A single purple violet with five petals stands out from an unfocused green background
A single purple violet flower stands out from an unfocused background.
Wavy leaves of a violet are in a 38 cell flat in the native plant nursery.
The leaves of the wavy leaf violet poke out of the decaying leaves on the forest floor. The lobes in the leaf are very deep.
Several purple violet flowers stand out from the wavy green leaves in the background. They are in a 38 cell flat at the native plant nursery.
Three clumps of wavy leaved violet with many flowers are planted in a garden with mulch around them.
Heart-shaped leaves with wavy edges are out of focus in the background and purple violet flowers are in focus.
A 38 cell flat has each cell filled with wavy leaved violet. The leaves are lime green and the flowers are purple.
Seedlings of wavy leaved violet start out as cotyledons with two oval shaped leaves. The next leaf to grow is a tiny wavy leaf.
A single purple violet with five petals stands out from an unfocused green background
A single purple violet flower stands out from an unfocused background.
Wavy leaves of a violet are in a 38 cell flat in the native plant nursery.
The leaves of the wavy leaf violet poke out of the decaying leaves on the forest floor. The lobes in the leaf are very deep.
Several purple violet flowers stand out from the wavy green leaves in the background. They are in a 38 cell flat at the native plant nursery.
Three clumps of wavy leaved violet with many flowers are planted in a garden with mulch around them.
Heart-shaped leaves with wavy edges are out of focus in the background and purple violet flowers are in focus.
A 38 cell flat has each cell filled with wavy leaved violet. The leaves are lime green and the flowers are purple.
Seedlings of wavy leaved violet start out as cotyledons with two oval shaped leaves. The next leaf to grow is a tiny wavy leaf.

Wavy-leaved Violet (Viola subsinuata)

from $3.50

This violet is rather unique in Michigan. Sally found this violet on her land several years ago in dappled light. She had a young botanist come to ID plants on her property and initially it was labeled Viola palmata (Wood Violet) because it bore the closest resemblance to that violet in Michigan Flora. See below for a link to Native Plant Trust’s page about Viola subsinuata, and you can see the similarities compared to the photos.

Quite rare in Michigan (more observation is needed), Viola subsinuata is an open woodland plant that occurs in rich soil often over calcareous soil. The natural range of this violet is the Great Lakes area as well as the Appalachian Mountains. See note below.

Also known as Early Blue Violet, the flowers are similar to the common violet Viola sororia. We chose to call this plant by its other common name as it is more descriptive: Wavy-leaved Violet.

Companion Plants: other violets, wild geranium, Penn sedge, spring beauty

Wavy-leaved Violet (Viola subsinuata)

Native Plant Trust Go Botany reference page: Wavy-leaved Violet

height: 6-12 inches

bloom time: May-June

soil: medium, rich

sun: partial, shade

plant spacing: 8”

flower: purple

life cycle: perennial

familly: Violaceae

Sizes:

This violet is rather unique in Michigan. Sally found this violet on her land several years ago in dappled light. She had a young botanist come to ID plants on her property and initially it was labeled Viola palmata (Wood Violet) because it bore the closest resemblance to that violet in Michigan Flora. See below for a link to Native Plant Trust’s page about Viola subsinuata, and you can see the similarities compared to the photos.

Quite rare in Michigan (more observation is needed), Viola subsinuata is an open woodland plant that occurs in rich soil often over calcareous soil. The natural range of this violet is the Great Lakes area as well as the Appalachian Mountains. See note below.

Also known as Early Blue Violet, the flowers are similar to the common violet Viola sororia. We chose to call this plant by its other common name as it is more descriptive: Wavy-leaved Violet.

Companion Plants: other violets, wild geranium, Penn sedge, spring beauty

Wavy-leaved Violet (Viola subsinuata)

Native Plant Trust Go Botany reference page: Wavy-leaved Violet

height: 6-12 inches

bloom time: May-June

soil: medium, rich

sun: partial, shade

plant spacing: 8”

flower: purple

life cycle: perennial

familly: Violaceae

Note: Sally seems to live on land with higher calcareous content. We also found Carex granularis occuring naturally near her pond, which is partial to calcareous, wet settings around the state.

Michigan Flora has a bit of discussion about this. They consider this violet to be a part of a highly variable Viola palmata.