted in the ground, but the ones I planted in a pot around Jasmine sumbac are starting to bloom. 😊
carlysuko On November 13, 2017 Seeds germinated
carlysuko On November 7, 2017 Seeds sown
Seeds sown in three 2" plastic pots with jiffy seed starting mix mixed with perlite, and a humidity dome on top. Covered with a little soil since they need dark to germinate. Obtained seeds from Botanical Interests.
Michelezie On July 5, 2018 Bloomed
KelliW On January 5, 2020 Seeds sown
wintersown outdoors in jug, zone 6b
paleohunter On October 19, 2021 Seeds sown
dnrevel On March 3, 2022 Seeds sown
WS in jugs. Needs darkness to germinate. Ferry-Morse seed.
dnrevel On March 24, 2021 Seeds sown
Sown in outdoor pots under cold frame cover.
NOTE: Needs darkness to germinate, so a very thin covering of soil over the seed is recommended.
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