Ontario Wildflowers website

Northern Bog Violet
Viola nephrophylla

Northern Bog Violet (Viola nephrophylla) Other scientific names: Viola vagula

French names: Violette néphrophylle

Family: Violet Family (Violaceae)

Group: Violets

Similar species:
  •   Marsh Blue Violet (Viola cucullata) - Has club-tipped (clavate) hairs on the inside of the petals.


Flowers: Spring;  Blue/Violet;  Irregular flowers

Habitat: Wet Areas

Lifespan: Perennial.  

Books: Peterson's Field Guide to Wildflowers: 330    ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario: 392   

Native/Non-native: Native

Photographs: 453 photographs available, of which 11 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page

Northern Bog Violet (Viola nephrophylla)

Northern Bog Violet flower.
The flowers are dark violet, with a white center.

Northern Bog Violet (Viola nephrophylla)

Side view of a flower.

Northern Bog Violet (Viola nephrophylla)

Northern Bog Violet (Viola nephrophylla)

Sometimes the flowers of Northern Bog Violet are white!

Northern Bog Violet (Viola nephrophylla)

A clump of Northern Bog Violets.

Northern Bog Violet (Viola nephrophylla)

Flower bud.

Northern Bog Violet (Viola nephrophylla)

Hairs inside the flower of Northern Bog Violet.
Sometimes the hairs inside violet flowers are an important indicator as to which species they are. In the case of Northern Bog Violet there are dense hairs on the two lateral petals, and very few on the bottom petal, and the hairs are not club-tipped (clavate).

Northern Bog Violet (Viola nephrophylla)

Photo of an entire plant.
Note that Northern Bog Violet is what is termed a "stemless" violet. That is, the flower does not grow from the same stem as the leaves. Rather they are each on separate stems.

Northern Bog Violet (Viola nephrophylla)

Northern Bog Violet (Viola nephrophylla)

Leaf edge.

Northern Bog Violet (Viola nephrophylla)

Seed pod developing.


Range map for Northern Bog Violet (Viola nephrophylla)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)