Viola elatior aka Hohes Veilchen

Viola elatior, or tall violet, is in the violet family, Violaceae. It is a perennial, so it lives for several years. It comes from temperate parts of Europe and Asia. Its native range reaches Xinjiang and the western Himalaya. The RHS lists it as non-native to Britain and Ireland. It grows in upright clumps, not as woody branches. Dense growth can make full-grown plants look like shrubs.

Garden plants reach about 1.6–3.3 feet (0.5–1 m) tall. They spread 0.3–1.6 feet (0.1–0.5 m) wide. They take two to five years to reach full size. The bright green leaves are long and shaped like hearts. Their edges have teeth. The plant is deciduous: it sheds its leaves for winter. Its upright shape suits beds, borders, and garden edges.

The pale purple flowers have white centres and darker purple veins. The RHS reports no clear scent. The two garden sources give different times for bloom. Chicago Botanic Garden gives March through June as the bloom period. The RHS gives early summer into autumn. These spans differ, so they do not give one fixed bloom period. Removing dead flowers can help the blooms last longer.

Grow tall violet in sun or partial shade. It needs rich soil with plenty of humus. The soil must hold moisture but let excess water drain. The RHS lists chalk, clay, loam, and sand as suitable soils. It also accepts acid, neutral, and alkaline soil. Both open sites and sites with shelter suit it. The RHS gives a UK hardiness rating of H5. Chicago Botanic Garden lists USDA zones 5–8. Suggested sites include rock gardens and woodland plantings. Gardens with an informal style also suit it. It can grow in pots, courtyards, and gardens by the coast. To raise new plants, sow seed in late winter or early spring.

Slugs and snails may harm the plant. Aphids, glasshouse red spider mites, and violet gall midges may also attack it. Disease risks include powdery mildew and pansy leaf spot. Pansy downy mildew is another risk. Rust and a virus may also affect it. These risks do not mean that each plant will suffer. The supplied accounts for this species give no details about its fruit. They give no basis to judge whether it is edible or toxic.