The Violet
Mar 4, 2008 Elizabeth Edwards
Todd Zawistowski
wetlands you may come across a marsh blue (V. cucullata). White and yellow violets bloom a bit later in the season and include the Canada (V. canadensis), sweet white (V. blanda), Northern white (V. macloskeyi) and downy yellow (V. pubescens). Besides color, you may recognize this second wave of violets because they're leggier than their blue counterparts, though they still bear the characteristic five petals and heart-shaped leaves. If perchance you find yourself deep in the forest, face-to-face with a five-petaled purple flower that looks violetlike - except that its leaves are long and
linear - it could well be a bird-foot violet. Wish it well, and then be on your way; bird-foot violets are protected in Michigan. Also note: African violets are not in the same genus as the violets listed above and are not edible.
Elizabeth Edwards is managing editor of Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine.
lissa@traversemagazine.com
Note: This article was first published in April 2005, and was updated for the web February 2008.
Email
Print
del.icio.us
digg
yahoo!
Comments
Feed
Download our Best Docs Up North PDF to have a handy print version of the Northern Michigan Medical Resource Guide, as well as our articles on the Best Docs Up North.
