Plant Name Canada White Violet
Scientific Name Viola Canadensis
Family Violet
Plant Type Perennial
Start of Blooming Season April
End of Blooming Season June
-1- Sample images submitted by MIROFOSS
-4- Sample images submitted by others


Canada White Violet is a species of flowering plant in the violet family. It is widespread across much of Canada and the United States, from Alaska to Newfoundland, and south as far as Georgia and Arizona. The latin name of this plant species refers to it's native range and region of discovery within North America.


There is currently no commercial application for Canada white violet.


Within the realm of natural and holistic medicine, Canada white violet is used to make a tea made from the roots which has been used in the treatment of pain in the bladder region. The roots and leaves have traditionally been used to induce vomiting, they have also been poulticed and applied to skin abrasions and boils.

Please note that MIROFOSS does not suggest in any way that plants should be used in place of proper medical and psychological care. This information is provided here as a reference only.


The young leaves and flower buds of Canada white violet can be eaten raw or cooked. The leaves have a very mild flavour, when boiled as greens they are best mixed with other stronger tasting leaves. When added to soup they thicken it in much the same way as okra. The leaves can also be used in tea.

Please note that MIROFOSS can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the consumption of plant species which are found in the wild. This information is provided here as a reference only.


Canada White Violet prefers to live in rich soils in deciduous woods and forests in the mountains. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Soil Conditions
Soil Moisture
Sunlight
Notes:


Canada White Violet is a perennial which grows 20cm to 60cm tall usually forming large colonies using underground stolons. The leaves are heart-shaped and alternate, 3cm to 10cm long. Flowers are white to pale violet with violet veins and a yellow throat. The flowers are 10mm to 25mm long with a sweet fragrance. Each flower contains five bilaterally symmetrical petals.

Plant Height 20cm to 60cm
Habitat Moist Woods
Leaves Cordate 3cm to 10cm long
Leaf Margin Crenate
Leaf Venation Palmate
Stems Smooth stems
Flowering Season April to June
Flower Type Bilaterally Symmetrical
Flower Colour White
Pollination Bees, Insects
Flower Gender Flowers are hermaphrodite and the plants are self-fertile
Fruit Small capsule 8mm to 12mm long
USDA Zone 4A (-31°C to -34°C) cold weather limit


No known health risks have been associated with Canada White Violet. However ingestion of naturally occurring plants without proper identification is not recommended.

-Click here- or on the thumbnail image to see an artist rendering, from The United States Department of Agriculture, of Canada white violet (This image will open in a new browser tab)

There is currently no seed or bulbs images for Canada white violet in the MIROFOSS database.


Canada White Violet can be referenced in certain current and historical texts under the following two names:

Canada White Violet can be translated into the following select languages:

Arabic كندا أبيض، البنفسج Bulgarian Канада Бяла виолетка Chinese (Sim) 加拿大白色紫罗兰
Croatian Kanada bijela ljubičasta Czech Kanada Bílá fialová Danish  
Dutch   Esperanto Kanada Blanka Violo Estonian Kanada valge violetne
Finnish Kanada Valkoinen Violetti French Violet blanc du Canada German Kanada Weiß Violett
Greek   Hebrew קנדה ויולט לבן Hungarian  
Italian Canada Violetta bianca Japanese カナダホワイトバイオレット Korean 캐나다 화이트 바이올렛
Punjabi ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਵ੍ਹਾਈਟ ਵੈਂਟੀਲੇਟ Lithuanian Kanados balta violetinė Norwegian  
Persian کانادا سفید بنفش Polish   Portuguese Violeta branca do Canadá
Romanian   Russian Канада Белая фиалка Slovak Kanada Biela fialová
Spanish Violeta blanca de Canadá Swedish   Tagalog  
Turkish Kanada Beyaz Menekşe Ukrainian Канада Біла фіалка Vietnamese  

The MIROFOSS database offers free printable garden tags for personal and non-profit use. These tags can be used to properly identify plant samples in a garden. Click on the tags shown on the the screen or -click here- to download a full size jpeg image for a Canada White Violet identification tag; which can be printed on paper or used with a plastic laser printer.

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Description Dickinson, T.; Metsger, D.; Bull, J.; & Dickinson, R. (2004) ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto:McClelland and Stewart Ltd.
Description Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Description Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, Duhl, Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians, Lone Pine Publishing, (2005) p 96, ISBN 978-1-55105-428-5
Folklore Hoffman, W.J., 1891, The Midewiwin or 'Grand Medicine Society' of the Ojibwa, SI-BAE Annual Report #7, page 201
Image Rendering USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA NRCS. Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide to plant species. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Environment National Audubon Society. Field Guide To Wildflowers (Eastern Region): Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-375-40232-2
Physical Identification National Audubon Society. Field Guide To Wildflowers (Eastern Region): Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-375-40232-2
January 01, 2018 The last time this page was updated
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