Viola pedunculata aka California Golden Violet

Viola pedunculata is a perennial in the violet family, Violaceae. Its common names include Californian golden violet and grass pansy. Other names include gallito, long-stalked violet, and Johnny-jump-up. Kew places its native range from California into northern Baja California, Mexico. It grows in a subtropical climate. Its wild sites include grassy slopes below about 1,476 feet [450 metres]. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This violet has yellow flowers and a seasonal growth cycle. In California, it grows and blooms during winter and early spring. It dies back in summer. Plants For A Future also lists May as its flowering month. Bloom dates therefore need to be read with local conditions in mind. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects pollinate the flowers. The supplied sources give no species-level measurements for mature height or spread.

For garden beds, choose cool, moist soil that drains well. Add humus and give the plant shelter from hot, drying winds. Partial or dappled shade suits it, though it can grow without shade. It accepts sandy, loamy, and clay soils when drainage is good. It also tolerates soils formed over sandstone or limestone. Its preferred pH lies between 6 and 6.5. An overly high pH can cause chlorosis. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 7–10. It also warns that outdoor success in Britain favours milder areas.

Grow new plants from seed or divide established plants. Sow fresh seed in autumn in a cold frame. Sow stored seed there in early spring. Move seedlings into separate pots once they are large enough. Plant them out in summer. Divide plants in autumn or soon after flowering. Large divisions can go straight into their garden positions. Keep small divisions in pots under light shade until growth resumes. A greenhouse or cold frame provides shelter during this stage.

Young leaves and flower buds can be eaten raw or cooked. They can also thicken soup, and the leaves can make tea. Gather leaves before the spring flowers open for best use. Edibility does not mean that large servings are safe. The yellow flowers can cause diarrhoea when eaten in quantity. Plants For A Future lists no known medicinal or other uses. It does not flag this species as weedy.