# Redwood Violet (*Viola sempervirens*) The Redwood Violet is a beautiful flower that grows in shady places. Its lovely purple petals can brighten up the forest floor and attract butterflies and bees. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Redwood Violet](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Viola_sempervirens_1285.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Viola_sempervirens_1285.JPG) ## Appearance The Redwood Violet has small, heart-shaped dark green leaves and delicate purple flowers with a contrasting white or yellow center. Its vibrant blossoms often appear in clumps, providing a splash of color against the dark forest floor. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Malpighiales - **Family:** Violaceae - **Genus:** Viola ## Interesting facts - Its edible leaves and flowers can be added to salads for a pop of color! - Sometimes, ants will collect and 'plant' the seeds in their underground nests! - This flower's scientific name 'sempervirens' means 'evergreen', just like redwood trees! - You can find these tiny purple gems growing only in ancient redwood forests! ## Special abilities - **Evergreen Endurance:** Redwood Violet has tough, evergreen leaves that let it photosynthesize all year, even in the deep shade of giant redwoods. - **Seed Shotgun:** Redwood Violet can launch its tiny seeds from exploding capsules, helping them spread far from the parent plant. - **Ant Alliance:** Redwood Violet has seeds with a tasty treat for ants, which then carry and disperse them to new spots. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-15 cm - **Spread:** 10-20 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** Coast Redwood (*Sequoia sempervirens*) — Provides the specific cool, shady habitat it needs. - **Pollinates:** Black-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus melanopygus*) — Feeds on its nectar and helps move pollen. - **Eaten by:** [Zerene Fritillary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/zerene-fritillary) (*Speyeria zerene*) — Its caterpillars feed on violet leaves. - **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Browses on its leaves and flowers. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't pick flowers, so they can keep growing for everyone to enjoy. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Redwood Violet? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Redwood Violet? 5-15 cm ### How wide does Redwood Violet spread? 10-20 cm ### How big are the flowers on Redwood Violet? 1-2 cm ### When does Redwood Violet bloom? Spring to early summer ### Is Redwood Violet edible? Yes ### Is Redwood Violet toxic? None ### What is Redwood Violet's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Lower Cushman Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lower-cushman-dam) — Washington, US · Historic Site - [Porpoise Bay Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/porpoise-bay-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Arbutus Grove Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arbutus-grove-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Redwood Violet](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/redwood-violet) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Redwood Violet: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/redwood-violet)