Sand Violet
Viola affinis
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Violaceae
- Genus:
- Viola
- Species:
- Viola affinis
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 6 in - 1 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr, may, jun
- Bloom Colors:
- Purple
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
Native Range
United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Canada: Ontario, Quebec
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
- Bee Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Aphrodite Fritillary (Speyeria aphrodite), Atlantis fritillary (Speyeria atlantis), Clossiana epithore, ⚠️Diana fritillary (Speyeria diana), Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele), Meadow Fritillary (Clossiana bellona), Mormon fritillary (Speyeria mormonia), nokomis fritillary (Speyeria nokomis), 🛑Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia), ⚠️Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Clossiana selene)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers shaded woodland areas
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).
Source: OpenAI GPT-4o