woodland wildflower
Bird's foot violet
Viola pedata
Also known as Birdfoot Violet, Bird's-foot Violet, Bird-foot Violet
1 of 2Native to much of the USA
Massachusetts to Minnesota, south to Georgia and eastern Texas
- Light Part shade to shade Sun tolerance
- Moisture Dry Moisture preference
- Zones 4–9 Cold to heat range
- Bloom Mar–May Flowering time
- Height up to 1 ft to 0.3 m
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A woodland wildflower for part to full shade and lean, dry soil. Its blue and purple flowers peak in April. At up to 1 ft, it tucks into shade gardens and woodland edges. Hardy in USDA zones 4–9.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
Hardiness zones
Find your zone:
When it blooms
The Bird's foot violet's blue and purple flowers bloom March to May, peaking in April. This spring display draws bees and butterflies.
Bird's foot violet blooms blue & purpleFoliage
Pollinators & wildlife
- Bees Common Eastern Bumble Bee
also Western Honey Bee, Brown-belted Bumble Bee, Two-spotted Bumble Bee +16 more
American Bumble Bee, Pure Green Sweat bee, Orange-legged Furrow Bee, Rusty-patched Bumble Bee, Confusing Furrow Bee, Carlin's Mining Bee, Anthophora ursina, Lasioglossum cinctipes, Osmia conjuncta, Ashy Mining Bee, Buff-tailed Bumble Bee, Pseudopanurgus albitarsis, Short-horned Yellow-face Bee, Pseudopanurgus passiflorae, Tetragona dissecta, Anthophora dispar - Butterflies Painted Lady
also American Lady, Eastern Tailed-Blue, Eastern Black Swallowtail +14 more
Checkered White, Arctic Skipper, Falcate Orangetip, Sleepy Duskywing, White M Hairstreak, Cobweb Skipper, Yramea modesta, Incisalia irioides, Incisalia niphon, Mitoura gryneus, Mastor vialis, Cynthia cardui, European Peacock Butterfly, orange-tip - Flower flies Greater Bee Fly
also Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly, Common Loopwing Aphideater, Striped Bromeliad Fly +4 more
Anthrax palliata, Maize Calligrapher, Eupeodes nielseni, Dotted Bee Fly - Also visited by
- Beetles:
Spotted Willow Leaf Beetle, Acmaeodera tubulus +1 more
Disonycha limbicollis - Moths: Snowberry Clearwing, Celery Looper Moth
- Hummingbirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Beetles:
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
- Aphrodite fritillarycaterpillar host
- Great spangled fritillarycaterpillar host
- Silver-bordered fritillarycaterpillar host
- Variegated fritillarycaterpillar host
- American ladynectar
- Black swallowtailnectar
- Checkered whitenectar
- Eastern pine elfinnectar
- Eastern tailed-bluenectar
- Juniper hairstreaknectar
- Painted ladynectar
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- Much of the USAUnited States (32): AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- Massachusetts to Minnesota, south to Georgia and eastern TexasThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Part shade to shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- DryThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 4–9 · Canadian 5–7The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
- Soil
- Dry, rocky, or sandy soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil texture
- Light to heavy (sandy to clay)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
- Soil pH
- Acid to neutralThe acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 1 ft (to 0.3 m)Typical mature height.
- Spread
- ~0 ft (0.1 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- SlowA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- Mar–MayWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- Blue, PurpleThe bloom color, or colors.
- Fruit/Seeds
- Capsule; ripens Apr–JunThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
- Toxicity
- None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.