Common blue violet, Viola sororia
Common blue violet is a low-growing native perennial groundcover with glossy, heart-shaped leaves and attractive blue-violet flowers featuring conspicuous white throats. Blooms in mid-spring and sometimes intermittently into late summer. The plant grows 0.15-0.25 m tall, forming spreading clumps.
Ecology:
Valuable early-season nectar source for native bees including mason bees, sweat bees, and the violet specialist mining bee (Andrena violae) which only visits violets. Attracts bumblebees, small carpenter bees, and butterflies. Preferred host plant for fritillary butterflies. Seeds attract birds and ants. Produces two types of flowers - showy ones for insect pollination and self-fertilizing closed flowers that ensure seed production.
Growing conditions:
Prefers part shade to full shade. Thrives in moist, rich, humusy soils. Tolerates wet soil, clay soil, various pH levels, and black walnut. Freely self-seeds and spreads well, forming colonies. Useful for erosion control. Low maintenance. Deer tolerant.