New Jersey State Flower: Meadow Violet

Nature, State Flowers 1 Minute

Common blue violet is a rhizomatous clumping annual in the Violaceae (violet) family native to eastern and central North America. It grows 6 to 10 inches in height and width, and is found in woods, thickets, and along streambeds, especially in shadier areas.  

The common blue violet prefers moist, rich soils and dappled sunlight. However, it will grow in many light conditions and tolerate wet soil, clay soil, and being planted near black walnut trees. It also freely self-seeds and may become invasive in fertile, moist locations. During hot summer months, the foliage tends to depreciate. During the summer months, it produces flower buds that never open (called cleistogamous flowers) but which develop into fruits with fertile seeds.

Nectar from the flowers attract butterflies and bees. Members of the genus Viola support specialized bees: Andrena (Gonandrena) fragilis, Andrena (Gonandrena) integra, and Andrena (Gonandrena) platyparia. Birds and small mammals use the seed fruits as a food source.

Use the blue violet as a wildflower in lawns, rock gardens, edging, and borders. This plant can also be used as a groundcover along walls and path edges as mowing can limit its spread. It is best in open woodland gardens where it can be left to spread naturally. It is deer resistant, but much loved by rabbits.

Quick ID

Leaves are basal, heart-shaped, crenate, and subpeltate

Many solitary, 2 cm flowers on slender, peltate stalks

Acaulescent herbaceous plant with purple to white spring flowers

Lateral petals with basal tufts of hairs

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: May have some issues with slugs, snails, aphids, red spider mite, and violet gall midge. Powdery mildew and pansy leaf spot are occasional disease problems. 

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Published by pat frederick

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123 thoughts on “New Jersey State Flower: Meadow Violet”

            1. REALLLLLLY??? what in particular makes them attractive to you? the scaly body? the long slithery tongue? the hissing?? THE FANGS?
              we have 5-6 FOOT rattlers up in our neck of the woods.

              Liked by 1 person

              1. I actually don’t mind any of those things. I always like how smooth they are. Usually we have the garden ones and there was a huge black rat snake chilling on my neighbors porch

                Liked by 1 person

    1. Good morning, Pat! The only thing I notice is that it is a little darker when I wake up. It makes no difference to me one way or the other. 27 here this morning w/clear skies and most of the snow already gone. Some ice on my exterior front doormat but that will melt soon enough. I’m concerned about Rodney – he told me that Kimi kicked him out and he was waiting on an airline ticket a friend was sending from FL…..he hasn’t posted since. They’ve been thru these spats before and I expected to see him back as usual but nope…..sigh….I look forward to his return once he gets settled. Then again, people are dropping out more and more every day. Guess I’d better make plans….

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Good Morning Filly! GEES! hope he’s okay!
        make plans for what exactly?
        we had sun early, then it clouded over and got real dark…now sun’s trying to break through again. hubby says it’s 25* and we might get to 60* on Wednesday. I’ll believe that when i see it.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Plans for what to do with myself and my time. I hope so, too – I am still expecting Kimi to back off on that again – hope she does. It will be awfully hard on him if she doesn’t….😔😕🙁😟😦😩

          Liked by 1 person

            1. Yep – kinda like she was all he had to live for, especially after losing his Mom. Oh, hell no!!! I do not need nor do I want one of those critters! A male cat is bad enough!!!

              Liked by 1 person

        1. Yeah, I don’t pay much attention to it – I simply change my clocks before I go to sleep but I usually forget to change the clock in my truck until I go out and happen to notice.

          Liked by 2 people

          1. Filly, I just confirmed the clock change with my sister. I don’t change my clocks anymore. My wall clock has the right time again. Just have to remember it. My cell phone changes itself.

            Liked by 2 people

    1. Ya’ know, it’s not so much that we “love the program.” It’s a case of knowing nothing else – it was just automatic, everybody went on SS. Admittedly, my education was sorely lacking in that regard. Whether it was because I just wasn’t interested and didn’t pay attention (probably 99% of the problem) or they just didn’t teach these details until Senior year and I quit before I got to that point – IDK. But I just accepted it as something everyone did without even thinking about it.

      I also knew nothing about stocks & bonds & investments – my family never had enough money to worry about investments. Our concern was keeping a roof over our heads, food on the table, paying the mortgage, keeping the heat and electricity on. But, as an adult, I also knew $$$ was coming out of my paycheck every month and considered it to be “investing” in my future with interest paid on my “deposits.”

      Liked by 1 person

        1. The majority of Americans lived like that! I did have a couple of uncles from my adopted family who dabbled in stocks and such and they got caught up in the Enron scandal.

          Liked by 2 people

          1. Social Security was started by FDR in 1936, I believe. Most people living today don’t remember anything different. Medicare was started by LBJ in 1964, but the two programs are attached in peoples’ minds. Times have changed, and economic priorities, have changed, too, in the government and the private sector. We have more old people, who are living longer. Is it their fault that they are now receiving the payout they were promised?

            Liked by 2 people

  11. TheseTruths

    TheseTruths(@thesetruths)

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    Wolf

    March 9, 2025 00:47

    THIS IS YOUR GOVERNMENT: Capitol Hill Lawmakers Drop Disturbing Details Allegedly Revealing the Dire Health Issues and Behavior of Many of Their Colleagues

    Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) told Politico that up to a dozen of his colleagues are in advanced stages of cognitive decline and have no clue what they are voting on.

    “There’s no question that somewhere between six and a dozen of my colleagues are at a point where they’re… I think they don’t have the faculties to do their job,” he revealed.

    A Republican lawmaker who withheld his name agreed with Himes that dementia on the Hill was a problem and added this:

    “I have a difficult time sometimes telling between the deterioration of members and a handful who are just not very smart.”

    Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) dropped even more disturbing information to Politico: members of Congress are showing up drunk and high as they go to vote.

    “I’ve seen one Republican who, unfortunately for you, has to go unnamed, show up drunk a number of times,” he said. “There were one or two Dems I thought might be high on something but not drunk.”

    Himes added that most members were rarely sober when they cast late-night votes, though he had never witnessed anyone extremely drunk.

    “Every time we do an 11 p.m. vote, a minority of the chamber has a zero blood alcohol content,” he said. “Now, that’s different than voting drunk. I don’t think I’ve ever seen somebody demonstrably drunk on the floor.”

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Definitely why term limits are needed! I’ve always wanted them. In addition, with video conferencing options these days, let them serve from their home state. The Founders only intended for Congress to actually meet en masse a few times a year.

      Liked by 2 people

    2. LEGISLATORS SHOULD HAVE TO

      • PASS DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTS BEFORE BEING ALLOWED TO VOTE – just as pilots have to give up alcohol before flying and piloting passengers.
      • PASS COGNITIVE ABILITY TESTS – in order to run and yearly in order to remain in office.
      • REFRAIN FROM CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING PROFITING FROM THEIR OFFICES – with insider knowledge for stock trades, bribes from lobbyists, donors and foreign countries for their votes.
      • BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR BEHAVIOR AND ACTIONS – no get out of jail free cards or slush funds to pay off blackmail/consequences of immoral, illegal actions.

      THIS IS JUST MAKING SURE OUR LEADERS FOLLOW COMMON SENSE, MORAL, ETHICAL SENSE, AND ARE SUBJECT TO EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER THE LAW.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. TheseTruths

    TheseTruths(@thesetruths)

    Offline

    Wolf

    March 9, 2025 00:43

    REPORT: House Staffer Gained Entry into One of the House Office Buildings that Leads to U.S. Capitol with a Gun Before Trump’s Speech to the Nation

    Tarik Johnson resigned from the US Capitol Police after more than 23 years of service after the events at our Capitol on January 6th.

    He previously appeared on Tucker Carlson Tonight on FOX News to tell portions of his story.

    Federal intel and law enforcement agencies knew about the warnings of a massive disturbance at the Capitol on Jan. 6, days before the event. But Speaker Pelosi refused to call in the National Guard days before the protests as President Trump requested. It was Pelosi who left the US Capitol vulnerable and put tens of thousands of Trump supporters in danger by her actions. Frontline officers on duty that day did not know anything about the threats. They were left in the dark.

    Tarik Johnson later came forward and revealed that Pelosi and others did not notify Capitol Police of the threats they knew about days in advance…

    According to Tarik Johnson:

    Emergency Update!!!!!!!

    I was going to wait until Monday for this but things are developing rapidly so I must inform the public now in a series of tweets. Here is what’s happening:

    On Tuesday (SOTU) a House staffer gained entry into one of the House office buildings that leads to the U.S. Capitol. That staffer was in possession of a gun. He was eventually caught and arrested. What makes the problem even worse I’m told the staffer asked (after his arrest) what the problem was with this as no one said anything to him about him bringing the gun in the previous day.

    This is the fourth instance of a gun being brought in a building policed by USCP Chief J Thomas Manger since Trump was elected President. What is frightening to me is that both dates that President Trump attended events at the Capitol it was on a date where a gun made it in one of the buildings and I’m told one of the guns made it in a room where President Trump was actually in and only feet away from him.

    This can’t happen!!! I’m still getting more information on this and I’ll have another tweet tomorrow.

    Tarik K Johnson: 

    Former Lieutenant U.S. Capitol Police

    This warning followed a previous report Tarik Johnson posted on X on Friday.

    Tarik Johnson: Breaking News

    Message to USCP Chief J Thomas Manger:

    Here we go again. Today, I just received the information of what occurred on Tuesday, March 4th on the day President Trump addressed the nation from the United States Capitol. You clearly are going to try to conceal it from the public as much as you can but you must understand it will not be possible for you to conceal anything as long as I am breathing.

    With that said, you have until 12 pm Monday morning to fully brief the American public of what occurred on Tuesday. If you do not I will and in the future you will not be offered advance notice of these reports. There is no doubt in my mind that you are arguably the most corrupt politician in the history of our country, but after what I heard today you are taking your treachery to an all time height.

    You have to know I’m getting this information from people who work for you. Why do you think that is? It’s because they don’t want your treacherous stink on them and they are praying that one day soon you will step down. Lastly, you still have not provided any explanation to the inaugural event in January (please see below). We are still waiting for that as well.

    Tarik K Johnson

    Former Lieutenant US Capitol Police

    Just a week ago, Tarik Johnson fired off a letter to United States Capitol Police (USCP) Chief J Thomas Manger alleging yet another lapse in security for President Trump.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Secret Service shot armed man in confrontation near White House

    By Christian Sierra, CNN

    Updated: 8:15 AM EDT, Sun March 9, 2025

    Source: CNN

    An armed adult man was shot by US Secret Service personnel on Sunday morning outside the White House, the agency announced shortly after the incident.

    President Donald Trump was not at the White House Sunday morning.

    According to Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi, USSS received information about a “suicidal individual” who was traveling to DC from Indiana. Guglielmi said in a statement that USSS members saw a person matching the description near the White House and found their parked car.

    “As officers approached, the individual brandished a firearm and an armed confrontation ensued, during which shots were fired by our personnel,” Guglielmi said.

    The person was taken to the hospital, and his condition remains unknown.

    The US Secret Service said there were no injuries to members of their personnel.

    DC Metropolitan Police’s Internal Affairs Division Force Investigations Team will lead the investigation into the incident, Guglielmi said, as they are the primary agency responsible for officer involved shootings in the District of Columbia.

    CNN has reached out to the DC Metropolitan Police Department for comment.

    This story is breaking and will be updated.

    Like

  17. Just The News: “The U.S. Secret Service shot a man close to the White House in Washington, D.C. overnight on Sunday in an “armed confrontation,” the agency said.

    The agency said local police had reported that a “suicidal individual” was potentially traveling to the D.C. area from Indiana.

    Secret Service agents eventually located the individual’s vehicle parked near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House and found a person who matched the description.

    “They also saw an individual on foot matching the description nearby,” the statement said. “As officers approached, the individual brandished a firearm and an armed confrontation ensued, during which shots were fired by our personnel.”

    The incident occurred near the intersection of 17th Street and F Street NW. The man was injured in the confrontation and his current condition has not yet been disclosed. No one from the Secret Service was injured.”

    Liked by 1 person

  18. “Bowser back down: DC mayor removes sanctuary city webpage”

    American Wire News | Sierra Marlee |  March 8, 2025

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “It would appear that the left’s strongest bastion, Washington, D.C., is backing down on its dedication to advancing wokeness. As BizPac Review previously reported, Mayor Muriel Bowser revealed the Black Lives Matter Plaza that had been established in response to the 2020 George Floyd riots could soon be removed as the town undergoes an “evolution” to focus more on fired federal employees.

    “We have long considered Black Lives Matter Plaza’s evolution, and the plaza will be part of DC’s America 250 mural project, where we will invite students and artists to create new murals across all eight wards,” the mayor’s social statement read. “The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a very painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference. The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern. Our focus is on economic growth, public safety, and supporting our residents affected by these cuts.”

    This upset many leftists who believed Bowser’s focus should be on uplifting the black community, but apparently, it was just a taste of what was to come.

    On Friday, Axios reported that Washington, D.C.’s “sanctuary city” webpage was removed from the local government website, leaving many to wonder if this is going to be accompanied by a change of official policy.

    “The webpage had contained statements Bowser made after the 2016 election, when she declared D.C. was ‘doubling down’ on being a sanctuary city. At the time, Bowser marshaled taxpayer dollars to fight deportations, creating grants for defense lawyers and nonprofits to help undocumented immigrants,” the outlet reported. “She put D.C. in the same camp as Chicago, Los Angeles and other Democratic-run cities and states who were resisting the first Trump administration’s deportation threats.”

    The removal of the page directly contradicts her previous stance on the controversial issue.

    “Bowser no longer uses the phrase ‘sanctuary city,’ she said last month, ‘because I think it is misleading,’” Axios continued. “It’s misleading to suggest to anyone that if you’re violating immigration laws, that this is a place where you can violate immigration laws,” Bowser had said. “You are vulnerable to federal immigration enforcement.”

    She also revealed that the local government will “follow the law” when asked about honoring ICE detainers.”

    Liked by 1 person

  21. PLEASE RE-OPEN THE INSANE ASYLUMS!!! For the Mother, BTW!!!!

    “Mother downplays trans daughter’s penis, says it’s not erect ‘90% of the time’

    American Wire News | March 8, 2025 | Sierra Marlee 

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “Do you ever just hear someone confidently make the worst argument you’ve ever heard, and you can’t help but cringe? A clip of a blue-haired mother bragging about her daughter’s “flaccid” penis is going viral for being exactly that kind of moment. It’s painful, but it’s also a curious peek into the mind of someone who defends placing underage girls in uncomfortable positions.

    Watch:

    “She’s not an athlete, she’s none of those things,” the clip begins, with the mother chuckling. “She’s a girly girl. She’s more girly girl than me.”

    “Medically, on paper, she is girl. She is just as much a girl as every single other one of those girls in there. So she has a penis, guess what? It’s flaccid. 90% of the time it’s flaccid,” the mom continued. “I don’t even think she’s had an orgasm yet. Never been with anyone, she’s not interested in it. Big scary predator she is not. ”

    Because what teen doesn’t want their mom talking about their genitals and sexual history to strangers? This unfortunate admission was part of a hearing held by the Wisconsin Assembly Committee on Education on Thursday regarding Assembly Bills 100, 101 and 103 which pertain to “pending legislation on Indigenous student data, rights of parents, transgender students.”

    X users reacted to the bizarre clip: (** Language warning)

    Imagine being a castrated teen boy whose blue haired mom talks about how your flaccid penis makes you a girl ON VIDEO. Who else feels bad for her son?

    — Maia Poet (@thepeacepoet99) March 8, 2025

    90%? So he has an erection for more than 2 hours every day? How feminine.

    — Sam Morgan (@CrunchAlias) March 8, 2025

    I’m angry that this even needs to be asked…. But how does she know how often her son’s genitalia is “flaccid”? Ugh.

    — Sarah Fields (@SarahisCensored) March 8, 2025

    Wait my dick is flaccid 90% of the time. Is it supposed to be hard all the time? Do i need to ask my Dr. WTF.

    — Dennis- Heres Your Sign. (@ric90521) March 8, 2025

    Liked by 2 people

  22. Shapiro’s right, of course, but I simply cannot stand that pissant! And that voice! Sends shivers down my spine!

    EXCERPT: “President Donald Trump is clearing the air regarding whether he plans to pardon former Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin. When asked about his intentions by reporters, Trump simply said he hadn’t heard anything “about it.”

    “No, I haven’t even heard about it, no. I haven’t heard of that,” he responded.

    The topic has received much discussion after conservative personality Ben Shapiro called on Trump to use his power to pardon Chauvin. He reasoned that the former officer at the center of the George Floyd protests of 2020 could not possibly have received a fair trial given the sheer level of public interest in the case. The former cop is currently serving a 22.5-year state sentence and a 21-year federal sentence for the death of Floyd after pleading guilty to violating his civil rights. Trump would only have the power to pardon Chauvin’s federal conviction, meaning he would still have to serve out the remainder of his state prison sentence before he could be released….”

    https://americanwirenews.com/trump-responds-to-rumors-hes-considering-pardon-for-derek-chauvin/

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Hmmmm….I was just reading some substack notes & Observing Consciousness posted the following:

    “With the understanding that EO 13818 was used to capture BlackRock years ago, the real question isn’t who owns BlackRock… it’s who’s letting them think they do? The same globalists who believed they ruled the world’s assets just got rug-pulled on a scale they can’t comprehend…

    US owns Blackrock > Blackrock claims they own the Panama Canal = US Owns Panama Canal…”

    I don’t understand that, of course but I decided to find out if that EO was still in effect. FJB extended it on 12/20/2023 for 1 year until 12/20/24. I looked to see if Trump also extended it and AI assist gave me the following answer but I haven’t been able to pin it down to a specific order or document:

    “Yes, Executive Order 13818, which blocks the property of persons involved in serious human rights abuse or corruption, is still active. It remains in effect until it is revoked or modified by a subsequent order.”

    Liked by 1 person

      1. That was the big one about confiscating the assets of anyone found to be trafficking in children, sexual crimes, etc. that Trump instituted. I would have expected FJB to end that but he didn’t – he extended it and, apparently, it is now permanent unless someone chooses to stop it. At least, that’s what I get out of it.

        Liked by 1 person

  24. “Well, we’re going to Boston… I made a comment at CPAC. I was gonna go to Boston and bring hell with me. I meant it. I said it,” he continued, noting that everyone should agree with that statement because he made it “right after I talked about nine child sex predators that ICE took off the streets of Massachusetts in a short timeframe.”

    “So when I say I’m coming to Boston, bringing hell with me, yeah, I’m bringing hell to illegal aliens that raped children,” Homan said. “So I stand by what I said, I meant what I said, and I’m gonna do it.”

    Liked by 1 person

      1. I think they had them during my adopted years in the big housing developments but we lived on the highway thru town.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. we had them in the town where we lived when my Mom was taking care of my great grandmother. when she heard the Mr Softee song, she called us kids into her room to give us money for ice cream–and she always had us bring her a cup back. she never ate much but she always wanted some.

          Liked by 1 person

  38. OK, Rodney finally showed up – Kimi got over her “madness,” as he says and the storm has passed. Hate to tell you this but temp is up to 64 now, still with bright sunshine. I’m a happy camper!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. we were just watching the 2 Gene Hackman movies we have–The Mexican with Brad Pitt/Julia Roberts and The Replacements with Keanu Reeves.
      our temp is 27* but we finally have sunshine. but the winds??? still gusting as well.
      good to hear about Rodney I guess.

      Liked by 1 person

  39. CM-TX

    CM-TX

    March 9, 2025 2:13 pm

    “US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick: “Wouldn’t it be amazing to stop paying taxes to the IRS and have the external revenue service replace our taxes?… That’s the goal of Donald Trump… He’s going to do everything he can to make that happen.””

    US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick: “Wouldn’t it be amazing to stop paying taxes to the IRS and have the external revenue service replace our taxes?… That’s the goal of Donald Trump… He’s going to do everything he can to make that happen.” pic.twitter.com/Dbby8epv9U

    — unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) March 9, 2025

    Liked by 1 person

  48. Just The News: “A plane crashed in Pennsylvania near a retirement village south of Lancaster Airport on Sunday afternoon with five people inside, according to the Federal Aviation Authority.

    The crash happened around 3 p.m., according to the FAA.

    Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pa., said the state police has officers on the ground assisting first responders.”  

    Liked by 1 person

  49. Well, hello, Wheezer! He was curled up on the mat on the patio in the sun. He’s definitely been fighting – he’s got a bare patch on both ears, one that covers most of the top of the ear. He’s chowing down as usual.

    Liked by 1 person

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