Viola sororia Willd.

Common Blue Violet; Hooded Blue Violet; Confederate Violet

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Common Blue Violet is a native herbaceous perennial in the Violet family (Violaceae). It can be found throughout the state. Common Blue Violet occurs in a wide variety of habitats from mesic deciduous forests, along streams and rivers, in floodplain forests, in low pine woods, in lawns, and on roadsides. It is a perennial with a creeping fleshy rhizome. Leaves are basal. The leaves are petiolate, glabrous, ovate to triangular in outline, with serrate margins. The leaf base is cordate. Flowers are solitary and scapose. Flowers have 5 petals. Flowers range in color from blue through purple to white. The upper two petals are reflexed and entirely of one color. The lower three petals are basally white with purple lines. The two lateral petals are bearded. The fruit is a capsule. Common Blue Violet is a highly variable species. It has been treated as a variety of the Palmate Leaf Violet (Viola palmata Linnaeus var. sororia (Willdenow) Pollard), with which it shares many characteristics. One commonly cultivated variety is the Confederate Violet (Viola sororia forma priceana), which has grayish-white petals with purple veins. Other species lumped with Common Blue Violet but considered distinct by some include Viola floridana Brainerd; Viola papilionaceae Pursh; and Viola priceana Pollard. In addition, Related Violet (Viola affinis LeConte) is sometimes treated as a variety of Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia Willdenow var. affinis (Leconte) L.E. McKinney). Common Blue Violet is often available from wildflower nurseries. It is easily cultivated under a wide range of conditions. It often becomes “weedy” and spreads to areas where it is not wanted.--A. Diamond

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Native FACW (NWPL)

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