Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Violaceae

Genus:

Viola

Species:

Viola tomentosa

USDA Symbol:

VITO

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

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)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

butterflies, small mammals

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rocky, well-drained granitic soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to Sierra Nevada, prefers open, sunny areas

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Seeds require cold stratification. May exhibit erratic germination typical of Viola genus.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI