Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Violaceae

Genus:

Viola

Species:

Viola orbiculata

USDA Symbol:

VIOR

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

10 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

yellow

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:

bees, butterflies, ants

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 6.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

prefers shaded forest floors

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Seeds require cold stratification. Germination can be erratic; some seeds may take a full year.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI