Violet Flowers
Violet – Viola odorata
The delicate, sweet scent of violet flowers wafts in the air as I go near the heart shaped leaves of this plant.
The meaning of Violet is modesty, she calms tempers and has a cooling effect. This is because the leaves are mucilaginous (or a slippery/slimy sensation in your mouth if you chew a piece of leaf) which is soothing for our whole digestive system.
Blue Violet flowers mean: Watchfulness and Faithfulness; I’ll always be true. White Violet flowers mean: Let’s take a chance on happiness.
I gave my Mum a bunch of violet flowers for Mother’s day. She loves them. She took a deep breath drawing in the scent with her nose buried in the flowers and said “Ahhh as she relaxed”. The flowers are obviously soothing too.
Description
- shiny green heart shaped leaves with the edges rolled in, especially on young leaves
- flowers that look like a little orchid and are purple, pink, white or yellow
- can make a dense ground-cover, becoming to some a ‘weed’, preferring cool, shady places
- Nutritional qualities known for centuries right back to ancient Greece
- one hundred grams of fresh spring leaves contains 264mg Vitamin C and 20,000 IU of Vitamin A
- put another way; two leaves contain as much Vitamin C as an orange – amazing!
- supports the liver, gall bladder, digestive and urinary systems
Uses for Violets
- assists in the healing of cancer tumors*
- apply the leaves raw, binding them over the tumour, boil, abscess, pimple or swollen glands**.
- must have plant in the garden for their beauty and scent
- add a handful of leaves to your smoothie
- add a handful of leaves and lots of flowers to your salad
- make a tea of two tsp of leaves and flowers in a large cup of water
- Dip whole flowers in sugar, lemon juice and egg-white for a tasty, nutritional sweet
Recipe: Violet Smoothie
Ingredients in order from left to right in the photo
- handful of chickweed
- 2 sprigs parsley (above chickweed)
Ingredients for Violet Smoothie
- 1 plantain leaves
- 2 dandelion leaves
- petals of one late rose
- 6 dandelion flowers
- 6 violet flowers (keep two for decoration)
- 7 violet leaves (I added more chickweed than in the photo to make a handful)
- 1 apple (whole if organic otherwise peel and core the apple)
- 1 banana
- 1 tsp chia seed
- 1 tsp pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup organic coconut milk (bought from Trade Aid) or yoghurt if you prefer & can tolerate dairy.
- 1 cup water ( can substitute water kefir, kombucha, or rejuvelac for probiotics to enhance gut flora).
Blend the greens, flowers, and liquids until smooth. Add the fruit and seeds and blend again. Pour into glasses and decorate with flowers. Voila you have a delicious satisfying drink!
**Baïracli Levy, J., The Illustrated Herbal Handbook, 1974, Faber and Faber Limited, London. Weed,
*Susun, Healing Wise: The Wise Woman Herbal, 1989, Ash Tree Publishing, Woodstock, NY.
Violet Smoothie
Mass of Violet plants
