Viola pedata (Bird's Foot Violet) Unity Grown

Viola pedata, also commonly known as bird's foot violet, is a low-growing perennial wildflower native to much of the eastern half of the contiguous US. Clumping by nature, Viola pedata grows to 4-10" tall and spreads by reseeding to form small colonies over time. Performing best in dry, shade to part-shade locations, bird's foot violet produces relatively large flowers for their size, up to an inch and a half across, in shades of white, lavender, and royal purple, occasionally with multiple shades on a single flower; flowers contrast beautiful against uniquely shaped fringed foliage.

Bird's foot violet's spring to early summer flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies, including the Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia), for which it is also a larval host. Once pollinated, flowers will turn to seed, which serves as a food source for a number of small bird species. Though Viola pedata is especially delicate looking among native violets, it is just as hardy as it as beautiful and ecologically beneficial, and its long-blooming flowers from early spring to early summer are sure to add beauty and grace to any small shaded garden.