Carried by 0 nurseries
View Availability at NurseryData provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria
View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora
Viola ocellata is a species of violet known by the common names pinto violet, two-eyed violet, and western heart's ease. It is native to southern Oregon and northern and central California, where it occurs in the coastal foothills and mountain ranges. It sometimes grows in serpentine soils. This rhizomatous herb produces a hairy erect or decumbent stem measuring 5 to 37 centimeters long. The leaves have heart-shaped or roughly lance-shaped blades borne on petioles a few centimeters long. A solitary flower is borne on a long, upright stem. It has five white petals with yellow bases, the lowest three veined with purple and the two lateral ones with purple eyespots. The inside of the flower has long hairs. The outer surfaces, at least of the two upper petals, is usually stained dark red or purple.
Perennial herb
1 ft Tall
White, Yellow, Purple
Deep Shade, Partial Shade
4, 5*, 6, 7, 15, 16, 17*
Chaparral, Mixed Evergreen Forest, Forest, Yellow Pine Forest
Butterflies and moths supported
3 confirmed and 15 likely
Pacific Fritillary
Boloria epithore
Unsilverered Fritillary
Speyeria adiaste
Egleis Fritillary
Speyeria egleis
Venerable Dart
Agrotis venerabilis