Viola sororia
 
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Photos courtesy Renee Brecht |
Britton & Brown Line Drawing |
| Botanical name: | Viola sororia |
| Common name: | common blue violet |
| Group: | dicot |
| Family: | Violaceae |
| Growth type: | forb/herb |
| Duration: | perennial, annual |
| Origin: | native |
| Plant height: | 3 - 8" |
| Foliage: | heart shaped basal leaves |
| Flower: | blue-purple; white or partly white and blue-purple (bicolor) |
| Flowering time: | April to June |
| Habitat: | woods, meadows, lawns and waste areas |
| Range in New Jersey: | statewide |
| Heritage ranking, if any: | n/a |
| Distribution: |  |
| Misc. | Viola sororia is the stateflower of New Jersey, Wisconsin, Illinois and Rhode Island. The young leaves and flowers are edible. This plant also has cleistogamous flowers, self-pollinating. Caterpillars of several Fritillary butterflies feed on the foliage: Speyeria diane (Diana), Euptoieta claudia (Variegated Fritillary), Speyeria aphrodite (Aphrodite Fritillary), Boloria bellona (Meadow Fritillary), and Boloria selene myrina (Silver-Border Fritillary). The seeds have elaiosomes that attract ants. Mourning dove, wild turkey, and bobwhite eat the seeds. |