Is this wild violet?

LaurieLovesLearning

The kids picked these.

It sure seems like a violet. These are tiny! The stem was slender with no leaves. The leaves were part of the base plant. I didn't know we might have any here. I should have taken a picture yesterday before it started wilting. No leaves were brought back for my small bouquet. There were many of these just into the ditch by a gravel road.

I was asked what the yellow-orange flowers were too. I have no idea. 🤷‍♀️

Torey

@LaurieLovesLearning Certainly looks like a violet and the description of the plant growth sounds like a violet. This is a link to the E-flora BC page for Viola adunca (Sand violet). You can click on "View all photos of this taxon" just below the picture and it will take you to several pics of assorted violets. If you "Click here to view the full interactive map and legend" it will open up a new window with a map. You can slide the map over to Manitoba and you will see a few dots in your province. You can click on each dot and it will give you a specific location. You certainly don't have as many locations for it as we have here in BC but that could be because this is a BC originated map or it might be because it is not as common in Manitoba.

The yellow flowers look vaguely familiar but can't place them.

The white ones look almost like saskatoon flowers. Are the leaves part of the flower stems?

LaurieLovesLearning

@torey I was told that the white ones are saskatoons. When they said that, I felt silly. I didn't realize they had picked any higher than the ground (aside from my pink flowered double flowering almond), so that I'd why I was a bit baffled. I should have recognized them as saskatoon, since there are many bushes here. Haha

We will most likely go for a walk to see these tiny purple flowers where they grow. I can also check the leaves then & I can positively identify them. If they are violet, you can be sure that we will bring some plants home (there are many there, I was told).

The municipality sprays ditches & this is the year they spray over that area. I would like to grow some free of spray.

Torey

@LaurieLovesLearning So sorry! Just realised that I didn't put the link in the post.

https://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Viola%20adunca&redblue=Both&lifeform=7

Good luck with your transplanting today. I have lots here but would like to have some of the yellow and white varieties as well. I have a location in mind to go get some of the yellow ones later this spring.

Sometimes when flowers are seen out of context, they can be a bit difficult to remember what they are. Our saskatoons are in full flower right now as are the hawthorns. They seem to have survived the winter much better than domestic fruit species.

Looking forward to identifying comments on the yellow flowers in your bouquets.

LaurieLovesLearning

@torey That's okay! I found it.

If the wind & bits of rain did not adversely affect the blossoms out on the fruit (no frost/hail this year...yet), we will have a lot setting. If we don't have rain, though, the berries will be small & hard. So far, it is looking like a very dry year.

LaurieLovesLearning

Torey

Beautiful! Did you manage to dig up a clump? If you have a GPS location you could send this pic into the E-flora site. There is a link on the main page to register to be a submitter or upload photos.

VickiP

I love wild violets, my mother and grandmother pampered any that came up in their yards, I do the same, and over the years we have been delighted by the variety that comes up. We have bi-colored ones, two shades of purple, small ones, larger ones etc. The whole yard looks carpeted. They are just wonderful!

LaurieLovesLearning

@torey I did! It has found a new home. I hope that it survives. It is do delicately beautiful! I marked it so that I can find it again next spring.

This was fun to do with the kids. We even stopped at a puddle nearby to find tadpoles. We didn't find any, but sure found a lot of interesting water creatures!

I will see what I can do about uploading the location.

@VickiP That sounds delightful!

I was able to identify the other flower: https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Lithospermum+canescens

I find it interesting that the roots can be used to make a red dye and the flowers to make yellow...but do you have to chew it for that to happen, I wonder? This site also said that a tea can be used externally. It is not rated very high for this or edibility, so it made me wonder if there are cautions or if it is not very tasty & medicinally strong.

Torey

@LaurieLovesLearning I was way off with my thoughts on what the yellow flower was. Glad you identified it. I wan't familiar with it so as with any new plant I come across, I had to do some research.

Being in the borage family it has some of the pyrrolizidine alkaloids, similar to comfrey. However, the research that I have found does not indicate any toxicity to internal organs. Not all PAs are toxic so this plant must have the non-toxic ones (probably similar to borage).

Lithospermum officinale is listed as being antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, tumour-inhibiting, anti-pyretic and analgesic, May have a hypoglycemic effect. It is used in TCM to cool heat. particularly damp heat, and to move the blood. Useful for heat caused by boils, ulcerations, eczema and infectious rashes such as measles and chicken pox.

silvertipgrizz

@LaurieLovesLearning That is a beautiful basket of flowers. I recognized the yellow ones but didn't remember what they were. The violets look like either violas or wild violets. I used to grow the violets that grow in Washington and Canada when I lived in the great NorthWest.

You're so luck to have found them. Thanks for posting the pictures.. Such a happy pix on a gloomy rainy and humid day here in NE okla..again...

silvertipgrizz

British Columbia...one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to.

LaurieLovesLearning

@silvertipgrizz You are welcome. I feel lucky and now I can have some with no spray! 👏

Torey

I found a huge patch of white violets (Viola canadensis) when I was out picking stinging nettles today. Unfortunately, no camera with me. I'll be sure to take one with me if I go back. But so beautiful! They had an almost pick tinge to them.

@silvertipgrizz That's what our provincial license plates say "Beautiful British Columbia". :)

silvertipgrizz

@torey I think I rememvber that. I have driven through BC 3 round trips back and forth from Alaska when I used to live there. It is one of my fav place in the entire world. So much beauty. So much we have to be grateful for living on this continent. One of my fav places there is Muncho lake...huge as you know. Also, the first time I have ever seen numerous rosa dogarosa with rose hips all over them..(I think I butchered the spelling of the rose species)..the reason I bought the seeds last week, should be here anytime. And then there is Jasper Park/state or federal I can't remember now but bull elk were all over the highway and so were we the sight seers that eve.

I reserve the right to claim ignorance if I got any of these places mixed up with the other province...has been a long time since I went through there, but what ever I have forgotten I will never forget the raw and stunning beauty of British Columbia!