Bird's-foot Violet
Viola pedata
Bird's-foot violet is the showiest native violet, with large pansy-like blue-violet flowers over finely divided leaves on dry, sandy, acidic barrens. A fritillary host that resents rich or wet soil. Young leaves and flower buds are edible raw or cooked, and the flowers are traditionally candied.
- Family
- Violaceae
- Type
- wildflower
- Lifespan
- perennial
- Height
- 0.25–0.5 ft
- Spacing
- 0.25–0.5 ft apart
- Light
- part shade, shade
- Soil moisture
- dry
- Soil pH
- acidic, neutral
- Bloom
- March, April, May, June
- Bloom colors
- blue, purple
- Wildlife value
- songbirds
- Caterpillar hosts
- ~29 butterfly & moth species
- Landscape uses
- naturalizing
- Native states
- AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV
Related native plants
More Viola species
- Canadian White Violet (Viola canadensis)
- Stream Violet (Viola glabella)
- Cream Violet (Viola striata)
- Western Dog Violet (Viola adunca)
- Long-spurred Violet (Viola rostrata)
- Halberd-leaved Violet (Viola hastata)