Viola sororia – Common Blue Violet

Many of us in the eastern US are familiar with violets, especially the Common Blue Violet or Viola sororia. This wildflower is often spotted growing in yards. Upon close inspection, it’s a beautiful purple flower. It has 5 petals and the lower 3 have hair in them which can provide grip for incoming pollinators. Due to its ability to spread, it is often considered a weed.

Common Blue Violet is a compact perennial what grows from a central rhizome. The leaves emerge directly from the ground and are spade shaped. The flowers also emerge from the ground in the center of the plant and are only a couple inches tall at best. The flowers are purple, although there several varieties with different coloring due to its ability to cross breed. The seeds are coated with a sweet nectar that attracts ants to take them back to their nests as food. After they eat the nectar the seed is disposed of in a waste pile where it germinates. Seeds are also dispersed by a process where the seed head bursts open and the seeds shoot out as far as 9 feet!

Mid March through May depending on weather and zone.