'Eco Artist Palette' Birdfoot Violet (Viola)
Perennial
- Eclectic flowers bloom in spring, then sporadically rebloom until frost.
- Dissected foliage adds an appealing texture.
- Thrives in sunny gardens, dry soils, and rock gardens.
- Deer resistant and easy to grow.
- Zones 4-8, sun, 6" tall and 14" wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
While Birdfoot violets may be related to the classic perennial violet (like 'Etain'), their growing requirements are quite different. Birdfoot violet requires well-draining soil and full sun for the best performance, which means it's perfectly suited for sunny rock gardens alongside stonecrop, salvia, or fescue grasses. As a native perennial, it's drought-tolerant, deer resistant, pollinator-friendly, and easy to grow, so we recommend it for gardeners of any level.
Details
Common name: Birdfoot viola, mountain pansy, perennial violet, bird's foot violet
Zone: 4 - 8
Sun exposure: Sun (6+ hours direct sunlight each day)
Height x width: 4-6" x 12-14"
Flower color: Shades of purple
Foliage color: Green
Season of interest: Spring to fall
Bloom time: Spring, then sporadically until fall
Features: Low flammability, fragrant, container plants, native, deer resistant, dry soils
Uses: Accent, alpine and rock, container gardening, cottage gardening, edging, ground cover, massing, naturalizing, rock garden, small spaces, underplanting, wildflower, woodland
How to Grow
Light: Unlike other violets, Birdfoot violet requires full sun, or 6+ hours direct sunlight each day.
Water: While it grows well in dry soils, it's best to keep it well-watered until established.
Spacing: 6 - 10 inches
Fertilizing: The application of a slow-release, balanced fertilizer in spring should provide adequate feeding for the growing season.
Winterizing: Violas benefit from extra mulch in the winter, which should be raked back in the spring.
Maintenance & pruning: Remove frost-damaged flowers and old, faded flowers to reduce the chances of fungal blight diseases. Reblooms consistently if sheared back by half when blooming begins to decline.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.