Viola sp.
Violet, Violet
(c) Kostas Zontanos, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kostas Zontanos · licence
Family: Violaceae · Type: Perennial · Variable; species dependent
Viola sp. (Violet) is a non-native California perennial in the Violaceae family.
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 sp. native to California?
No. Viola sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Viola sp. belong to?
Viola sp. is in the Violaceae family, genus Viola.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.