Wild reddish blue are both edible and medicinal and come in up in the late wintertime or other natural spring . Foraging for wild violets is easy as they grow almost everywhere ! Wild violets are an eatable and medicinal flower , and wanton to spot ! read how to identify and scrounge for wild violet , and the many ways to use them in the kitchen and in herbal music .
Want to save this post for later?
We ’ll send it to your inbox , plus get updates from us every week !
I agree to be sent email .
Wildcrafting Weeds
If you want to con more about the edible and medicinal weeds that surround us and how to apply them , check out my eBook : Wildcrafting Weeds : 20 easygoing to Forage Edible and Medicinal Plants ( that might be growing in your backyard ) !
Wild Violets in Early Spring
I call back the matter that I love most about waste violet is that they are usually the first heyday to show their face in early leaping . Actually , where we live in Southern Oregon they make out up in mid - February !
These little purple flower give us a prissy piddling prefiguration of spring when we ’re still in the thick of wintertime , which is a welcome sight .
godforsaken violet grow bounteously right in our backyard under the apple Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , which makes foraging for them rather easy .
Even if you do n’t have them in your pace , foraging for groundless violet unremarkably is n’t difficult , as they grow almost everywhere !
Related : What to Forage in Spring : 20 eatable and Medicinal Plants and Fungi,13 Early Spring Edible Wild leafy vegetable
Get recipes using wild reddish blue , lilac , forsythia , chive , calendula , lilac , white clover , genus Nasturtium , elderflower , yarrow , develop , and Queen Anne ’s lacing flowers in my ebookEdible Flower Recipes : infusion , Syrups , Jellies , Beverages , & Snacks !
Identifying Wild Violets
Wild violets are in theViolagenus , which also includescommon garden viola .
There are many multifariousness of wild violet , withViola odorataandViola sororiabeing the most usual types for forage .
While many violet have regal flowers , some are racy , jaundiced , white or multicolored . Yellow violet varieties are n’t used as often because they incline to have a laxative force .
Wild violets are a low growing plant that opt a shady , wooded sphere with rich soil .
They have a basal russet scab of toothed , heart shape leaves , and drooping flush with five petals that do not produce seeds .
Interestingly enough , flyspeck round mordant seeds are produce from non - eatable brown flowers at priming horizontal surface .
Wild violets mainly reproduce via secret rhizomes that are not edible .
One significant thing to note if you live in sure coastal regions of Oregon , Long Beach Washington , or the northern California glide :
The federally threatenedOregon Silverspot ButterflyandMyrtle ’s Silverspot Butterflyare reliant onearly blue violets ( Viola adunca)to survive . There ’s a peril of these species becoming extinct from the west coast , so it ’s good to be extra careful when harvesting violet in these locations , and possibly not harvesting any at all if you are within the home ground of these rarified butterflies .
Wild Violet Look-alikes
There is only one wild violet look - likewise that you call for to be aware of and that islesser celandine ( Ficaria verna)which is toxic .
While lesser celandine has yellowed flowers that do n’t resemble savage violet at all , it has very exchangeable heart - form leave .
Because of this it is safe to wait until gaga violet blooms before harvest to be certain of identification .
Wild violets are not the same as African violets ( Saintpaulias spp ) , a mutual firm works which are not edible at all .
Edible Uses of Wild Violets
Both the leaves and blossoms are edible , either in the raw or cooked , and are passing eminent in vitamin C.
The bloom are a marvelous late winter or former spring treat , and are often made intoviolet jellyorviolet syrup .
My favorite elbow room to apply violet blossom is inviolet infused acetum !
Thesewild reddish blue muffinssound somewhat amazing as well .
Violet exit can either be eaten bare-ass in a lovelywild greens salad , sauteed or steam , or made into a Camellia sinensis .
Medicinal Uses of Wild Violets
Violets leaf are highly medicinal , with a soothing mucilaginous dimension . They are antioxidant , anti - inflammatory , and a line cleansing agent .
They are good for cough and colds , and can be made into aviolet leaf and beloved cough sirup .
Violets can also be used topically for skin conditions like eczema , dry peel , bug insect bite , and varicose veins .
Here are some homemade recipe forviolet leaf balmandviolet lotionthat can bring home the bacon some relief .
Violet flowers and leaves also make a great accession to soap . Try thiswild reddish blue soapor thisviolet leaf soap .
If you ca n’t find any fantastic reddish blue , or if it ’s the wrong season , you’re able to purchase desiccated violet leaf from Mountain Rose Herbs ( my favorite station to get high - quality , organic dried herbs ) .
A tidy sum of homemadeviolet syrupis a great way to apply up some of these comestible flowers !
I go for this Charles William Post inspires you to go foraging for barbarian violets ! They are awing little spring flower that have so many great uses .
How do you care to use wild violet ?
bring through
Join My Free Foraging & Herbalism Email Course!
Δ
