# Round-leaved Violet (*Viola rotundifolia*)

The Round-leaved Violet is a pretty flower with round leaves and purple petals. It loves to grow in shady places and can often be found in gardens and forests.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Forests

![Round-leaved Violet](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Round-leaf_Yellow_Violet_%284506716756%29.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Jason Hollinger, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Round-leaf_Yellow_Violet_%284506716756%29.jpg)

## Appearance

The Round-leaved Violet is a low-growing plant with distinctive, nearly circular leaves that lie flat on the ground. Its small, bright yellow flowers, often streaked with purple, bloom singly on short stalks, making it stand out from its purple-flowered relatives.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Malpighiales
- **Family:** Violaceae
- **Genus:** Viola

## Interesting facts

- Its seeds come with a tasty snack that ants love to carry home!
- Some of its flowers never open, staying hidden and self-pollinating!
- The plant's perfectly round leaves make it easy to identify!
- This violet's bright yellow petals are like sunshine on the forest floor!

## Special abilities

- **Secret Seed Makers:** Round-leaved Violet has hidden flowers that never open but still produce seeds, a clever backup for reproduction!
- **Ant Taxi Service:** Round-leaved Violet's seeds have a special fatty treat that encourages ants to carry them far away for dispersal.
- **Evergreen Groundcover:** Round-leaved Violet often keeps its leaves green through winter, staying ready to photosynthesize when spring arrives.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-15 cm
- **Spread:** 10-20 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Early spring to early summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Main pollinator of its open flowers.
- **Depends on:** European Fire Ant (*Myrmica rubra*) — Disperses seeds by carrying them away.
- **Eaten by:** [Great Spangled Fritillary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-spangled-fritillary) (*Speyeria cybele*) — Its caterpillars feed on the leaves.
- **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Browses on the 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.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [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.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't pick flowers unless an adult says it's okay.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Round-leaved 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 Round-leaved Violet?

5-15 cm

### How wide does Round-leaved Violet spread?

10-20 cm

### How big are the flowers on Round-leaved Violet?

1-2 cm

### When does Round-leaved Violet bloom?

Early spring to early summer

### Is Round-leaved Violet edible?

Yes

### Is Round-leaved Violet toxic?

None

### What is Round-leaved Violet's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Denton Hill State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/denton-hill-state-park) — Pennsylvania, US · State Park

## 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*)

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Source: [Round-leaved Violet: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/round-leaved-violet)