Viola sororia
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Viola floridana
- Viola latiuscula
- Viola palmata var. sororia
- Viola papilionacea
- Viola papilionacea var. priceana
- Viola priceana
- Phonetic Spelling
- vy-OH-la so-ROR-ee-uh
- Description
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Viola sororia, known as the common blue violet, is a stemless herbaceous perennial in the Violaceae, or violet family. Its showy flowers has led to it being named as state flower for several states. It appears in woods, thickets, and along streambeds, especially in shadier areas. It has glossy green heart-shaped leaves that emerge directly from the rhizomes.
The purple flowers have white throats and the three lower petals are somewhat hairy. The erect flower stem droops slightly and the flowers bend toward the ground. It tolerates wet soil, clay soil, and being planted near black walnut trees. Blooms in spring; stoloniferous (a plant that has a horizontal stem located above the ground and can produce roots and vertical stems at the nodes) and will spread quickly-may become invasive in fertile, moist locations.
Near the ground, there are flowers that do not open. Their whitish fruit contain numerous seeds.
Although the taste of the flowers is bland, they are edible. Raw, they can be used is small amounts in salads and cooked can be used to make jellies and candies.
Used as a wildflower in lawns, rock gardens, edging, and border. This plant seeds freely and can be used as a groundcover along walls and path edges as mowing can limit its spread.
Seasons of Interest:
Bloom: Spring-Summer, April-August
Wildlife Value: Nectar from the flowers attract butterflies and bees. Members of the genus Viola support the following specialized bees: Andrena (Gonandrena) fragilis, Andrena (Gonandrena) integra, and Andrena (Gonandrena) platyparia. This plant is resistant to damage by deer but eaten by rabbits.
Quick ID
- Leaves are basal, heart-shaped, crenate and subpeltate
- Many solitary, 2 cm flowers on slender, peltate stalks
- Acaulescent herbaceous plant with purple to white spring flowers
- Lateral petals with lion mane pubescence basally
Insects, Disease,s and Other Plant Problems: May have some issues with slugs, snails, aphids, red spider mite, violet gall midge. Powdery mildew and pansy leaf spot are occasional disease problems. It self-seeds freely and in lawns and gardens can become a weed. During hot summer months, the foliage tends to depreciate.
VIDEO Created by Homegrown featuring Travis Birdsell, County Extension Director and Extension Agent for Ashe County Extension
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Mostly Native Vegetable, Herb and Pollinator Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Freckles'
- 'Royal Robe'
Blue-purple flowers with tiny white eye - 'Rubra'
- 'Freckles'
- 'Freckles', 'Royal Robe', 'Rubra'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Freckles'
- 'Royal Robe'
Blue-purple flowers with tiny white eye - 'Rubra'
- 'Freckles'
- 'Freckles', 'Royal Robe', 'Rubra'
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Viola
- Species:
- sororia
- Family:
- Violaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern and central North America
- Distribution:
- AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant supports Fritillary butterfly larvae. Nectar from the flowers attract butterflies and bees. Members of the genus Viola support the following specialized bees: Andrena (Gonandrena) fragilis, Andrena (Gonandrena) integra, and Andrena (Gonandrena) platyparia. This plant is resistant to damage by deer. Butterflies and moths use this plant as a larval host. Birds and small mammals use the seed as a food source.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Colorful
- Defines Paths
- Easy to Grow
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Edibility:
- Young leaves can be used in salads or cooked as greens. Flowers are often added to salads or desserts.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 10 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 10 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Ground Cover
- Herb
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Low
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit is a 3-chambered capsule. In North Carolina, fruits are available from April to June.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are borne on long peduncles from ground slightly overtopping leaves, zygomorphic, deep blue-violet to white, nodding. There are 5 unequal petals, the uppermost pair nearly erect, the lateral pair spreading. They are blue to white with medial basal erect pubescence, lowermost petal white basally, veins dark violet; spur to 0.1 inch; sepals 5. In North Carolina, flowers are purple to purplish-white and appear from February to May.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Velvety
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Yellowish-green leaves are basal, simple, cordate, acute, serrate to crenate, pubescent underneath, subpeltate, to 4 in across; stipules linear-lanceolate. Growing condition may affect the leaf color.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are rhizomatous.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Patio
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Shade Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Black Walnut
- Deer
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Weedy
