Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Violaceae

Genus:

Viola

Species:

Viola pedatifida

USDA Symbol:

VIPE2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

20 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

purple, violet, blue

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

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Native to tallgrass prairies and tolerates fire well; resprouts from rootstock following burns.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

prefers open prairies and grasslands

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Seeds require cold stratification and may germinate erratically. Light may improve germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI