Effects

• Wild violets reproduce by seed and by dense masses of rapidly-spreading rhizomes. These aggressive, persistent plants become established in shady areas and crowd out lawn grass.
  
  

Solution

• To prevent establishment, deprive wild violets of shade by pruning trees and other shade vegetation. Prevent violets from spreading by promoting healthy turf-grass growth through proper lawn care. Repeated targeted applications of the herbicide triclopyr, especially in the fall, will control resistant weeds such as wild violets.
  
  

Considerations

• Pulling up wild violets is not an effective control method, because remaining rhizome segments will grow into new plants. To prevent herbicide from sliding off the violets' waxy leaves, the University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension recommends adding a chemical spreader-sticker.