Viola hirsutula Brainerd

Southern Woodland Violet

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Southern Woodland Violet is a native perennial in the Violet family (Violaceae). It can be found scattered throughout Alabama, but is not common. Southern Woodland Violet grows in dry pine or hardwood forests, on roadsides, and in cemeteries. It is an acaulescent (lacking an above ground stem) blue violet, with a short, thick underground rhizome. Southern Woodland Violet has leaves that are pubescent and mottled silvery green above with dark purple veins. Below the leaves are glabrous and pale silvery purple. The flowers are pale blue with streaks of white in the throat. The fruit is a capsule. Walter's Violet (Viola walteri House) is similar, but it produces procumbent stems and occurs usually in rich woodlands. Walter's Violet is colonial and mat forming, while the Southern Woodland Violet usually occurs as single plants. Southern Woodland Violet is not usually available from wildflower nurseries, but can easily be grown from seed. Two horticultural varies are sometimes available: Viola hirsutula 'Purpurea' with very dark foliage, and Viola hirsutula 'Alba' with silvery leaves with dark veins.--A. Diamond

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Native G4 (Global Rank)

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