California Golden Violet Plant Care
Viola pedunculata Torr. & A.Gray
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Viola pedunculata, the California golden violet, Johnny jump up, or yellow pansy, is a perennial yellow wildflower of the coast and coastal ranges in California and northwestern Baja California. However, the common name "Johnny jump up" is usually associated with Viola tricolor, an introduced garden annual.
Partial shade to full sun
At a glance
How do you care for California Golden Violet?
California Golden Violet grows best in partial shade to full sun.
What Is the California Golden Violet?
California Golden Violet (Viola pedunculata) belongs to the Violaceae family within the Viola genus. California Golden Violet is also known as Yellow Violet, Coast Violet.
California Golden Violet displays a low rosette, spreading growth habit, reaching up to tall with a spread of approximately . California Golden Violet produces small, delicate flowers in various colors.
What Light Does the California Golden Violet Need?
California Golden Violet thrives in partial shade to full sun.
Light Requirement
Partial shade to full sun
What Soil Mix Works Best for a California Golden Violet?
Well-draining, fertile soil with high organic matter content. Good drainage is essential for California Golden Violet to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Do You Repot a California Golden Violet?
Repot every 1-2 years in early spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a California Golden Violet?
California Golden Violet can be propagated through seeds, division of clumps. Similar propagation techniques also apply to hooked violet plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the California Golden Violet Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list California Golden Violet, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the California Golden Violet?
California Golden Violet is susceptible to aphids, slugs, snails. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
Keep exploring plants
California Golden Violet is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Viola genus — compare its care with other Viola species on PlantoScan.
Viola is part of the Violaceae plant family — browse all Violaceae genera and species.
California Golden Violet thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
More Viola Species
Other Viola species in PlantoScan's care catalogue share similar watering, light, and soil preferences:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Viola pedunculata Torr. & A.Gray, family Violaceae (first published in Fl. N. Amer. 1: 141 (1838)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list California Golden Violet, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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