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Viola pedunculata - Torr.&A.Gray.                
                 
Common Name Grass Pansy
Family Violaceae
Synonyms
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Grassy slopes below 450 metres[71].
Range South-western N. America - California.
Edibility Rating  
Medicinal Rating  
Care
Frost Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun

Summary       

Physical Characteristics       
 
Viola pedunculata is a PERENNIAL.
It is hardy to zone 8. It is in flower in May. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.


Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Viola pedunculata Grass Pansy


Viola pedunculata Grass Pansy
flickr.com/people/38213125@N00
   
Habitats       
 Cultivated Beds;
Edible Uses                                         
Edible Parts: Flowers;  Leaves.
Edible Uses: Tea.

Young leaves and flower buds - raw or cooked[105, 161, 177]. When added to soup they thicken it in much the same way as okra[85, 159]. The leaves are best harvested before the flowers open in the spring[257]. Some caution is advised, the yellow flowers of this species can cause diarrhoea if eaten in large quantities[62]. A tea can be made from the leaves[85].
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.



None known
Other Uses
None known
Cultivation details                                         
Prefers a cool moist well-drained humus-rich soil in partial or dappled shade and protection from scorching winds. Tolerates sandstone and limestone soils but becomes chlorotic if the pH is too high. Prefers a pH between 6 and 6.5[200]. Plants are not very hardy in Britain, though they should succeed outdoors in the milder areas of the country[1]. Plants grow and flower during the winter and early spring in California, dying down in the summer[1]. All members of this genus have more or less edible leaves and flower buds, though those species, such as this one, that have yellow flowers can cause diarrhoea if eaten in large quantities[62, 85, 159].
                                                                                 
Propagation                                         
Seed - best sown in the autumn in a cold frame. Sow stored seed in early spring in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer. Division in the autumn or just after flowering. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, though we have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.
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Expert comment                                         
 
      
Author                                         
Torr.&A.Gray.
                                                                                 
Botanical References                                         
71
                                                                                 
Links / References                                         

[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[62]Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants.
Very readable.
[71]Munz. A California Flora.
An excellent flora but no pictures. Not for the casual reader.
[85]Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains.
A superb book. Very readable, it gives the results of the authors experiments with native edible plants.
[105]Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
[159]McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana.
A nice pocket guide to this region of America.
[161]Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237.
A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.
[177]Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption.
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[257]Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

Readers comment                                         
 
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