Missouri Violet
Viola missouriensis
- Native to:
- United States
Kurt Stüber [1] (www.kurtstueber.de)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Violaceae
- Genus:
- Viola
- Species:
- Viola missouriensis
- USDA Symbol:
- VIMI3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 20 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade,Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may
- Bloom Colors:
- violet, blue, lavender
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
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
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)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- butterflies, bees
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
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
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–42 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination. Cold stratification improves germination rates significantly.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
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: Claude AI