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Viola affinis (Pale early violet)
Marcus, Joseph A. (Austin, TX)

Viola affinis Le Conte

Pale early violet, Sand violet

Violaceae (Violet Family)

Synonyms: Viola missouriensis, Viola sororia ssp. affinis, Viola sororia var. affinis

USDA Symbol: VIAF2

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

The glossy, heart-shaped leaf blades are narrow in the spring, becoming much larger in summer. The violet flower has a conspicuous white throat; the three lower petals are somewhat hairy. The heart-shaped leaves, coarsely toothed, have long stems growing from the base. This violet ranges from 6-10 in. tall.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Size Class: 0-1 ft.
Leaf Shape: Cordate
Size Notes: Usually a 7 x 8 inch mound in spring.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Purple
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CT , FL , GA , IL , IN , IA , KS , KY , LA , ME , MD , MA , MI , MN , MS , MO , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NY , NC , ND , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , VT , VA , WV , WI , DC
Canada: ON
Native Distribution: ME to WI, s. to GA, AL & AR
Native Habitat: Moist meadows; low woods; shady stream banks
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Cold Tolerant: yes
Heat Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Moist soils.
Conditions Comments: This little violet makes for a tough ground cover of little mounds of shiny green leaves with tiny purple blooms in the spring. Great as a shrub understory where it OK for the plant to seed out rather thickly and wander beyond its original location. May go dormant in summer depending on soil moisture. The Missouri Violet (formerly Viola missouriensis), previously considered to be its own separate species in the viola genus, is now treated as a synonym of the Sand Violet.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Deer Resistant: None

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Not Available
Seed Collection: Not Available
Seed Treatment: Not Available
Commercially Avail: yes
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From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Pineywoods Native Plant Center - Nacogdoches, TX

Bibliography

Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Viola affinis in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Viola affinis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Viola affinis

Metadata

Record Modified: 2007-10-28
Research By: TWC Staff

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