Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

The Yellow Pansy (Viola pedunculata) is a common and attractive wildflower of coastal regions of California and Baja California. It is also known as the California Golden Violet, or as the Johnny Jump Up, though the latter name is more usually associated with the introduced Heartsease, Viola tricolor. The Yellow Pansy grows on open, grassy slopes, chaparral, and in oak woodlands, from sea level to around 1000 meters. It is a perennial, growing from a spongy rhizome. The leaves are 1-5.5 centimeter, heart-shaped (heart-shaped) to deltate-ovate (oblong-triangular), scalloped or toothed, and smooth or hairy. The plant is often low-growing, but can reach heights of up to 40 centimeter. The flowers appear in March and April, and are always yellow. They are hermaphrodite and are pollinated by insects. Dried in air, the seeds weigh about 4mg each.

Plant type

Perennial herb

Size

1 ft Tall

Dormancy

Evergreen

Calscape icon
Color

Yellow

Flowering season

Winter, Spring

Special uses

Deer resistant

Sun

Full Sun, Partial Shade

Water

Moderate, High

Soil drainage

Medium, Slow

Soil description

Likes rich soil and no water in summer.
Soil PH: 4.8 - 7.9

Sunset Zones

5, 7*, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

Site type

Open grassy slopes, swampy, shrubby places

Plant communities

Coastal Sage Scrub, Foothill Woodland, Northern Oak Woodland

Bats
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

2 confirmed and 20 likely

Confirmed Likely

Callippe Silverspot Fritillary

Argynnis callippe callippe

Callippe Fritillary

Speyeria callippe

Venerable Dart

Agrotis venerabilis

Pacific Fritillary

Boloria epithore