Viola lobata subsp. integrifolia
Photo: parent species Viola lobata · (c) Max Miley, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Violaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Viola lobata subsp. integrifolia is a native California herb in the Violaceae family, recognized by . Key features: yellow flowers, diamond-shaped leaves longer than wide, partial toothing.
Sierra violet is a California native perennial found in the northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and Peninsular Ranges in dry shaded and open forest, often on serpentine soils at elevations of 450 to 2,070 meters. Flowering from March to July, this plant produces delicate white to pale lavender flowers. Growing with stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it forms low clumps in forest understories. Its distinctive leaves are diamond-shaped to heart-shaped, with edges that are serrated near the base and often smooth toward the tip, typically longer than wide with an acute point. The leaves have a particularly elegant shape that helps distinguish this subspecies in shaded woodland environments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 30 sympatric species. Key features: yellow flowers, diamond-shaped leaves longer than wide, partial toothing
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Dry shaded or open forest, chaparral, often on serpentine
Elevation: 450-2070 m
California counties: Shasta, Trinity, San Diego, Del Norte, Lake, Plumas, Santa Clara, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Tehama, Butte, Humboldt, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Tuolumne, Yuba, Mariposa, Lassen, Madera, Calaveras, Modoc
Outside California: southwestern Oregon
Bloom period
Viola lobata subsp. integrifolia blooms Mar-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Asarum: Viola flowers sit above ground on stalks; Asarum flowers hide at ground level under heart-shaped leaves.; vs Cardamine: Viola has irregular flowers with a spur; Cardamine has 4-petaled symmetrical flowers.; vs Lycianthes: Viola flowers have a backward spur; Lycianthes has star-shaped flowers with no spur.; vs Pelargonium: Viola has a petal-derived spur; Pelargonium has a sepal-derived spur fused to the flower stalk.; vs Eschscholzia: Viola has 5 petals with one forming a spur; Eschscholzia has 4 separate fan-shaped petals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Viola lobata subsp. integrifolia native to California?
Yes. Viola lobata subsp. integrifolia is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Viola lobata subsp. integrifolia bloom?
Viola lobata subsp. integrifolia blooms Mar-Jul.
Where in California does Viola lobata subsp. integrifolia grow?
Viola lobata subsp. integrifolia occurs in Shasta, Trinity, San Diego, Del Norte, Lake, Plumas, Santa Clara, Siskiyou and other counties, at elevations of 450-2070 m.
What plant family does Viola lobata subsp. integrifolia belong to?
Viola lobata subsp. integrifolia is in the Violaceae family, genus Viola.
What habitat does Viola lobata subsp. integrifolia grow in?
Viola lobata subsp. integrifolia grows in Uncommon. Dry shaded or open forest, chaparral, often on serpentine.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.