At least 3 states have listed this species as threatened or vulnerable. Please do not attempt to transplant this from the wild where it i...Read Mores rare. Nursery-propagated plants are commercially available.
This has been a shrinking violet, here.
It's a gorgeous plant I've often admired on the roadsides---I even stopped once on the Massachusetts Turnpike to investigate a purple patch on the verge---But I've never succeeded with this in the garden.
In the wild, I see this on barren, sandy cuts in full sun, with little competition from other plants nearby. I've also seen it in mostly shade. It's often said to need exquisite drainage. So if I ever make a rock garden, this will be a candidate. But in the border, it gets quickly crowded out by its neighbors.
On the bank of the roadside ditch across from my house there is a huge, thick, swath of these little devils. The growing conditions ther...Read Moree match all I read about them. Dry, poor soil, well drained. But everything I read said they need full sun, except here at DG where it says full sun or part shade. These get very little sun, perhaps 3 hours in the late afternoon. It is a west facing bank that is shaded by hardwoods most of the day. Yet they are thriving and multiplying.
I'm going to attempt to transplant a few of them onto my property. I'll report back on my success or failure.
Love this violet! It does well here in the Ozarks, since we have clay soil, but lots (and LOTS) of rocks for good drainage. I discovered ...Read Moreone last year in the woods, and transplanted it to my 'woodland garden' bed. Thinking it was like other violets, I planted it in the shade. It has done beautifully, probably due to the reflection of a lot of light from our light-colored house. Last week we were at Greers Ferry Lake in Arkansas, and the bird's foot violets were everywhere beside the road. Not only were there light lavendar ones and bicolor ones, but there was also a dark purple variety with a white eye. I dug up a few to plant in my bed. These violets are especially great because of their beautiful foliage, which is evergreen here. I find myself reaching down to "fluff" the foliage every time I visit the flower bed - it is so cute.
Benton County, MO (Zone 5a) | November 2007 | positive
Very pretty little flower. Seems to do well here in Missouri with our cold winters and hot dry summers.
There are two col...Read Moreor variations, one with all pale lavender petals and the other with two upper dark violet petals and pale lavender lower petals. All have a white area on the bottom petal with the dark purple lines.
You can make jelly from the flowers and also candy the flowers to eat.
Very attractive. Some of the flowers are bi-color (or bi-shade, light and darker violet). The Regal Fritillary butterfly (& other friti...Read Morellaries) depend on a few species of native Viola as their larval host plants, and V. pedata is one of the most important of these, especially in the upper mid-west. As Regal Fritillaries do not lay their eggs on the violet, there needs to be leaf litter or other vegetative matter for the first instar of the the larva to over winter in around the violets, which the larva need to find very quickly in the spring. Lawns aren't hospitable, so plant in a less disturbed area and leave some leaf and plant debris for overwintering. Also, make sure you have adult nectar sources (esp. echinaceas and native thistles [if legal where you live]).
This species is nowhere near as aggressive as the common violet, and unlike the common violet, doesn't do well in shade. The leaves may be evergreen or deciduous, depending on where you live.
To gather the seeds, as the seed pods get ripe, place a small tightly woven net over the plant head with a rubber band (a bit of pantyhose works well). When the seed pods open, they forcefully eject the seed, hence the net.
One of the earliest blooming prairie plants, they provide a striking backdrop for other early bloomers such as indian paintbrush and shoo...Read Moreting stars.
Frontier doctors made a syrup or decoction of the plant and was used as an expectorant. The roots and leaves were also used as a mild laxative and to induce vomiting.
Charming native wildflower in our region. Unlike other violets, this one needs sunshine and good drainage. It grows on bare slopes in aci...Read Moredic clay/gravel soils (usually subsoils that have been exposed due to roadbuilding or other construction). Has absolutely no insect or disease problems in our area, and thrives in our wet winter/spring, dry summer/fall climate.
Birds Foot Violets seem to grow along roadsides here in North Carolina. This year I dug up 36 of them in March/April and potted them in ...Read MoreMiracle Grow soil in plastic pots. I gave them occasional water outside with a NE exposure and allowed them to get a good root structure. Two months later I planted them in mulched clay soil with a SW afternoon sun. I am told that this is not too hot for them - and if my clay soil drains well, they should survive.
So far, my experience is positive. I will write again with
more when I have something to say.
Has mid-dark green, 3 lobed (2 side (lateral) lobes further divided into 3-5)...Read More, glossy leaves. Bears pale blue or bicolored blue and white with yellow centered flowers and short spurs.
Flowers April-June
This one can be a bit of a prima donna, needs sandy/peat, well drained soil and despises too much winter wet.
At least 3 states have listed this species as threatened or vulnerable. Please do not attempt to transplant this from the wild where it i...Read More
On the bank of the roadside ditch across from my house there is a huge, thick, swath of these little devils. The growing conditions ther...Read More
Love this violet! It does well here in the Ozarks, since we have clay soil, but lots (and LOTS) of rocks for good drainage. I discovered ...Read More
Very pretty little flower. Seems to do well here in Missouri with our cold winters and hot dry summers.
There are two col...Read More
Very attractive. Some of the flowers are bi-color (or bi-shade, light and darker violet). The Regal Fritillary butterfly (& other friti...Read More
One of the earliest blooming prairie plants, they provide a striking backdrop for other early bloomers such as indian paintbrush and shoo...Read More
Grows well in sandy-clay soil mix. Drainage is good.
Located where it receives morning to mid day sun, then shade after...Read More
Charming native wildflower in our region. Unlike other violets, this one needs sunshine and good drainage. It grows on bare slopes in aci...Read More
Birds Foot Violets seem to grow along roadsides here in North Carolina. This year I dug up 36 of them in March/April and potted them in ...Read More
A semi-everygreen violet from North America.
Has mid-dark green, 3 lobed (2 side (lateral) lobes further divided into 3-5)...Read More