Viola praemorsa subsp. praemorsa
Astoria violet, yellow montane violet, Yellow Montane Violet
Photo: parent species Viola praemorsa · (c) Zac Peterson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Violaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Viola praemorsa subsp. praemorsa (Astoria violet) is a native California herb in the Violaceae family, recognized by . Key features: broadly ovate leaves, truncate leaf bases.
Astoria violet is a California native perennial found in northwestern California, the Cascade Range, northern and central Sierra Nevada, and Warner Mountains in vernally moist soils, meadows, conifer forests, and sagebrush habitats at elevations of 122 to 2,440 meters. Flowering from March to July, this plant produces yellow and white flowers with distinctive ovate shapes and wavy edges. Growing to 7.5 to 21 centimeters tall, it develops both basal and cauline leaves with broadly ovate blades. Its basal leaves measure 2.3 to 6.7 centimeters wide, typically as broad as they are long, with slightly crenate or serrate margins. The plant produces dark brown seeds and emerges from seasonally moist ground with delicate, spreading foliage.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 32 sympatric species. Key features: broadly ovate leaves, truncate leaf bases
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally in vernally moist soil, slopes, meadows, conifer forest, sagebrush
Elevation: 122-2440 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Alberta, Utah
Bloom period
Viola praemorsa subsp. praemorsa 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 praemorsa subsp. praemorsa native to California?
Yes. Viola praemorsa subsp. praemorsa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Viola praemorsa subsp. praemorsa bloom?
Viola praemorsa subsp. praemorsa blooms Mar-Jul.
What plant family does Viola praemorsa subsp. praemorsa belong to?
Viola praemorsa subsp. praemorsa is in the Violaceae family, genus Viola.
What habitat does Viola praemorsa subsp. praemorsa grow in?
Viola praemorsa subsp. praemorsa grows in Generally in vernally moist soil, slopes, meadows, conifer forest, sagebrush.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.