Canary Violet
Viola praemorsa
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
Richard Lake





Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Violaceae
- Genus:
- Viola
- Species:
- Viola praemorsa
- USDA Symbol:
- VIPR3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 15 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
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
Atlantis fritillary (Speyeria atlantis)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, fritillary larvae
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from rootstock following fire; historically found in fire-maintained prairies and grasslands.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- prefers open, sunny habitats
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–42 days
- Notes:
- Seeds may germinate erratically; cold stratification improves germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Requires 120 days cool (38F) and moist stratification prior to germination
Establishment: Commonly found in the Western US and Canada
Source: npn.rngr.net