Viola sempervirens
Evergreen violet, redwood violet, Redwood Violet
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Family: Violaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Viola sempervirens (Evergreen violet) is a native California herb in the Violaceae family, recognized by distinctive stoloniferous habit and evergreen leaves.
Evergreen violet is a California native perennial found in northwestern and central western California in shady coastal forest areas at elevations of 5 to 1,400 meters. Flowering from January to July, this plant produces lemon-yellow flowers with brown-purple veining and distinctive bearded lateral petals. Growing with prostrate, woody stems that often form rosettes, it creates low-spreading clusters with vertical rhizomatous growth. Its simple, evergreen leaves are ovate to round, typically 1 to 4.5 centimeters long, with a distinctive purple spotting on leaf surfaces and a heart-shaped base. The plant forms delicate rosettes with leaves emerging from a persistent caudex, creating low-growing patches in shaded forest understories.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 27 sympatric species; distinctive stoloniferous habit and evergreen leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Shady areas in coastal forest
Elevation: 5-1400 m
California counties: Tulare, Humboldt, San Mateo, Mendocino, Monterey, Siskiyou, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, San Luis Obispo, Marin, Santa Clara, Del Norte, Alameda, San Benito, Butte
Outside California: to Alaska, Idaho
Bloom period
Viola sempervirens blooms Jan-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 sempervirens native to California?
Yes. Viola sempervirens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Viola sempervirens bloom?
Viola sempervirens blooms Jan-Jul.
Where in California does Viola sempervirens grow?
Viola sempervirens occurs in Tulare, Humboldt, San Mateo, Mendocino, Monterey, Siskiyou, Santa Cruz, Sonoma and other counties, at elevations of 5-1400 m.
What plant family does Viola sempervirens belong to?
Viola sempervirens is in the Violaceae family, genus Viola.
What habitat does Viola sempervirens grow in?
Viola sempervirens grows in Shady areas in coastal forest.
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.