If it is a thug I need to know so I can get rid of all the soil in this pot because there are many tiny ones appearing.

There are many different kinds with them being told apart by specific anatomical details

most if not all violets have the inclination to be thugs... i think it has more to do with the use and location ...

if you only had 10 sq feet of garden allotment... i would say be done with it ...

if you have acreage.. and dont mind it taking over an area which you dont want to mow ... but you need a ground cover.. what the heck.. why not ...

in my sand.. i found that the grass basically browns out in july thru august.. and the only thing that was actually green out there in what i call a lawn.. but is more of a mowed pasture ... so at a 100 feet away.. it pleased me to see some green ...

but back in suburbia.. i once collected any odd violet i saw around.. and after about ten years.. i just decided to move.. instead of deal with them.. lol ... not really but it makes a good story ... lol

ken

ps: one variation on the theme.. actually sprouted a seed pod in early spring... then leafed and flowered.. and seeded again .. and then there was a fall flowering that also matured to seed .. thats a lot of seed in one season ...