Viola sempervirens

Evergreen violet, redwood violet, Redwood Violet

Family: Violaceae · Type: perennial · Native

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.

Habitat: Shady areas in coastal forest

Bloom period: Jan-Jul

Elevation: 5-1400 m

Bioregions: NW, CW

California counties: Tulare, Humboldt, San Mateo, Mendocino, Monterey, Siskiyou, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, San Luis Obispo, Marin, Santa Clara, Del Norte, Alameda, San Benito, Butte

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.