Florida Violets

Blue violet (Viola sororia). Photo: Scott Zona.

Florida violets are native, perennial wildflowers found in open woods and clearings throughout Florida. They have lovely purple, yellow, or white flowers and grow low to the ground. There are countless species of native violets—many have more than one common name. You can find these tiny plants throughout the Eastern United States.

The common blue violet (Viola sororia) is a cool-season annual that grows throughout the eastern U.S. on forest floors and sometimes home landscapes, where they are usually seen as a weed. Their flowers can be purple to white, and they often bloom in late winter in Florida. They self-seed freely and can spread rapidly in the right conditions.

Early violet (Viola palmata) is another springtime bloomer found along the East Coast, including most of Florida..

Walter's violet (Viola walteri) is found in the woods of North and North Central Florida. Bog white violet (Viola lanceolata) is very small and can found throughout the state along the waterline of bogs, marshes, and ponds.

Also on Gardening Solutions

• Wildflowers for All Seasons
• Wildflowers in the Garden

More from UF/IFAS

• Blue Violets and Horse Sugar--UIFAS IFAS Blogs Wakulla County
• My Little Pretties--UF/IFAS Gardening in the Panhandle

Other Sites

• Say Yes to Violets--Florida Native Plant Society Blog
• Viola affinis, Sand Violet--Florida Native Plant Society Presentation (PDF)
• Viola lanceolata, Bog White Violet--Florida Wildflower Foundation