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Cressler, Alan
Viola sororia
Viola sororia Willd.
Missouri Violet, Common Blue Violet, Hooded Blue Violet, Florida Violet, Meadow Violet, Confederate Violet, Dooryard Violet, Purple Violet, Woolly Blue Violet, Wood Violet, Hooded Violet
Violaceae (Violet Family)
Synonym(s): Viola floridana, Viola latiuscula, Viola palmata var. sororia, Viola papilionacea, Viola papilionacea var. priceana, Viola priceana
USDA Symbol: VISO
USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)
The glossy, heart-shaped leaves of this 6-10 in. violet are topped by purple flowers with conspicuous white throats; the three lower petals are somewhat hairy. The erect flower stem droops slightly, as if bending its head toward the ground. Perhaps that is why the flower is associated with modesty and decency (Andy Fyon).
As well as the normal flowers there are often flowers near the ground that fail to open, but their whitish fruit produces vast quantities of seeds. Violet leaves are high in vitamins A and C and can be used in salads or cooked as greens. The flowers can be made into candies and jellies. The Marsh Blue Violet (V. cucullata), a similar species of very wet habitats, has dark blue-centered flowers borne well above the leaves.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: AnnualHabit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 10 inches tall.
Leaf: Green
Fruit: Green with purple
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: White , Pink , Blue , PurpleBloom Time: Mar , Apr , May
Distribution
USA: 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 , WVCanada: NB , NS , ON , PE
Native Distribution: E. NC to FL & LA
Native Habitat: Rich, moist woods; swamps
Growing Conditions
Water Use: HighLight Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Moist, rich soils.
Conditions Comments: Easily grown in average, medium wet, well-drained soil. Prefers humusy, moisture-retentive soils. Does not spread by runners, but freely self seeds to the point of being invasive in optimum growing conditions.
Benefit
Use Food: Violet leaves are high in vitamins A and C and can be used in salads or cooked as greens. The flowers can be made into candies and jellies. (Niering)Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds
Deer Resistant: High
Propagation
Commercially Avail: yesMr. Smarty Plants says
Sedges and ornamentals for shade in Bastrop County
June 20, 2007
I bought a home in Elgin, TX that was owned by an elderly woman. Most of
the lawn is shaded by elm or pecan trees. In the sunny areas, i got native
wildflowers to grow like lantana and coneflower,...
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Ground cover for partly sunny, wet area in Cypress, TX
March 19, 2007
I am in need of a ground cover to plant in an area close to our entryway. The area is shady to partly sunny, holds water in rainy weather, and has a shrub border. We are in Texas. Any ideas? Thank...
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Native perennials for moist shade in Missouri
January 16, 2005
I live near Adrian, Mo (s of KC by an hour). I currently have a small hillside that is covered by trees and shaded all day and also seems to hold moisture really well. The hill seems to grow a littl...
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National Wetland Indicator Status
| Region: | AGCP | AK | AW | CB | EMP | GP | HI | MW | NCNE | WMVE |
| Status: | FAC | FAC | FAC | FAC | FAC | FAC | FAC |
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
NPSOT - Austin Chapter - Austin, TX
Research Literature
Reslit 2805 - Flowering dates of Viola sororia Willd. and V. pensylvanica Michx. at different latitudes (1959) T. A. Mcconnell, N. H. RussellReslit 2806 - Studies in the photoperiodic responses of violets (Viola) (1960) N. H. Russell
Reslit 2807 - The population biology of the genus Viola: I. The demography of Viola sororia (1980) O. T. Solbrig, S. J. Newell, D. T. Kincaid
Reslit 2808 - Studies on the population biology of the genus Viola. II. The effect of plant size on fitness in Viola sororia (1981) O. T. Solbrig
Reslit 2809 - Environmental and genetic determinants of plant size in Viola sororia (1985) A. E. Antlfinger, W. F. Curtis, O. T. Solbrig
Reslit 2810 - Fertilization and mowing on persistence of Indian mockstrawberry (Duchesnea indica) and common blue violet (Viola papilionacea) in a tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) lawn (1993) E. Gray, and N. M. Call
Reslit 2811 - Forest floor plant response to lime and fertilizer before and after partial cutting of a northern red oak stand on an extremely acidic soil in Pennsylvania, USA (2001) M. C. Demchik, W. E. Sharpe
Reslit 2812 - The number and size of seeds in common versus restricted woodland herbaceous species in central Iowa, USA (2004) C. M. Mabry
Reslit 2813 - Four nomenclatural changes in Viola (Violaceae) (2010) R. J. Little, L. E. Mckinney
Reslit 2845 - HYBRIDISM IN THE GENUS VIOLA (1904) Ezra Brainerd
This information was provided by the Florida WIldflower Foundation.
Search More Titles in Research Literature
Additional resources
USDA: Find Viola sororia in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Viola sororia in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Viola sororia
Metadata
Record Modified: 2020-02-11Research By: LAL