How to Kill Wild Violet

Wild violet is a perennial weed found in many Eastern regions of the U.S. It flowers in early spring and is usually found in the shady, damp areas in your yard. For some, this admittedly charming weed is great for pollinators and even used as a groundcover.

For others, finding wild violets in the lawn is an unwelcome sight. This weed spreads aggressively, so what starts as one unbothersome weed can become a sea of wild violet in your lawn and landscape in just a few short years. If you prefer to keep your grass lawn, your best option is to control wild violets as quickly as possible. 

How to Identify Wild Violets

Wild violets range in height from 2 to 12 inches tall. Their leaves are heart-shaped, with scalloped edges and a waxy coating. Violet flowers range in color from light blue to deep purple. They also produce rhizomes, or fleshy underground stems that help them aggressively spread across your lawn.

How to Kill Wild Violets and Discourage Them From Coming Back

The best way to get rid of wild violet is to treat individual plants as you see them and to keep up with regular lawn maintenance. Even if the violets have taken over, you have options to help get your lawn back on track. One thing to keep in mind: wild violets are easiest to control in the fall. Since they're prioritizing storing up nutrients to survive winter, they don't have as much energy or resources to fight off an attack. 

• Kill wild violets and other pesky lawn weeds by spot-treating with fast-acting Ortho® WeedClear™ Lawn Weed Killer Ready-to-Use. It's rainproof in just an hour and won't harm the surrounding lawn, plus the Comfort Wand® makes it extra comfortable to use.
• To kill a widespread infestation of wild violet, go with Ortho® Weedclear™ Lawn Weed Killer Ready-To-Spray. A single bottle treats up to 5,000 square feet and the convenient hose attachment makes application as easy as watering your lawn.
• Ortho® Weed B Gon Chickweed, Clover & Oxalis Killer for Lawns Ready-To-Spray can be used on multiple lawn varieties: Buffalograss, Fescues, Kentucky Bluegrass, Ryegrass, and Zoysiagrass. Simply connect the container to a garden hose and treat up to 6,400 sq. ft.
• Regular feedings for your lawn (think two to four times per year) provide the nutrients your grass needs to grow thick and strong and help crowd out weeds like wild violet.
• Mowing at a height that's best for your grass allows the grass to grow thick and develop a deep root system. Grass clippings recycle plant nutrients back into the soil, so leave them where they fall if you use a mulching mower.
• Water when needed. As much as possible, take advantage of nature's sprinkler and rely on the rain to water your lawn. If you do use sprinklers, set them to water your lawn deeply and infrequently. Most lawns only need an inch of water per week.

And that's it. Some things you're probably already doing to maintain your lawn also help keep wild violet and other weeds from popping up in your yard. When they do pop up, trust Ortho to help you handle the problem.