Wild Pansy (Viola tricolor)
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Vascular plant > flowering plant > Herbaceous plant |
| Red List Status: | Near Threatened (Not Relevant) [NT(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | Included in the baseline Red List Index for England (Wilkins, Wilson & Brown, 2022) |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | (none) |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Viola tricolor |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | L. |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | in Stroh et al., 2014 |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | (none) |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Although the species as a whole has declined (assessed as NT by Stroh et al. 2014 due to a 28% decline in AOO), it remains widespread in suitable habitats with over 700 monads recorded since 2010. However, V. tricolor subsp. curtisii appears to be much rarer, possibly occurring in fewer than 15 localities at Braunton Burrows (N Devon) and in Breckland (Norfolk and Suffolk). This subspecies, which seems to have been very over-recorded in coastal dunes, therefore warrants more work to establish its true extent and the threats it is facing. |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | V. t. subsp curtisii requires very open sand habitat within dune systems and these are not always encouraged by low-levels of grazing generally seen on dunes. Targeted provision of open sand habitat through sufficient disturbance (either grazing by rabbits, livestock, human activity or dune rejuvenation techniques) are required. |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | V. t. subsp curtisii grows on open dunes and sandy heaths, and wider grazing and scrub control management, and especially dune regeneration techniques, to keep these habitats in good condition will also benefit this species. |
Species Assessment
| Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): | 2. Biological status assessment exists |
| Recovery potential/expectation: | Medium-high |
| National Monitoring Resource: | Opportunistic - insufficient |
| Species Comments: | Also may benefit from general work to address Nitrogen pollution, as would many other small plant species of open niches- adding here as a constraint |
Key Actions
Key Action 1
Proposed Action: Survey known coastal and Breckland populations of V. tricolor, along with a sample of other coastal populations (e.g. Lancashire, Westmorland), to establish true extent of subsp. curtisii and determine condition of habitat at sites where it occurs.
Action targets: 2. Biological status assessment exists
Action type: Targeted monitoring
Duration: 3-5 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 100 sites
High priority sites:
Comments:
Key Action 2
Proposed Action: Use results of survey (A1) to prioritise sites where urgent habitat management is needed, e.g. dune rejuvenation, grazing, scrub clearance.
Action targets: 7. Best approach adopted at appropriate scales
Action type: Habitat management
Duration: 3-5 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 10 sites
High priority sites:
Comments:
Key Action 3
Proposed Action: Improve recording of subsp. curtisii through awareness raising, workshops and targeted field recording.
Action targets: 3. National Monitoring Plan agreed and implemented
Action type: Education/awareness raising
Duration: 3-5 years
Scale of Implementation: Unknown
High priority sites:
Comments:
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.