Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Viola nuttallii

Viola nuttallii Pursh

Nuttall's Violet, Yellow Prairie Violet, Prairie Yellow Violet

Violaceae (Violet Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: VINU2

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

One of the few violet species with lance-shaped leaves, the specific epithet of this violet commemorates Thomas Nuttall a noted botanist who traveled the western plains in the early 1800's. Often less than 6 inches tall, the short-stemmed plant bears yellow flowers with brown or purple lines.

Yellow Prairie Violet is a member of the family Violaceae which includes rather dainty herbs with perky, colorful flowers in the United States, but often shrubby and less showy elsewhere.

From the Image Gallery

4 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 10 inches tall, often shorter.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow , Purple
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: CO , ID , KS , MN , MT , ND , NE , NM , SD , WY
Canada: AB , SK

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Coronis Fritillary
(Speyeria coronis)

Larval Host

Learn more at BAMONA

Bibliography

Bibref 1186 - Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.
Bibref 1185 - Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-01-03
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back