Field violet – Viola arvensis - Plant & Pest Diagnostics

The photo is of a field violet plant growing near an evergreen tree. It has green leaves that are oval with round, toothed margins.

Field violet – Viola arvensis

Viola arvensis Murr.

Violaceae (Violet family)

MI Status

Non-native

Life cycle

Prostrate to ascending winter annual.

Leaves

Young leaves that develop from a basal rosette are round to oval with a few shallow teeth on the margins, long petioles, and small stipules. Mature leaves are longer and narrower with round-toothed margins, hairy veins on the leaf underside, and large, deeply lobed stipules.

Stems

Prostrate to ascending, multi-branched stems are less than 16 inches long.

Flowers and fruit

Flowers have five white to pale yellow petals, sometimes tinged with purple. The lower petal is the largest, and the sepals are the same length as the petals or slightly longer. Fruits are single-celled capsules with three valves.

Reproduction

Seeds.

Similar weeds

Common blue violet
(V. papilionacea Pursh)
Differs by having a perennial nature with rhizomes; basal, hairless, heart-shaped leaves with round-toothed margins; and blue to purple to occasionally white flowers.

The photo is a close-up of a field violet flower. The flowers have 5 white to pale yellow petals sometimes tinged with purple. — Field violet flower

The photo is of a field violet plant growing outside. It has green oval leaves with round-toothed margins. — Field violet plant

Accessibility Questions:

For questions about accessibility and/or if you need additional accommodations for a specific document, please send an email to ANR Communications & Marketing at anrcommunications@anr.msu.edu.

Plant & Pest Diagnostics