What is the identity of this plant with violet-colored bell-shaped flowers and red-veined lobed leaves?

Question

There are several of these in my yard in Augusta, GA, hardiness zone 8a. I would like to know what these are before I mow them all down.

They have violet-colored flowers growing up a central stock:

The leaves are flat on the ground with red-violet-colored stems:

The roots look small and stringy:

score 6 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 08 '16 at 16:43

6

It looks like it is Salvia lyrata.

answered Apr 08 '16 at 16:43

kzh

Oops, sorry, your answer wasn't there when I first started looking for a good link! Given you a vote – Bamboo Apr 08 '16 at 17:07
@bamboo but yours is a better answer than mine – kzh Apr 08 '16 at 19:52
Ha ha, you can't win, can you - if I hadn't spent ages looking for a really good link, my answer would have come up first - but it wouldn't have been as good. You still ID'd it correctly first anyway... – Bamboo Apr 09 '16 at 12:22
I could mark my answer, but I don't get any points for that. Even though mine was posted first, yours was better because it was more thorough. – kzh Apr 09 '16 at 12:51

score 6 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 08 '16 at 17:07

6

I think its Salvia lyrata, a native in the USA, mostly in the Eastern parts, but technically its a woodland plant and considered a wildflower

answered Apr 08 '16 at 17:07

Bamboo

2 Answers2