Marsh violet is a herbaceous plant that belongs to the violet family. Its leaves and flower stems grown straight from its rhizome. The light violet flowers grow one by one and bloom in May-June. The green, roundish and kidney-shaped leaves grow from the base rosette in groups of three or four. Marsh violet reproduces efficiently with the help of its creeping rhizome.

Marsh violet flourishes in moist habitats like moist and paludifying forests, peatlands, shores, moist meadows and trench sides. Its area of distribution covers the northern parts of Eurasia and North America.

The pollinators of Marsh violet include bumblebees and several butterflies and moths. The seeds spread along with ants. Marsh violet crossbreeds easily with Dwarf marsh violet (Viola epipsila).

As a least concern species Marsh violet requires no conservation measures to secure its occurrence.