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Halberd-leaved Violet

Viola hastata

A lovely, stem-bearing woodland violet with distinctive spear-shaped (halberd-like) green leaves, often beautifully mottled with silver-gray. Bears bright, golden-yellow flowers with purple veins in early spring. Prefers acidic, damp soils in shaded woods. Young leaves and flowers are edible raw or cooked, thickening soups much like okra, and the flowers make an attractive, mild-flavored garnish.

Family

Violaceae

Type

wildflower

Lifespan

perennial

Height

0.25–0.75 ft

Spacing

0.5–0.75 ft apart

Light

sun, part shade

Soil moisture

moist

Soil pH

acidic

Bloom

April, May

Bloom colors

yellow, purple

Wildlife value

butterflies, pollinators, mammals, songbirds

Caterpillar hosts

~29 butterfly & moth species

Landscape uses

naturalizing

Native states

AL, GA, KY, MD, NC, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WV