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odd violet ID?

20 years ago

In medium shade, deeper shade than violets generally seem to like, I found a new white violet - not a Canada violet - an elongated bloom, with longish petals, and the fused part of the flower being especially long - no stripes - a luminescent white with a slight bluish cast. Ordinary heart-shaped leaves.

I would take pictures except that the deer, ignoring the thousands of Canada violets in my yard, ate this one down to bare stems after I cleared the garlic mustard that was encroaching on it. Perhaps it will recover. &%$# deer.

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Comments (6)

birdgardner
Original Author
20 years ago
Okay - what I was taught were Canada violets (the ones all over my yard) are really Common Blue violets (V. sororia) apparently in two colors: blue, and white with blue striping, both with the outer two petals bearded.

The new violet was most like Canada violet (V. canadensis) or pale violet (V. striata) except that I don't remember the flowers growing out of leaf stalks. Maybe they were - it was taller than my Common violets. And I don't remember any markings on it. I don't remember any bearding. No scent.

It wasn't V. pallens, Northern violet - I found some of those a month earlier.

I will put a cage over it and see if it comes back.
garlicgrower
20 years ago
Could it be the lance leaved violet?

http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/violalanc.html

I've been trying to find this again after 15 years...
Best wishes
Maryanne in WMass

Here is a link that might be useful: Lance leaved violet
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birdgardner
Original Author
20 years ago
Not lance leaved violet, thanks.
Judy_B_ON
20 years ago
Here is a link to 14 pages of pictures of violets --- good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Violets
janet_e
20 years ago
The possibilities that occur to me are long-spurred violet (Viola rostrata) and dog violet (Viola conspersa). Both of them have a long spur (the extension of the lower petal behind the flower). I would call them pale purple, not white, but perhaps your violet is paler than average.

Here is a link that might be useful: long-spurred violet
birdgardner
Original Author
20 years ago
Janet, thank you for that link! I followed it a little further - my violet had a blunt rounded spur like Great-spurred violet, Viola kirkii. It was definitely taller and paler than shown in the picture but it is certainly the closest yet.

I caged it and it is coming back. Maybe it will rebloom and I can post a picture.

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