Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Violaceae

Genus:

Viola

Species:

Viola sheltonii

USDA Symbol:

VISH

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

15 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

yellow

Wildlife Benefits

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, small mammals

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

prefers open woodlands and forest edges

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Viola seeds may have erratic germination; fresh seed germinates best after cold stratification.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI