Low to short, hairy plant, often tufted. Basal leaves heart shaped, green with distinctive white blotches, stalked. Stem leaves oval, unstalked half clasping the stem. Flowers reddish or pink to blue-violet, 13 to 18 mm, long calyx cylindrical, the teeth triangular.

Several species and varieties are grown in gardens, and may establish in the wild

Shaded and semi shaded habitats on rich humus soil.

Flowers from March to May.

Perennial.

Widespread and fairly frequent in Britain, usually as a casual escape.

Uncommon in Leicestershire and Rutland and usually as a casual escapee close to habitation. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 6 of the 617 tetrads.