The shy, but mighty Violet (a.k.a. Viola, Pansy, Heart’s Ease, Zi Hua Di Ding) is a plant that has been all but forgotten by modern wild crafters and herbal aficionados. As an abundant, local medicinal and edible delicacy, it’s worthy of our attention. Violas are a genus of plants belonging to the flowering Violaceae family. Violets are short-lived, perennial herbs with heart-shaped leaves and tri-colored or single colored flowers, and contain concentrated amounts nutrients and medicinal alkaloids in the leaves, roots, and flowers. All Violets are edible, but beware of harvesting if you haven’t seen the plant in flower. Violet leaves resemble those of other plants, some of which, are toxic.
The Violet has held a place of esteem in Pharmacopeias around the world, from the Ancient Greeks, nomadic Arabs, to the Korean Confucians. While utilized to address many imbalances the over-arching properties of the plant are cooling and soothing. In Chinese medicine it is used to clear heat and fire toxicity such as hot swellings, red, swollen eyes, throat, ears, and mumps. This application parallels the recommendations of Hippocrates and Pliny the Elder who used Violets for headaches, hangovers, excess of bile and chest inflammation, inducing sleep, strengthening and calming the heart muscles. Modern research affirms this. The sapoins and mucilage in Violets make them a soothing syrup (for irritating coughs or whooping cough), a calming extract for creams or poultice (especially for eczema, psoriasis, and hives), and a chill-out tea for the funkies (acidic hangovers from alcohol, sugar, caffeine, excess stress, anxiety.) The salicylates, also found in White Willow bark where Aspirin is derived from, help reduce inflammation in rheumatism and arthritis. Violets also have extensive applications as a homeopathic formula and flower essence.
There is much lore surrounding this little purple one. The Violet has been a symbol of modesty and shyness, as well as a steadfastness and loyalty. In the medieval times it symbolized Christ’s humility, and was grown extensively in monastic gardens. The power it holds as symbol of love and fidelity, as well as a medieval protector from the bad vibes of deception, inebriation, and evil, highlights the power and allegorical place that even the most humble flower can have in the psyche of a culture.
