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 with conspicuous white throats. It 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 bumble bees, 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 to ensure seed production even in unfavourable times.
 
Growing conditions:
Common violet prefers partial to full shade. It thrives in moist, rich, humusy soils and tolerates wet soil, clay soil, various pH levels, and black walnut. Freely self-seeds and spreads well, forming colonies. Great for erosion control and as a ground cover. Low maintenance. Deer tolerant.