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Stream Violet

Viola glabella · Violet Family

Stream Violet (Viola glabella)
(c) erinlovesflowers, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) · CC BY-NC · via iNaturalist

Stream Violet (Viola glabella) is in the Violet Family family (Violaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 1,235 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.

Nationally it blooms mainly from April to May, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.

When to photograph Stream Violet: observations by month (U.S.)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

About Stream Violet

Viola glabella, the stream violet or pioneer violet, is usually found along streams or in moist woods in northeastern Asia and northwestern North America.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Stream Violet by state

StateObservationsPeak monthMain season
Oregon805AprilApr–Apr
Washington383AprilApr–Jun
Alaska23MayMay–Jun
Montana13JuneMay–Jul
Idaho11MayMay–May

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related wildflowers (Violet Family)

Photography tips

  • Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
  • Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
  • Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
  • Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Stream Violet?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from April to May.
Where is Stream Violet most often seen?
The most observations come from Oregon, Washington, Alaska.