Downy Yellow Violets grow in shady, forested areas. They are 6-18 in tall and wide with heart-shaped leaves (3 in wide) with jagged edges and clearly visible veins. The leaves and stalks are often hairy.
Downy Yellow Violets are spring flowers (.75 in wide) with 5 bright yellow petals. There are several brown or purple lines on the lower petals.
The fruit, an egg-shaped capsule (.33 in long), turns brown and splits into 3 sections when ripe, shooting the seeds several feet from the plant.
Did you know? Downy Yellow Violets attract a wide variety of bees. The seeds are eaten by various birds, while the leaves and stems are eaten by small mammals and Wood Turtles.
See Also: Crowfoot Violet, Early Blue Violet, Northern Bog Violet, Western Canada Violet
