Viola purpurea subsp. aurea
Golden violet, Golden Violet
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Violaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2
Viola purpurea subsp. aurea (Golden violet) is a native California perennial in the Violaceae family, recognized by desert habitat and canescent-tomentose indumentum distinctive.
Golden violet is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native perennial found in the eastern Sierra Nevada and Mojave Desert bioregions in pinyon/juniper woodland, sagebrush, and sandy slopes at elevations of 1,000 to 2,300 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces yellow flowers with lower petals 8 to 13 millimeters long. Growing as a small plant 4 to 12 centimeters tall with mostly buried stems that are decumbent or erect, it has a compact growth habit. Its leaves are distinctive, with basal blades 1.1 to 5 centimeters long, ranging from oblong to ovate or round, featuring crenate to shallowly serrate edges and bases that are tapered, oblique, or truncate. The plant is notably canescent to tomentose, giving it a soft, grayish appearance that helps it blend into its arid mountain and desert habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; desert habitat and canescent-tomentose indumentum distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Pinyon/juniper woodland, sagebrush, sandy slopes
Elevation: 1000-2300 m
California counties: Mono, San Bernardino, Kern, Ventura, Alpine
Outside California: western Nevada
Bloom period
Viola purpurea subsp. aurea blooms Apr-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.2
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 purpurea subsp. aurea native to California?
Yes. Viola purpurea subsp. aurea is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Viola purpurea subsp. aurea bloom?
Viola purpurea subsp. aurea blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Viola purpurea subsp. aurea grow?
Viola purpurea subsp. aurea occurs in Mono, San Bernardino, Kern, Ventura, Alpine, at elevations of 1000-2300 m.
What plant family does Viola purpurea subsp. aurea belong to?
Viola purpurea subsp. aurea is in the Violaceae family, genus Viola.
Is Viola purpurea subsp. aurea rare or endangered?
Viola purpurea subsp. aurea carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.2, state rank S2S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.