Image to followAI-generated illustrationViola arvensis
Viola arvensis
FamilyGenus: Violanative in Germany
🌿
41
Species
interact
🔗
54
Interactions
documented
About this species
Viola arvensis is a small, broad-leaved herbaceous plant that flowers from April to October. It is classed as an archaeophyte in Great Britain, having arrived before AD 1500, likely as a seed contaminant. The plant is safe around children and grows in sunny, moderately moist sites with average soil.
Ecological network
Click to highlight connections · Click again to open the species page
Loading network...
PollinationFlower visit
Ecological significance
No specific ecological impacts have been recorded for this archaeophyte in Great Britain.
Annual cycle
Flowers from April to October.
Safety note
This plant is safe around children.
Standort & Merkmale
Light
Sonne
Moisture
Frisch (Mäßig feucht)
Soil
Mittelzehrer (Normaler Boden)
Flowering period
Apr – Okt
Soil reaction
Mäßig sauer bis neutral
Bioregion
Continental
Growth form
Krautige Pflanze
Woodiness
Nicht verholzt
Leaf type
Breitblättrig
Plant height
0.124 m
Morphological traits: TRY ID3 (CC BY 3.0) & TRY ID81 (CC BY)
Pflege & Anbau
Grow in full sun. Provide a moderately moist, average garden soil. No supplementary feeding is necessary.
Scientific profile
Viola arvensis is a member of the violet family (Violaceae). Its original range extends across Europe, south-eastern Europe and western Asia. In Great Britain it is treated as an archaeophyte – an introduction that occurred before AD 1500 – and is now fully established. Historical records suggest it arrived as a seed contaminant. The plant is a terrestrial, non-woody herb with broad leaves, typically reaching about 12 cm in height. The flowering period runs from April to October. It favours full sunlight (Ellenberg light value 7), moderately warm conditions (temperature value 5) and neutral to slightly acid soils (reaction value 5). Soil nutrient levels correspond to mesotrophic conditions (nutrients value 6), and the species is associated with sites of low disturbance. The seeds are small, averaging 0.43 mg. It is not considered threatened and holds an unthreatened Red List status.
Pollinators & visitors
33 Arten interagieren mit dieser Pflanze
Pieris brassicaePieris rapaePieris napiErynnis tagesBombus vestalisClossiana euphrosyneGonepteryx rhamniAglais urticaeOsmia bicolorLasioglossum fulvicorneBoloria seleneBombus terrestrisBombus hortorumAndrena bicolorBombus pascuorumBombus lapidariusBombus lucorumBombus hypnorumOsmia aurulentaPyrgus malvaeCallophrys rubiErebia aethiopsLasioglossum laevigatumBombus pratorumBombus ruderatusIssoria lathoniaPolyommatus icarusAnthocharis cardaminesSphaerophoria scriptaApis.melliferaAndrena subopacaLasioglossum pauxillumLasioglossum lativentre
Other flower visitors
8 other species visit the flowers
Fringilla coelebsAlauda arvensisHarpalus rufipesPterostichus melanariusPoecilus cupreusHarpalus affinisEmpis nuntiaSciaridae sp. 2
Sources & data origin
•Interaktionsdaten via GloBI (CC-BY 4.0)
•pollinator_interactions
•FloraWeb / BfN
•EIVE 1.0 — Dengler et al. (2023), DOI: 10.3897/VCS.98324 (CC BY 4.0)
•GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — GBIF Secretariat (2024), DOI: 10.15468/39omei (CC BY 4.0)
•TRY Categorical Traits (ID3) — Kattge et al. (2012), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.3 (CC BY 3.0)
•TRY Global Spectrum (ID81) — Díaz et al. (2016/2021), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.81 (CC BY)
•Govaerts R et al. (2025) — World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) v14. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. DOI: 10.34885/xs7h-ze42 (CC BY 4.0)
All data is licensed under CC BY 4.0, CC0, or compatible terms. Attribution according to license conditions. Full source overview →