Viola renifolia aka Kidney Leaf Violet

Viola renifolia is a wildflower that lives for more than one year. It belongs to the violet family, Violaceae. Its common names include kidneyleaf violet and northern white violet. Its native range spans subarctic America and the northern United States. It grows in spruce woods and other cool conifer forests. These woods include swampy sites where the soil stays damp. The name renifolia refers to leaves shaped like kidneys.

This plant has soft stems and an upright form. Its basal leaves grow from the base of the plant. It lacks the runners that help some other violets spread. Instead, new plants grown from seed can form light groundcover. This takes place over time. The green leaves are simple, not split into leaflets. Round teeth line their edges. Leaf shape shifts through the growing season. At bloom time, leaves are wider than they are long. Later leaves grow larger and look more like hearts. The leaf undersides often have hairs, though some leaves lack them. The tops may have hairs too. Stalks that bear flowers have no leaves. They may be green or brown.

White flowers bloom from April through June. Each is about a quarter to half an inch across. Brown-purple lines mark the lower petal. They may mark the side petals too. Small tufts of white hairs may grow on side petals. Smooth, purple seed pods, called capsules, follow the flowers. These fruits are almost round and hold brown seeds. Changes in leaf shape help tell this species apart. Other white-flowered violets can look much like it. Its lack of runners gives a further clue.

Grow this violet in part shade with moist, humus-rich soil. It suits acid soil and sites where water often stands. NC State lists it for USDA zones 3a through 5b. It does better in cold than in summer heat. Choose a cool garden spot, not a hot one. It suits woodland beds, borders, and areas left to grow wild. It can grow in pots and rock gardens too. Listed ways to grow more plants include division and seed.

Bees and butterflies get nectar from the flowers. Fritillary butterfly larvae feed on the plant too. These links give it value in gardens grown for wildlife. Deer tend to do little harm, but livestock pose other risks. Grazing and trampling have wiped it out at some sites. Some areas list the plant as threatened. NC State also names southern blight as a disease problem. The supplied sources give no guidance on safe use as food. Nor do they say if this species is toxic.