Download common blue violet

COMMON BLUE VIOLET
After a long winter, spring wildflowers are a welcome sight to many of us. There is
one spring wildflower species that is often considered to be a symbol of spring. That
species is the Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia Willdenow).
This species was once separate from another similar species, Viola papilionacea Pursh.
However, both species have now been merged into 1 species.
Common Blue Violets are members of the Family Violaceae, the Subfamily
Violoideae, and the Tribe Violeae. The generic name, Viola, is Latin for “violet”. It came
from the Greek word, vion, which may have been named from Io, a beautiful water
nymph in Greek mythology whose tears turned into violets. The specific epithet, sororia,
is Latin for “sister” or “sisterly” because of its resemblance to other blue violet species.
The specific epithet, papilionacea, is Latin for “butterfly-like” because the flowers
resemble butterflies. Other common names for this species are Blue Violet, Butterfly
Violet, Chicken Fights, Common Violet, Common Meadow Violet, Dooryard Violet,
Hooded Violet, Johnny-Jump-Up, Long-stemmed Purple Violet, Meadow Violet, Purple
Violet, Rooster, Rooster Hoods, Sister Violet, Violet, Woolly Blue Violet, and Wood
Violet.
DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMON BLUE VIOLET
Perennial
Height: Its height is about 2-12 inches. The flowers are slightly higher than the leaves.
Stems: Its only stems are the horizontal rhizomes. The leaves and the flowers have
separate stalks, which grow directly from the rhizomes.
Leaves: Its leaves are simple and basal. They have broadly rounded or ovate leaf blades
with cordated (heart-shaped) bases and pointed tips. The lower leaves may have rounded
tips. Its length is about 2-3 inches and its width is about 2-5 inches. Its margins are
scalloped or are slightly serrated. The heavily veined leaf blades may be slightly hairy or
downy on both sides. Its petioles may be hairy or downy and have stipules at its bases.
Eastern Cottontail Rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus J.A. Allen) and White-tailed Deer
(Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann) often eat these leaves.
Flowers: Its flowers are about ½-1 inch wide; bilaterally symmetrical; and are blue, deep
purple, white, or of any color variation. Each flower is solitary and is singly placed atop
its own smooth flower stalk.
Each flower also has a corolla of 5 separate, rounded, unequal petals: 1 lower, long,
horizontal petal that extends back into a spur or nectar sac; 2 identical lateral petals with
long, slender haired, white beards at their throats; and 2 identical top petals. The lowest
petal has a white center and the 3 lowest petals are all strongly veined. These flowers also
have a calyx of 5 separate, persistent sepals; 5 stamens with short broad filaments that are
placed in a ring around the pistil; and a pistil with a short, club-shaped style that is bent at
its base and a plump, 10-celled ovary. These flowers have very little fragrance.
These flowers are insect pollinated. Some of them include Syrphid Flies (Family
Syrphidae), Bee Flies (Family Bombyliidae), and Butterflies and Moths (Order
Lepidoptera). The veins upon the petals help guide the insect to the nectar. Bumblebees
(Genus Bombus) often chew into the nectar spur to drink the nectar without pollinating
the flower.
This species may hybridize with other blue violet species. This can make species
identification difficult. However, these showy flowers produce few or no seeds.
Flowering season is March to June, but may also bloom in September. This is because
the equinox occurs in both March and September. The 12-hour daylength releases a
hormone that stimulates flowering.
This plant has small, non-showy cleistogamous flowers that arrive in the late summer
or in the early fall. These flowers have shorter stalks and are located at the bottom of the
plant. They have a calyx but no corolla. They do not open and are self-pollinating. They
produce large quantities of seeds. These seeds are of the same genes as the parent plant
and are not easily adaptable to new environments.
Fruits: Its fruit is a green, brown, or purple, 3-valved, ellipsoid pod or capsule. When the
pod ripens in the early fall, it explodes open at the top. During this opening, the pod walls
curl and split into 3 sections. As the pod dries, these 3 sections shrink. The explosion
hurls the seeds for a distance of several feet. The cleistogamous fruits will ripen and open
in the late fall.
Seeds: Its seeds are small; rounded; and black, brown, or brown dotted. A few bird and
mammal species, such as Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus L.), Bobwhite Quail (Colinus
virginianus L.), Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura L.), Dark-eyed Juncos (Junco
hyemalis L.), and White-footed Mice (Peormyscus leucopus Rafinesque), eat the seeds.
Ants (Family Formicidae) carry away some of the seeds. The Ants are attracted to the
seed’s soft, fleshy covering that was produced by the seed’s oil gland (caruncle or
elaisome). Fleshy seeds that are gnawed by the Ants often germinate faster and produce
healthier plants.
Roots: Its root system consists of thick, creeping, gnarled, bulbous rhizomes with netted
fibrous roots. These rhizomes are found close to the surface and extend outward to form
new clumps of plants. American Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo L.) often eat these
rhizomes.
Habitat: Its habitats consist of moist to medium, open woods; woods’ edges; wet
meadows; lawns; fields; pastures; bottomlands; shady streambanks; and roadsides. They
can tolerate droughts. These plants may be found in clumps of up to 2 feet in diameter.
Range: Its range covers the eastern U.S. and eastern Canada.
Edible Uses:
Common Blue Violets have some edible uses. Only the blue flowered and the white
flowered violets are edible. Each species has different levels of palatability.
The leaves and the flowers contain large amounts of vitamins A and C. They may
contain 3 times as much vitamin C as oranges.
The young leaves have either a bland taste or a mild, sweet, and slightly peppery taste.
They were used raw in salads or were cooked for 10-15 minutes as greens. They are best
mixed with leaves of other plants.
The older, astringent leaves are tough and unpalatable. However, they can still be
cooked as a potherb.
The leaves are also mucilaginous (slightly gummy) and are used for thickening soups
and stews. The dried leaves are brewed into tea.
The fresh flowers can be eaten plain; mixed in salads; candied; or made into jams,
jellies, or wine. These flowers were also used to flavor vinegar.
The roots, rhizomes, fruits, and seeds should not be consumed. They can act as an
emetic or as a purgative, or can cause severe allergic reactions.
Medicinal Uses:
Common Blue Violets had a few medicinal uses. It contains rutin, which strengthens
capillaries. This would be useful in treating hemorrhoids and varicose veins.
The leaves and flowers were used as an expectorant. They were made into syrup that
was used for treating common colds, consumption, bronchitis, whooping cough, other
congestions, and various infections.
A poultice or emollient was used for treating headaches, skin abrasions, skin
irritations, eczema, psoriasis, rashes, boils, wounds, and even skin cancer. More research
is being done about the skin cancer.
A tea was made for treating bladder troubles. It was also used to purify or to detoxify
the blood.
Other Uses:
The flowers can be used like litmus paper. Acids make the petals red and bases make
the petals yellow or green.
Common Blue Violets make attractive ornamental garden plants. However, they can
also become a nuisance weed to some people.
Common Blue Violets are an indicator of the soil’s richness. The richer soils tend to
have more blossoms than do the poorer soils.
These flowers were once used in a children’s game. Children would hook the spurs of
2 flowers together and then pull upon those flowers. The spur that tore open first was the
loser.
This flower is the state flower of 4 states. Congress once tried to make this our national
flower.
REFERENCES
EDIBLE WILD PLANTS
By Bradford Angier
NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION FIELD GUIDE TO WILDFLOWERS OF NORTH AMERICA
By David M. Brandenbury
IDENTIFYING AND HARVESTING EDIBLE AND MEDICINAL PLANTS IN WILD (AND NOT SO
WILD) PLACES
By “Wildman” Steve Brill with Evelyn Dean
THE HISTORY AND FOLKLORE OF NORTH AMERICAN WILDFLOWERS
By Timothy Coffey
WILDFLOWERS AND WEEDS
By Booth Courtenay and James H. Zimmerman
COMMON FLOWERING PLANTS OF THE NORTHEAST
By Donald D. Cox
WILDFLOWERS OF THE EAST
By Mabel Crittenden and Dorothy Telfer
MISSOURI WILDFLOWERS
By Edgar Denison
THE BOOK OF FOREST ANF THICKET
By John Eastman and Amelia Hansen
EAT THE WEEDS
By Ben Charles Harris
WILDFLOWERS OF OHIO
By Robert L. Henn
THE JOY OF WILDFLOWERS
By Millie B. House
DRINKS FROM THE WILDS
By Steven A. Krause
ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS
By Don Kurz
EASTERN NORTH AMERICA’S WILDFLOWERS
By Louis C. Linn
HERBAL REMEDIES FROM THE WILD
By Corinne Martin
WILDFLOWER FOLKLORE
By Laura C. Martin
EDIBLE PLANTS OF PENNSYLVANIA AND NEIGHBORING STATES
By Richard J. Medve and Mary Lee Medve
NATIVE AMERICAN MEDICINAL PLANTS
By Daniel E. Moerman
EDIBLE AND MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE GREAT LAKES REGION
By Thomas A. Naegele, D.O.
NEWCOMB’S WILDFLOWER GUIDE
By Lawrence Newcomb and Gordon Morrison
EDIBLE WILD PLANTS
By Lee Allen Peterson
WILDFLOWERS
By Roger Tory Peterson and Margaret Mc Kenny
BORN IN THE SPRING
By June Carver Roberts
FAVORITE WILDFLOWERS OF THE GREAT LAKES AND THE NORTHEASTERN U.S.
By Dick Schinkel and David Mohrhardt
WILLOW BARK AND ROSEHIPS
By Fritz Springmeyer and Michele Montez
ENJOYING WILDFLOWERS
By Donald and Lillian Stokes
NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY FIELD GUIDE TO WILDFLOWERS (EASTERN REGION)
By John W. Thieret, William A. Niering, and Nancy C. Olmstead
THE USES OF WILD PLANTS
By Frank Tozer
LIFE AND LORE OF ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS
By William E. Werner, Jr.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_sororia