Sweet Violet (Viola odorata L.): Botanical, Horticultural, Pharmacological, and Economic Aspects

Historically, sweet violet (Viola odorata L.) was an important plant used in various ways, including folk medicine, rituals and festivals, as food, and as an ornamental plant in gardens. The use of this species has varied from ancient times to the present; it is most consistently praised as a medicinal plant, while its popularity as an ornamental and edible species has been intermittent. A review of the extensive scientific literature on its pharmacological and medicinal properties demonstrates its value and the immense diversity of its uses in these fields to this day. While providing a concise overview of its importance for medicinal applications, this paper focuses on the much smaller body of scientific literature concerning horticulture and botany. The aim is to present a comprehensive overview of research on sweet violet, with a primary focus on combining, connecting, and making more accessible notable and related works concerning its taxonomy, morphology, anatomy, and horticultural production. A review of published studies shows fragmented and too specific studies of anatomical structure that are difficult to compare, as well as data gaps in areas of cultivation, hybridisation, selection, and broader comparisons between different populations of this species. It also highlights the overall economic importance which, in combination with the lack of commercial production, results in potentially problematic practices regarding the exploitation of this species in its natural habitats.