Simcoe County Master Gardeners
Grow Natives!
PLANT PROFILE
COMMON NAME: Woolly Blue Violet
BINOMIAL: Viola sororia
| Family | Violaceae |
| Cdn Native Range | Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan |
| Natural habitat | moist woodlands, lawns, borders, naturalized landscape |
| Type | herbaceous perennial |
| Features | glossy heart shaped leaves topped with 5-petalled purple flowers with white throats on leafless flower stalks |
| Growth habit | petite upright low-growing wildflower; aggressive spreader provides a lovely carpet of spring blooms |
| Mature height | 15 – 25 cm (6”– 10”) |
| Mature spread | 15 – 25 cm (6” – 10”) |
| Life span | 3 – 5 years |
| Cdn Hardiness Zone | 3 – 7 |
| Growing conditions | full sun/part shade |
| Soil conditions | clay, sand, loam, well-draining, dry, rich/poor, tolerates a range |
| Watering needs | needs consistent moisture; established plants tolerate short dry periods in partial shade |
| Fertilizer needs | compost, natural mulch |
| Tolerance | clay soil; mowing and foot traffic; deer resistant |
| Maintenance rank | low |
| Maintenance needs | deadheading to encourage blooming and reduce self-seeding |
| Bloom | mid-spring to early summer |
| Fruit | capsule; edible leaves and flowers are high in vit. A and C; use leaves in salads or cooked greens and flowers in candies and jellies |
| Pollinator support | a nursery for fritillary butterfly caterpillars |
| Environmental support | early nectar source for bees, flies, and skipper butterflies |
| Garden Use | thrives under and between plants; quickly fills in bare spaces; edging along pathways; interspersed in lawns; ground cover; rock gardens; naturalized landscapes |
| Risks & Cautions | woolly aphids; powdery mildew in high humidity; leaf spot; spreads vigorously |
References: Gardenia Creative Gardens Website; Lorraine Johnson and Sheila Colla, A Garden for the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee
Photo Credits:
Woolly Blue Violet – flower (credit: Joshua Mayer, Flickr on CC)
Woolly Blue Violet – growth habit (credit: Frank Mayfield, Flickr on CC)
