Foothills, montane. Woodlands. Spring.
Bear Creek Trail, June 14, 2005.

In early spring this White Violet can carpet woods from low to high mountains.  The plant grows from just an inch to twelve inches tall depending on growing conditions.  It is easy to spot because of its bright white flowers, but as the photographs below show, the flowers are actually often tinged with a faint pink, especially on the back side.

Leaves are a lovely, soft green and heart-shaped.

In 1753 Linnaeus named this plant Viola canadensis. A hundred years later Asa Gray named it Viola canadensis variety scopulorum and then Edward Greene renamed it Viola scopulorum.   It is now most commonly called Viola canadensis or Viola canadensis variety scopulorum.  "Scopulorum" is Latin for "rocky places".

Foothills, montane. Woodlands. Spring.
Bear Creek Trail, June 14, 2005 and Stoner Mesa Trail, June 18, 2010/

Flowers range from bright white to white tinged with considerable blue/pink.  The back side of the flowers even more often has strong tinges of pink.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Viola scopulorum (Viola canadensis variety scopulorum)