WILD
FOODIES' HOME PAGE
PLANT PROFILE LIST
NAME: Wild Violet
SPECIES / FAMILY: Viola Sororia / Violaceae
OTHER COMMON NAME(S): common meadow violet, purple violet
CONDITIONS: partial shade, moist soil
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PARTS: |
EDIBLE |
TASTE |
RAW/COOK |
SEASON |
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All |
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Shoots |
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Leaves |
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mild |
RAW/COOK |
Spring/Summer |
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Stalk/Stem |
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Buds |
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Flowers |
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mild |
RAW |
Spring/Summer |
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Fruits |
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Pods |
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Seeds |
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Nuts |
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Roots |
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Bark |
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PORTION: small
COMMENT: Mucilaginous – When added to soup they thicken it in much the same way as Okra. The leaves are rich in vitamins A and C. Flowers - raw. A mild flavour, they are an excellent attractive garnish for salads. Rich in vitamin C. The flowers can also be made into jams, jellies etc. A tea can be made from the leaves or flowers.
CAUTION: Too much of any one food can be damaging.// Vitamin C in large doses can thin the blood - https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=19&contentid=vitaminc. Eat The Planet says that the violet roots are edible - https://eattheplanet.org/from-johnny-jump-ups-to-pansies-violets-are-a-staple-edible/ , but not EatTheWeeds https://www.eattheweeds.com/viola-affinis-floridas-sweet-violet-2/ who says that they can "clean you out" which, supposedly, meaning give you diarrhea.
NUTRITION/MEDICINAL: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-212/sweet-violet. Also: “Analgesic; Poultice. A poultice of the leaves has been used to allay the pain of a headache. An infusion of the plant has been used in the treatment of dysentery, coughs and colds. A poultice of the crushed root has been applied to boils.”(1) Also see: https://www.itsmysustainablelife.com/foraging-wild-violets
RELATED:
sweet
violet /
field pansy
/
yellow violet
LOOK-A-LIKES: http://www.wildfoodies.org/Look-A-Likes.htm
garlic mustard - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alliaria_petiolata
lesser celandine - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ficaria_verna
POISONOUS LOOK-A-LIKES:
OTHER USES: Incense. An infusion of the root has been used to soak corn seeds before planting in order to keep off insects.(1)
SOURCE LINKS (may include nutritional and medicinal info, plus other uses):
