
The wood violet flower is a small, delicate beauty with a rich history. It's a perennial plant that grows from 6 to 12 inches tall, with a spread of around 6 to 9 inches.
The wood violet flower has heart-shaped leaves that are typically 2 to 4 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide. Its leaves are often a deep green color with a smooth texture.
This flower is native to North America, specifically the eastern and central regions, where it grows in woodland environments.
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Ornamental Features and Care
Wood Violet has masses of beautiful fragrant blue flowers with white eyes at the ends of the stems from late winter to early spring.
Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground, making it a great choice for adding some texture to your garden.
This plant does best in partial shade to shade and prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, so be sure to water it regularly but avoid letting the soil dry out.
Consider covering it with a thick layer of mulch in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates, as it's highly tolerant of urban pollution and can thrive in inner city environments.
Ornamental Features

The Wood Violet is a real showstopper when it comes to ornamental features. Its beautiful fragrant blue flowers with white eyes are a sight to behold at the ends of the stems from late winter to early spring.
Planting Wood Violets in groupings is the key to making the most of their ornamental value. This will create a stunning display of color and fragrance.
The leaves of the Wood Violet are a lovely addition to the plant's overall appeal. Serrated and heart-shaped, they emerge light green in spring and turn dark green throughout the season.
The Wood Violet's fruit, while not particularly notable, is a natural part of the plant's life cycle.
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Tips
To get the most out of your Wood Violet, plant it in masses or use it as a bedding plant, spacing individual plants about 6 inches apart. This will create a beautiful display of flowers.
It's essential to provide your Wood Violet with the right conditions to thrive. This means planting it in partial shade to shade and keeping the soil average to moist.
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If you live in an area with harsh winters, consider covering your Wood Violet with a thick layer of mulch to protect it from cold temperatures. This will help it endure the winter months.
Wood Violet is a great choice for indoor pots and containers, but be prepared to water it more frequently than you would in the yard or garden.
Distribution and Habitat
Wood violets are native to Wisconsin and much of eastern North America. They can be found in nearly all Wisconsin counties.
Wood violets thrive in wet woodlands.
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Identification and Classification
The wood violet flower has a few different names, including common blue violet, common meadow violet, purple violet, woolly blue violet, and hooded violet.
The taxonomy of the wood violet flower is a bit questionable, with some authors placing it as a variety of V. sororia, and Wikipedia considering Viola papilionacea a synonym for Violet sororia.
Wood violet flowers are irregular in shape and come in deep blue/purple or violet colors, and sometimes almost white with blue markings.
Viola Papilionacea
Viola Papilionacea is a short-stemmed herbaceous perennial plant native to eastern North America. It's the Wisconsin state flower.
The flowers are irregular in shape and come in deep blue/purple or violet colors, sometimes almost white with blue markings.
Wood violets have side petals with beards or tufts near the center of the flower. There are 5 petals in total, with the lower one being longer and spurred.
The plant has other names, including common blue violet, common meadow violet, purple violet, woolly blue violet, and hooded violet. Some authors question its taxonomy, and it's considered a synonym for Viola sororia by Wikipedia.
A form with white flowers and a purple center is called Viola sororia fo. priceana, or Confederate violet.
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Dichotomous Key for New England Flora
The dichotomous key for New England flora can be a powerful tool for identifying plants, but it requires a bit of practice to master.
Viola palmata, also known as wood violet, is a common sight in New England's dry-mesic forests and woodlands. It can be identified by its 3-7 principal segments, unlobed middle lobes, and occasional presence of petiolules on the outer pair(s) of segments.
The rare Viola × robinsoniana hybrid has pubescent foliage and narrow-ovate to ovate-oblong leaf blades, some with 1-3 lateral lobes near the base and a prolonged middle lobe.
Viola × porteriana, another rare hybrid, is a sparsely to moderately pubescent plant with narrow-ovate leaf blades that are transitional in shape between V. cucullata and V. sagittata var. ovata.
The Viola palmata × Viola sororia hybrid, known as Viola × populifolia, has pubescent foliage and usually some of the leaf blades show obscure lateral lobes separated by short sinuses.
Late season leaf blades of the Viola palmata × Viola subsinuata hybrid, known as Viola × variabilis, may be scarcely or not at all lobed.
Common Name(s):
The common name(s) of this species are quite interesting. The most widely recognized name is the "Mountain Lion", but it's also known as the "Cougar" in some regions.
In North America, it's often referred to as the "Puma", which is a name that's been used for centuries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Wisconsin's state flower the wood violet?
Wisconsin's state flower, the wood violet, was chosen by school children in a close vote on Arbor Day 1909. It was one of four options, including the wild rose and trailing arbutus, that were nominated in 1908.
Do wood violets like sun or shade?
Wood violets prefer partial shade to shade, where they can thrive in moist conditions. They're adaptable to various environments, making them a great choice for inner city gardens.
What state flower is the wood violet?
The wood violet is the state flower of Wisconsin, Illinois, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. It's also edible and can be used in various culinary creations.
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