Viola tomentosa
Felt-leaved violet
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Violaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Viola tomentosa (Felt-leaved violet) is a native California herb in the Violaceae family, recognized by 0 sympatric species; distinctive tomentose indumentum.
Felt-leaved violet is a California native perennial ranked 4.2 by CNPS, found in northern central Sierra Nevada Mountains in dry, gravelly places within open pine forests at elevations of 1,350 to 2,030 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces deep lemon-yellow flowers with maroon or brown upper petals and brown-purple veined lower petals, with distinctive lateral petals featuring cylindric beard hairs. Growing as a small, densely white-tomentose herb 7 to 10 centimeters tall, it develops prostrate to erect stems clustered on woody rhizomes. Its leaves are simple, with elliptic to narrowly ovate blades 1.5 to 5 centimeters long, featuring a base that is obliquely tapered and a tip that ranges from acute to obtuse. The fruit is a small, white-tomentose rounded capsule up to 5 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; 0 sympatric species; distinctive tomentose indumentum
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dry, gravelly places in open pine forest (Jeffrey, lodgepole, ponderosa)
Elevation: 1350-2030 m
California counties: Nevada, Placer, Plumas, El Dorado, Sierra, Tulare
Bloom period
Viola tomentosa blooms May-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
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 tomentosa native to California?
Yes. Viola tomentosa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Viola tomentosa bloom?
Viola tomentosa blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Viola tomentosa grow?
Viola tomentosa occurs in Nevada, Placer, Plumas, El Dorado, Sierra, Tulare, at elevations of 1350-2030 m.
What plant family does Viola tomentosa belong to?
Viola tomentosa is in the Violaceae family, genus Viola.
Is Viola tomentosa rare or endangered?
Viola tomentosa carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S3.
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 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.