Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Violaceae

Genus:

Viola

Species:

Viola cucullata

USDA Symbol:

VICU

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

25 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun,Part Shade,Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

blue, violet, purple

Ground Cover:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★★★★★ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

butterflies, bees, birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

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 wetland edges and moist meadows

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination and benefit from cold stratification. Germination can be erratic.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI