Flower profile
Woolly blue violet
Viola sororia
Woolly blue violet is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–October.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: New Jersey, Rhode Island, Wisconsin
Quick look
Viola sororia, known commonly as the common blue violet, is a short-stemmed herbaceous perennial plant native to eastern North America. It is known by a number of common names, including common meadow violet, purple violet, woolly blue violet, hooded violet, and wood violet.
- It belongs to the Violaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual, perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 37 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Wisconsin, New Jersey and Rhode Island. NatureServe
- USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as purple. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as mid spring. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 0.3 ft. USDA PLANTS
- iNaturalist has 17 research-grade sightings of it in Wisconsin, ranking #106 among the 109 flowers on our Wisconsin list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 2 research-grade sightings of it in New Jersey, ranking #108 among the 110 flowers on our New Jersey list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 2 research-grade sightings of it in Rhode Island, ranking #107 among the 110 flowers on our Rhode Island list. iNaturalist
Woolly blue violet gift ideas
Handmade woolly blue violet gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
-
Placeholder
Woolly blue violet art print
-
Placeholder
Woolly blue violet greeting card
-
Placeholder
Woolly blue violet mug
-
Placeholder
Woolly blue violet earrings
-
Placeholder
Woolly blue violet embroidery pattern
-
Placeholder
Woolly blue violet sticker
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in each of our 3 states
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | Native | few records | 17 |
| New Jersey | Native | few records | 2 |
| Rhode Island | Native | few records | 2 |
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Wisconsin
- Not listed Not on Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Wisconsin. NR 27.03
- New Jersey
- Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). NatureServe: S5, secure in New Jersey. N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1
- Rhode Island
- Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Rhode Island. RI rare plants 2016
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
NC State Extension notes: “Young leaves can be used in salads or cooked as greens. Flowers are often added to salads or desserts.” NC State Extension
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records woolly blue violet in 37 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.
Wisconsin counties with USDA records: Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jefferson, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood.
New Jersey counties with USDA records: Bergen, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, Union, Warren.
Rhode Island counties with USDA records: Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence.
More Wisconsin flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile VISO.
- iNaturalist, Viola sororia: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Viola sororia (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- N.J.S.A. 52:9A-2: New Jersey state flower.
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-4-9: Rhode Island state flower.
- Wis. Stat. § 1.10(3)(e): Wisconsin state flower.
- Wisconsin: Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03).
- Wisconsin: Wisconsin invasive species rule (Wis. Admin. Code NR 40.04 prohibited, NR 40.05 restricted).
- New Jersey: New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1).
- New Jersey: New Jersey prohibited invasive plant species (Invasive Species Management Act; propagation banned from Jan 1, 2027, sale from Jan 1, 2030).
- Rhode Island: Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Viola sororia (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Kaden Slone via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.