Violets

Name: Violets

Botanical Name: Viola spp.

Form: wildflower

Parts Used: seeds, greens and flowers

 

Citation: Guenther, K. (2020, January 12) Violets as wildlife food [Web log post.] Retrieved: supply the date, from http://wildfoods4wildlife.com

Getting Started

Violets are common to many yards and are a good beginner-forager plant due to their easy-to-identify nature and their tendency to naturalize and regenerate. A number of birds and mammals eat the seeds, but I have no idea how one would harvest seed in enough quantity to bother. Mice will eat the corms and roots, but it’s hard to imagine a rehabber working to get violet roots just for mice. Which leaves only one major reason to harvest violet greens: for the cottontails.

Violaceae (Violet family) 

Viola (Violet genus)

I love violets for their durability and friendliness and their ability to generate and regenerate on the landscape with ease. But, they are a trickster plant when it comes to exact identification, as different species look a lot like each other to begin with, plus they have the audacity to hybridize. Wow, are there a lot of different violets out there.

Common name	Virginia Viola Species	Origin	Rare Plant Status
LeConte’s violet	V. affinis	non-native	Yes, in some states (not Virginia)
european field pansy	V. arvensis	native	Not rare
field pansy	V. bicolor	native	Not rare
sweet white violet	V. blanda	native	Not rare
coast violet	V. brittoniana	native	Globally appears secure,  vulnerable in Virginia
canada violet	V. canadensis	native	Yes, in some states (not Virginia)
marsh blue violet	V. cucullata	native	Not rare
salad violet	V. esculenta	native	Globally appears secure, vulnerable in Virginia
northern downy violet	V. fimbriatula	native	Not rare
halberd-leaved yellow violet	V. hastate	native	Not rare
southern wood violet	V. hirsutila	native	Yes, in some states (not Virginia)
large-leaved white violet	V. incognita	native	Globally appears secure, may be at risk in Virginia
dog-violet	V. labradorica	native	Yes, in some states (not Virginia)
lance-leaved violet	V. lanceolata	native	Yes, in some states (not Virginia)
smooth white violet	V. macloskeyi	native	Globally secure, vulnerable in Virginia
sweet violet	V. odorata	non-native	Not rare
cleft violet	V. palmata var. diltata	native	Yes, in some states (not Virginia)
wood violet	V. palmata var. palmate	native	Yes, in some states (not Virginia)
bird’s-foot violet	V. pedata	native	Yes, in some states (not Virginia)
prairie violet	V. pedatifolia	native	Globally secure, critically imperiled in Virginia
primrose-leaved violet	V. primulifolia	native	Yes, in some states (not Virginia)
yellow violet	V. pubescens	native	Yes, in some states (not Virginia)
long-spurred violet	V. rostrata	native	Not rare
round-leaved violet	V. rotundifolia	native	Yes, in some states (not Virginia)
arrow-leaved violet	V. sagittata	native	Not rare
northern blue violet	V. septentrionalis	native	Globally secure, vulnerable in Virginia
common blue violet	V. sororia	native	Not rare
striped violet	V. striata	native	Yes, in some states (not Virginia)
lobed violet	V. subsinuata	native	Not rare
pansy	V. tricolor	non-native	Not rare
three-parted violet	V. tripartite	native	Globally secure, critically imperiled in Virginia
prostrate blue violet	V. walteri	native	Globally appears secure, imperiled in Virginia

Virginia Botanical Associates. (Accessed November 2015). Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora (http://www.vaplantatlas.org). c/o Virginia Botanical Associates, Blacksburg. 

USDA, NRCS. 2015. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 24 November 2015). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.

Key Features to Look For

In addition to the identification guide of your choice, here are a couple of features you should see on this plant:

• Ankle-high plants that often spread over time
• Flowers are irregular with 2 petals up and 3 petals down
• Often heart-shaped leaves that curl up slightly at the sides forming a keel shape on the underside of the leaf.
• Flower colors are usually either whites, blues, purples or yellows, or some combination
• Flowers have a “spur” on the backside of the flower, a pointy part where the petals join
• Often just one flower petal has veins
• Often the stem of the flower has no leaves; leaves are on their own individual stems.

About this Species

The selected violet for this article is likely a violet hybrid (V. sororia is my best guess.)  Since violets often hybridize, identification can be difficult to achieve. If you want to try to identify a violet down to the species level, the following are the items that will help you key it out using a taxonomic key:

1.  whether the flower stands up above the leaves
2.  whether and how many of the interior flower petals have “beards” 
3.  how many and to what extent the petals have veins
4.  whether the leaves have hairs or are smooth  

Violets are high in Vitamins A and C. They are mildly laxative, yellow violets more so. Violets are also said to help detoxify the blood acting as alteratives that can be used long-term (Elpel 2013).

Flower Description: Violet flowers are slightly irregular with 2 petals up and 3 petals down and 5 separate sepals. The lowest petal is usually more heavily streaked with veins of a different color and the lower petal is slightly larger than the others. The flowers are similar to pansies, which are also in this family. Violet flowers are usually variations of whites, purples, blues and yellows.

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Leaf Description:  Many violet leaves are simple, un-lobed, toothed, heart-shaped and curl up slightly at the sides forming a keel shape on the underside of the leaf. They have long stems (petioles) which either emerge at ground level (basal) or alternate up the stem. There is a lot of variation in leaves for violets. Flowers are more uniform across species.

Seed/ Fruit Size: The seed capsule is striking if you see one. It is a small, three-arm-shaped packet with the seeds lined up inside like peas in a pod that pops open to disperse the seeds.

Roots and Corms:

Harvesting

		Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		Dec
		winter		winter		late winter		early spring		spring		late spring		early summer		summer		late summer		early fall		fall		late fall
greens								x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x

Is this a good enrichment item? Not really.

Harvesting Greens:  You can harvest violet leaves anytime. Like most greens, they are of the best texture when young and soft, but can be harvested until mid-fall. Cut a few leaves at a time at the base. If you have a large bed of violets you want to thin, you can pull up whole plants after a soaking rain. Plants with roots still attached will stay fresh longer in the refrigerator, but I’d chop off the roots before serving to animals because there are some species whose roots contain alkaloids that could act as an emetic, causing vomiting (Elpel, 2013). Flowers, however, can be harvested and fed along with the greens.

How to Store Prepared Greens:  If you choose to, use a commercial vegetable cleaner or a ¼ cup of vinegar added to water as a cleaner. Submerge the plant material and swish it around to remove all dirt from leaves and roots. Rinse in clean water. Place in a colander or salad spinner to drain, then lay out a towel and spread the greens on the towel and roll up the towel. Unroll and transfer the damp greens to a 1-gallon zip-lock baggie with 12-15 holes cut in it to provide air and keep the greens from molding (or use a commercial vegetable bag designed to extend the life of greens in the refrigerator or reuse bags that package grapes). Label the bag with the plant name and which animals it should be used for. Do not use if greens become moldy, slimy or dried out and keep in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. Greens are good until they become dry and crispy, fade in color, or become slimy or moldy—about 1 week.

Other Species: It is difficult to sort out violets when there are so many hybrids, especially when you try to avoid threatened species. Do the best you can. Harvesting the leaf using the ethical harvesting guidelines (no more than 1/3 of the plant (leave the root) and harvest only off of 1/3 of the plants available) will help cover if you accidentally do harvest a threatened species.  But do check your county, and try to become familiar with the endangered species of your area. Best yet…buy some violets from your nursery and grow your own to harvest! Violets transplant well and spread within a couple of years, but not invasively so. 

Rare Species in Virginia

Do you live in one of these Virginia counties? If so, be aware that there are some species near you that may be threatened or endangered. Do more research to make sure you are identifying your target species correctly and not harvesting a threatened species!

County in Virginia	Species	Alert
Albemarle	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Allegheny	prairie violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. However, in Virginia, Critically imperiled— at very high risk of extirpation.
Augusta	large-leaved white violet	Globally appears secure— uncommon, but not rare. Concern for the long-run. In Virginia, item is not ranked.
Augusta	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Bath	prairie violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. However, in Virginia, Critically imperiled— at very high risk of extirpation.
Bedford	large-leaved white violet	Globally appears secure— uncommon, but not rare. Concern for the long-run globally.
Bedford	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Bland	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Bland	prostrate blue violet	Globally appears secure— uncommon, but not rare. Concern for the long-run globally. In Virginia, imperiled with a high risk of extirpation.
Botetourt	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Botetourt	prostrate blue violet	Globally appears secure— uncommon, but not rare. Concern for the long-run globally. In Virginia, imperiled with a high risk of extirpation.
Carroll	three-parted violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. However, in Virginia, Critically imperiled— at very high risk of extirpation.
Charles City	salad violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Chesapeake	coast violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Chesapeake	salad violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Fairfax	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Fauquier	large-leaved white violet	Globally appears secure— uncommon, but not rare. Concern for the long-run. In Virginia, item is not ranked.
Floyd	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Floyd	three-parted violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. However, in Virginia, Critically imperiled— at very high risk of extirpation.
Giles	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Giles	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Gloucester	coast violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Grayson	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Grayson	prostrate blue violet	Globally appears secure— uncommon, but not rare. Concern for the long-run globally. In Virginia, imperiled with a high risk of extirpation.
Greene	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Greensville	coast violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Greensville	salad violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Hampton	coast violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Henry	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Highland	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Isle of Wight	salad violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
James City	coast violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Madison	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Middlesex	salad violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Montgomery	prostrate blue violet	Globally appears secure— uncommon, but not rare. Concern for the long-run globally. In Virginia, imperiled with a high risk of extirpation.
Montgomery	three-parted violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. However, in Virginia, Critically imperiled— at very high risk of extirpation.
Montgomery	northern blue violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Nelson	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Northampton	coast violet	Globally appears secure— uncommon, but not rare. Concern for the long-run. In Virginia, vulnerable with moderate risk of extirpation.
Pittsylvania	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Pittsylvania	northern blue violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Prince George	coast violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Pulaski	prostrate blue violet	Globally appears secure— uncommon, but not rare. Concern for the long-run globally. In Virginia, imperiled with a high risk of extirpation.
Pulaski	northern blue violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Roanoke	northern blue violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Rockbridge	large-leaved white violet	Globally appears secure— uncommon, but not rare. Concern for the long-run. In Virginia, item is not ranked.
Rockbridge	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Rockingham	large-leaved white violet	Globally appears secure— uncommon, but not rare. Concern for the long-run. In Virginia, item is not ranked.
Rockingham	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Russell	prostrate blue violet	Globally appears secure— uncommon, but not rare. Concern for the long-run globally. In Virginia, imperiled with a high risk of extirpation.
Shenandoah	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Smyth	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Southampton	coast violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Suffolk	salad violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Surry	coast violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Sussex	coast violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Sussex	salad violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Virginia Beach	coast violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Washington	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Wise	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Wythe	smooth white violet	Globally secure—common, widespread and abundant. But vulnerable— moderate risk of extirpation in Virginia.
Wythe	prostrate blue violet	Globally appears secure— uncommon, but not rare. Concern for the long-run globally. In Virginia, imperiled with a high risk of extirpation.

 

Feed Violet Greens to:

Book References

Elpel, T.J. (2013) Botany in a Day (APG). Pony, Montana: Hops Press, LLC.

Martin, A.C., Zim, H.S., Nelson, A.L. (1951). American Wildlife and Plants: A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits. New York: Dover Publications.

Scott, M. (2013). Songbird Diet Index. National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association, St. Cloud, MN.

Townsend, J. F. (2015, April)  Rare Plants Natural Heritage Technical Report 15-10. (Unpublished Report) Richmond, Virginia: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage. 

Online References

Virginia Botanical Associates. (Accessed November 2015). Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora (http://www.vaplantatlas.org). c/o Virginia Botanical Associates, Blacksburg. 

USDA, NRCS. 2015. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 24 November 2015). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.