At a Glance: A blue flowered violet that grows from slender rhizomes and is stemless in the early season, later grow upright stem.
|Sun/Shade Tolerance||Hydrology||Elevation Range||
full sun > 80%
mostly sunny 60%-80%
partial sun and shade 40%- 60%
mostly shady 60%-80%
full shade > 80%
|Common in dry and moist habitats.
Wetland Indicator Status:
NI (no indicator data)
|(data not available)|
Aquatic and Wetland:
Ponds or lakes
Swales or wet ditches
Seasonally inundated areas
Marshes or swamps
Aquatic bed wetlands
Seeps, springsShorelines and Riparian:
Streams or rivers
Stream or river banks
In or near saltwater
Coastal dunes or beachesRocky or Gravelly Areas:
Slide areasSub-alpine and Alpine:
Forests and Thickets:
Forests and woods
Old growth forests
Forest edges, openings, or clearings
ThicketsMeadows and Fields:
Pastures or fields
Meadows or grassy areas
Mossy areasDisturbed Areas:
|(data not available)|
|Ethnobotanical Uses and Other Facts||
Medicinal Uses: The flowers and leaves have long be used in various herbal remedies as poultices, laxatives, and to relieve cough and lung congestion. The Makah women used to eat the violet flowers and leaves during labor. The Klallam mashed the leaves and applied them to the chest or stomach to relieve pain. The crushed leaves were applied only for a few hours because they can irritate and blister the skin.
Food Uses: The flowers can be eaten and used in salads, potherbs, or tea. Some violet species are used for decoration on certain types of food such as cake. In the southern US the leaves are often added to soups as a thickening agent.
- Alden, P., D. Paulson. 1998. National Audubon Society, Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest. Chanticleer Press. Page 164.
- Gunther, E. 1973. 2nd ed. Ethnobotany of Western Washington. University of Washington Press. Page 40.
- Hitchcock, C.L., A. Cronquist. 1973. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 298.
- Jacobson A.L. 2001. Wild Plants of Greater Seattle. Published by author. Page 456.
- Link, R. 1999. Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 224.
- Lyons, C., W. Merilees. Trees and Shrubs to Know in Washington and British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 315.
- Pojar, J., A. Mackinnon. 1994. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 201.
The landscaping and restoration information provided on this page is taken from the Starflower Foundation Image Herbarium. All photographs © Starflower Foundation unless otherwise noted.