The first one is wild violet. They can be used as an edible flower garnish, or you can make syrup out of them. Homemade creme de violette, violet lemonade, stuff like that. I’ve gone out in the woods to pick them so I welcome them at home.
Second one looks to be some kind of lilly, but I’m not certain what species.
JoyfulNoise1964
I don’t consider violets weeds or lilies
Haskap_2010
Violets are lovely and not invasive. That dandelion in the background, now, that is invasive.
Gullible-Lake-2119
i’m shocked at how many people have no idea what violets are. it’s like literally the most popular flower in all of western culture for like the past thousand years. pretty weird.
djdeereets
Thanks everyone for your help! I will probably leave the Violet and remove the Lily, I think it’s invasive in my area.
anOvenofWitches
This year I discovered that violets are probably the necessary ingredient in the original “pink lemonade.” Violet water turns hot pink when lemons are added!
Mediocre-Meringue-60
I love wild violets- they grow in my yard where there is little to no light. They can’t handle traffics well tho. Hope you decide to keep the first one. They come in many variations too. Lilly of the valley is nearly impossible to get rid of. Except by fire.
Pmo_mom
Those are “Lily of the valley” They smell beautifully when in bloom Common in Wisconsin, Illinois & Michigan
The other is a violet, and blooms beautifully in spring
Neither are weeds
deftoner42
Lilly of the valley it very toxic. Just be aware if you plan on keeping it.
kmacjp
Two of my absolute favorite flowers! You lucky duck!
tobogganhill
Why the hate on Lily Of The Valley? They’re pretty to look at and smell wonderful.
book67
Yikes!! I remembered wild violets from my yard growing up, so I was happy to find them in a shady, mulched area at my current house. I transplanted a few because I thought they’d look nice around a couple of trees in my yard. A few years later, my entire lawn, shady and sunny parts alike, is covered with violets. I found an herbicide that kills them but eventually gave up trying to get rid of them. They propagate from underground stems. There are different kinds of wild violets so maybe yours is benign but I wouldn’t take the chance.
parakeetpoop
That is lily of the valley. Good luck killing it. I haven’t been able to.
Bubbly_Power_6210
lily of the valley?
2021newusername
weeds or invasive? (Are those terms mutually exclusive?)
Different_Ad7655
Both, but one man’s meat another man’s poison. You could do worse to have a yard covered in little wild violets. Some would say they are invasive but I think with the right encouragement and other similar plants that grow in the same environment you could have a beautiful natural garden.
Hello_Hangnail
Violets are a special little plant that still blooms even when you run them over with a lawn mower! They’re cool little purple dudes
17 Comments
The first one is wild violet. They can be used as an edible flower garnish, or you can make syrup out of them. Homemade creme de violette, violet lemonade, stuff like that. I’ve gone out in the woods to pick them so I welcome them at home.
Second one looks to be some kind of lilly, but I’m not certain what species.
I don’t consider violets weeds or lilies
Violets are lovely and not invasive. That dandelion in the background, now, that is invasive.
i’m shocked at how many people have no idea what violets are. it’s like literally the most popular flower in all of western culture for like the past thousand years. pretty weird.
Thanks everyone for your help! I will probably leave the Violet and remove the Lily, I think it’s invasive in my area.
This year I discovered that violets are probably the necessary ingredient in the original “pink lemonade.” Violet water turns hot pink when lemons are added!
I love wild violets- they grow in my yard where there is little to no light. They can’t handle traffics well tho. Hope you decide to keep the first one. They come in many variations too.
Lilly of the valley is nearly impossible to get rid of. Except by fire.
Those are “Lily of the valley”
They smell beautifully when in bloom
Common in Wisconsin, Illinois & Michigan
The other is a violet, and blooms beautifully in spring
Neither are weeds
Lilly of the valley it very toxic. Just be aware if you plan on keeping it.
Two of my absolute favorite flowers! You lucky duck!
Why the hate on Lily Of The Valley? They’re pretty to look at and smell wonderful.
Yikes!! I remembered wild violets from my yard growing up, so I was happy to find them in a shady, mulched area at my current house. I transplanted a few because I thought they’d look nice around a couple of trees in my yard. A few years later, my entire lawn, shady and sunny parts alike, is covered with violets. I found an herbicide that kills them but eventually gave up trying to get rid of them. They propagate from underground stems.
There are different kinds of wild violets so maybe yours is benign but I wouldn’t take the chance.
That is lily of the valley. Good luck killing it. I haven’t been able to.
lily of the valley?
weeds or invasive? (Are those terms mutually exclusive?)
Both, but one man’s meat another man’s poison. You could do worse to have a yard covered in little wild violets. Some would say they are invasive but I think with the right encouragement and other similar plants that grow in the same environment you could have a beautiful natural garden.
Violets are a special little plant that still blooms even when you run them over with a lawn mower! They’re cool little purple dudes