Flower profile
Cream violet
Viola striata
Cream violet is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–June.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
Quick look
Viola striata is a species of violet known by the common names striped cream violet and creamy violet. It is native to eastern North America, with its distribution being centered in interior areas away from the coastal plain. Its preferred habitat is mesic forests. It is a small, caulescent, perennial herb that has purple-striped white flowers in the spring.
- It belongs to the Violaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 25 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Ohio and Kentucky. NatureServe
- In Ohio, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–June. iNaturalist
- In Kentucky, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,988 research-grade sightings of it in Ohio, ranking #90 among the 109 flowers on our Ohio list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 820 research-grade sightings of it in Kentucky, ranking #72 among the 110 flowers on our Kentucky list. iNaturalist
Cream violet gift ideas
Handmade cream violet gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Cream violet art print
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Cream violet greeting card
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Cream violet mug
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Cream violet earrings
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Cream violet embroidery pattern
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Cream violet sticker
When does it bloom?
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Ohio
- Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Ohio. OAC 1501:18-1-03
- Kentucky
- Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: S5, secure in Kentucky. 400 KAR 3:040
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: CT (SH), IA (S1), SC (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records cream violet in 25 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.
Ohio counties with USDA records: Adams, Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Auglaize, Belmont, Brown, Butler, Carroll, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Columbiana, Coshocton, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Darke, Defiance, Delaware, Erie, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Geauga, Greene, Guernsey, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Huron, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Licking, Lorain, Madison, Mahoning, Marion, Medina, Meigs, Mercer, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble, Ottawa, Paulding, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Portage, Preble, Putnam, Richland, Ross, Sandusky, Scioto, Seneca, Shelby, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Union, Van Wert, Vinton, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Williams, Wood, Wyandot.
Kentucky counties with USDA records: Adair, Allen, Anderson, Barren, Bath, Boone, Bourbon, Boyle, Bracken, Breathitt, Bullitt, Caldwell, Calloway, Campbell, Carlisle, Carroll, Carter, Casey, Christian, Clark, Crittenden, Daviess, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Franklin, Gallatin, Garrard, Graves, Grayson, Greenup, Hardin, Harlan, Hart, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Jackson, Jefferson, Jessamine, Johnson, Kenton, Larue, Laurel, Lee, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, Lyon, Madison, Mason, Meade, Menifee, Mercer, Metcalfe, Montgomery, Morgan, Nelson, Nicholas, Oldham, Owen, Owsley, Pendleton, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Scott, Spencer, Trigg, Trimble, Union, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Whitley, Wolfe, Woodford.
More Ohio flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile VIST3.
- iNaturalist, Viola striata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Viola striata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Ohio: Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024).
- Ohio: Ohio invasive plant species (Ohio Adm. Code 901:5-30-01).
- Kentucky: Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026).
- Kentucky: Kentucky noxious weeds and invasive plants on state rights-of-way (KRS 176.051; species list from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Viola striata (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Tanner Shepard via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.