heart's ease

Also known as: black eye; cat's faces; come-and-cuddle-me; constancy; cuddle-me-to-you; cull-me-to-you; Cupid's flower; fancy; flamy; flower of thought; garden gate; hearts in ease; herb Trinity; Jack-jump-up-and-kiss-me; Johnny-jump-up; jump-up-and-kiss-me; kiss-and-look-up; kiss-her-in-the-buttery; kiss-me; kiss-me-at-the-garden-gate; kiss-me-ere-I-rise; kiss-me-love; Kit-run-about; Kitty-come; Kitty-run; lady's delight; little faces; live-in-idleness; love-in-idleness; loving idol; lowly down; meet-her-in-the-entry-kiss-her-in-the-buttery; pansy; pink of my Joan; pink of my John; pretty face; stepmother plant; thinking flower; three faces under a hood; tickle-my-fancy; tricolor pansy; wild pansy; wild violet; bird's eye; none-so-pretty

A tufted annual, biennial or short-lived, evergreen perennial with spreading stems, producing flowers 2.5cm or more across, from spring to autumn. The blooms typically have dark purple upper petals, pale purple or pale yellow middle petals and a dark yellow lower petal, with dark streaks creating a whiskery 'face'. Other colours may include lavender blue and cream

heart's ease

Scientific classification

Species
heart's ease (Viola tricolor)
Genus
Viola
Family
Violaceae
Information to be completed
Toxicity
Annual Biennial · Herbaceous Perennial
Plant type
0.1-0.5 metres
Height
0.1-0.5 metres
Spread
Evergreen
Foliage
Bushy
Habit
Information to be completed
Season of interest
Full sun · Partial shade
Sunlight
10 – 20 °C
Ideal temperature

heart's ease pictures

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Distribution of heart's ease

Distribution map

Eurasia

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Culture

Information to be completed

Toxicity

Information to be completed

Quick identification of heart's ease

Information to be completed

heart's ease care guide

Light regular watering, allow brief dry surface between irrigation sessions
Watering
Full sun · Partial shade
Sunlight
10 – 20 °C
Ideal temperature

Watering

Light regular watering, allow brief dry surface between irrigation sessions

Fertilizing

Mild wild flower diluted feed monthly spring and summer blooming months

Pruning

Cut back after flowering

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in late winter or early spring

Growing

Best in moist soil but will grow in any moderately fertile soil apart from waterlogged soils. Full sun or partial shade is best but shade is tolerated

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Common pests and diseases

Diseases

May be subject to powdery mildews, pansy leaf spot, a virus and a rust

Pests

May be attacked by slugs, snails, aphids, glasshouse red spider mite, violet gall midge

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