Missouri Violet
Viola missouriensis
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Violaceae
- Genus:
- Viola
- Species:
- Viola missouriensis
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 6 in - 1 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade, Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- feb, mar, apr
- Bloom Colors:
- White, Purple
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
Native Range
United States: Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin
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:
- good drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers woodland or shaded areas
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).
Notes: Seeds require cold-moist stratification for optimal germination.
Source: OpenAI GPT-4o