Common Blue Violet is a great Florida Native flowering ground cover! The dainty flowers open blue and then turn white. It can grow in Full Sun to Full Shade and is extremely hardy in both light conditions. The plants spread fairly quickly making a nice mat of heart shaped leaves.
How to care for Common Blue Violet
Light. Full sun to moderate shade.
Water. It prefers moist soil. Once established it handles short dry periods; water during long dry spells.
Soil and feeding. Give it moist, well-drained sandy soil with a humus-rich top layer. It grows in poor soil but needs some organic matter to thrive.
Size. Stays 2–4 inches tall, forming a low mat.
Problems to watch. Salt wind burns the leaves, so keep it away from the coast. It self-seeds freely and can spread quickly, sometimes into lawns.
Good to know. A Florida native of hammocks, found south to Miami-Dade County. In Florida it acts as a cool-season plant and often blooms in late winter.
Sources: UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Florida Violets · Natives for Your Neighborhood (Institute for Regional Conservation): Viola sororia
