Viola sororia , also known as Viola papilionacea , common blue violet , common meadow violet , and purple violet is a species of violets . Viola sororia , known commonly as the Common Blue Violet , is a stemless herbaceous perennial plant that is native to eastern North America . It is known by a number of common names including ; Common Meadow Violet , Purple Violet , Woolly Blue Violet , Hooded Violet and Wood Violet .