Wild Violet

Viola , commonly called Violets , is a genus of flowering plants in the family Violaceae , with around 400-500 species distributed around the world. Most species are found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere , however viola species are also found in widely divergent areas such as Hawaii , Australasia , and the Andes in South America .

Most Viola species are small perennial plants , some are annual plants , and a few are small shrubs . A number of species are grown for their ornamental flowers in borders and rock gardens; the garden pansy in particular is an extensively used spring and autumn / winter bedding and pot plant.