Wild Violets: Foraging, Medicinal Benefits & How to Use

Why Violets Are More Than Just a Pretty Flower

What makes a yard feel more like spring than the blue-violet finally showing its tiny purple blooms, as if to say, “The fairies are here!”? The purple petals provide joy to adults and children alike as they bloom in March and April. As with many of our spring herbs, wild violets arrive right when needed. 

Violets are found all over North America. This perennial herb loves to grow in hedgerows, fields, gardens, and woodland edges. 

In addition to attracting early-season pollinators, this wildflower is edible and has been cultivated for over two thousand years for its fragrance and medicine. The leaves and the flowers are edible and packed with vitamins C and A. You’ve probably seen the tiny purple flowers as a garnish on a plate, added to a salad or soup, or used in honeys or syrups. 

Identifying Common Blue Violets in Your Yard

There are over 100 different species in the Viola genus. We are focusing on the common blue violet. (Note: This is NOT the same as the purple African Violet.)

• Violets can be identified by their heart-shaped leaves. Be aware that if it is not in flower, it can be misidentified and mistaken for nonedible or even poisonous plants. So it’s best only to harvest wild violets when they’re in flower until you really get to know this plant.

• Violets have five petals—almost like two arms, two legs, and a tail or head (it depends on how you look at it). The fifth tail or head is the nectar spur, where the pollinators can find the sweet nectar. And, of course, the color is a beautiful violet.

• Common violets grow low to the ground in a rosette and will come up every year in the same spot and eventually spread throughout the area if allowed.

As mentioned, there are over 500 species in this genus, so you can also find white, yellow, and multicolored violets. For the purposes of this article, we are focusing on the purple/common blue violet.

How to Grow and Forage Violets Safely

You can find violets flowering in early springtime, in yards, and even between sidewalks, along buildings, and on walking trails. One of my favorite things is walking by a violet-filled yard—a sea of purple amongst the green.

• You can also start violets in your yard or garden if they’re not naturally growing in your area. Be aware that they will eventually take over! We have violets growing along a back fence row, which provides medicine and beauty for us and the occasional snack for our chickens.

• As with any wild food, I take note of how much there is in the area. I never harvest everything from the plant or the area. Remember that you are harvesting from an ecosystem. The plant is part of that system, so allowing it to continue on is important!

• You also want to make sure, if you are not harvesting on your own land, that the area hasn’t been sprayed and isn’t a common place where folks take their dogs to play.

• I use my clippers (or you can use kitchen shears) to clip off the flowers and green leaves. The leaves in early spring are more tender. Both the flowers and the leaves have the medicinal qualities we will talk about next.

You can add flowers and leaves to your salads and make tea, vinegar, oils, salves, syrup, or violet honey, my personal favorite.

Medicinal Benefits of Violets

Violets are more than just a pretty spring bloom—they’re a powerhouse of natural wellness. Both the flowers and leaves are edible and packed with vitamins A, C, calcium, and magnesium, making them a nourishing addition to your diet. Traditionally, violets have been used to support the respiratory system, soothing dry coughs, bronchitis, and throat irritation.

They also aid the lymphatic system, helping move fluids, reduce swelling, and support immune function. Anti-inflammatory compounds in violets make them helpful for joint pain and skin conditions like eczema or dry skin. Additionally, violets have been studied for potential anti-cancer properties and are known to support heart and circulatory health.

Whether brewed as a gentle tea, infused in honey, or made into a soothing herbal salve, violets offer a natural, edible way to bring seasonal healing into your home.

Easy Recipes: Violet Tea, Oil, and Honey

• As a tea, violet can be consumed and also used as an eye wash or sinus wash for dry conditions.
• Violets make a beautiful herbal oil, which can be made into a salve.
• They also make a beautiful and delicious herbal honey.
• You can make violet into a tincture, but this does not bring in its soothing qualities as well as the vinegar or tea.
• They can be infused into herbal vinegar.
• Violets are lovely consumed fresh in a salad or as a snack.

*** As with all herbs, try a little bit first to see how your body feels. It is possible to be allergic to any herb, even a safe, gentle herb like violet. Listen to your body, and if you are on medications, check with your practitioner before taking an herb. ***

Making Violet Flower Honey

Violet honey is so fun to make. I love opening our kitchen cabinet and seeing violet honey from the spring that we can drizzle on toast, muffins, oatmeal, or anywhere you would want to use honey.

To Make Your Violet Honey

1. Harvest enough violet flowers to loosely fill your jar. If you are harvesting from your own yard or gardens, there is no need to wash unless you feel that’s necessary. If you are harvesting from a park or wild foraging, I would probably do a gentle rinse with water and pat dry well. Water and honey can mean mold, so you don’t want to add any extra water unless it’s necessary.

2. Pour raw local honey over the violet flowers, using a chopstick to stir to incorporate the honey. Continue to add honey until the jar is full, and put your lid on. 

3. For the next 4 weeks, you will want to turn your jar up and down a few times a week. Once a week, check on your jar, opening the lid to see if more honey is needed.

4. After your 4 weeks (you can taste and use before then as well) you will have a nicely infused honey. I keep the flowers in the honey, and that just adds fun and color to whatever I’m using the honey for.

The combination of violets and honey is not only amazingly tasty, it is also used by herbalists as a medicinal preparation. Violet and honey are both wonderfully helpful for soothing coughs and scratchy throats. 

Violets are known to be especially effective in helping those with respiratory ailments characterized by thick, yellow mucus. The flowers also help to gently support the immune system during healing. The sweetness of honey combined with violet can be heart-soothing, reminding us during those hard times that life can be sweet. 

I see violets as a compassionate and kind friend, wonderful not only for their medicinal properties but also for supporting those experiencing grief and heartache. See violet’s meaning in the Language of Flowers.

Learn more about edible flowers to grow (and eat!)