Violet 2

Violet
Text by Rosalee de la Forêt.
Illustrations by Tatiana Rusakova
Ebook designed by Tudor Maier
©2020 Rosalee de la Foret, LLC. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without written permission of the author.
The herbal and plant information in this Workbook is for educational purposes only. The information
within the Workbook is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other
medical professional. If you have or suspect that you have a serious health problem, promptly contact
your health care provider. Always consult with a health care practitioner before using any herbal remedy
or food, especially if pregnant, nursing, or have a medical condition.
Published by Rosalee de la Forêt, LLC, Methow Valley, WA
First digital edition, April 2020. Published in the U.S.A.
Violet 3

Table of Contents

Violet Summary............................................................................................4
Energetics.......................................................................................5
Colds and Influenza: Dry Coughs, Sore Throats, and Fevers......................5
Congested Lymph ....................................................................................5
Inflammation and Pain................................................................................6
Joy...........................................................................................................6
Sleep........................................................................................................6
Dry Eyes, Sinuses, and Skin.........................................................................7
Nutrient Dense.............................................................................................7
Botanically Speaking...................................................................................8
Plant Preparations.......................................................................................8
Dosage Suggestions.....................................................................................9
Special Considerations................................................................................9
Looking for Violet?.....................................................................................11
About Rosalee............................................................................................12
Violet 4

Violet Summary
Scientific Name: Viola odorata, Viola sororia, spp.

Other Common Names: viola, wild pansy, heartsease

Family: Violaceae (violet)

Parts Used: flowers, leaves

Taste: sweet, salty

Energetics: cooling, moistening

Plant Properties: alterative, demulcent, inflammatory

modulator, lymphagogue, mild sedative

Used for: congested lymph (breast congestion, cysts, swollen lymph glands), food, hot and/or dry
inflamed tissues, sore throat, insomnia

Plant Preparations: food, infused oil, poultice, salve, syrup, tea, tincture, vinegar

As violets emerge in spring, their flowers gift our hearts and spirits with joy.

Violets are so exuberant about flowering that many species do it in two different ways. In these plants,
the flowers we are most familiar with are the colorful, insect-pollinated, five-petaled blossoms that
appear among or above the (often) heart-shaped leaves in spring. Later in the season, small, closed
flowers emerge from the soil yet remain underneath the leaves. These flowers lack petals and never
open – they are technically known as a cleistogamous (“closed marriage”) self-pollinating method that
the plant uses to produce more seeds with fewer resources.

While violets are most commonly sought in the spring, their gifts extend to other seasons and their
leaves are often available year-round.
Violet 5

Energetics
Violet’s energetics mirror the places where they love to thrive. Cooling and moistening, violets can often
be found growing in damp meadows, by shady streams, or in moist woods. As always, the best way to
understand violets is by tasting them. Both the leaves and flowers are slightly sweet, demulcent (moist),
and noticeably cooling. Violets are also softening. They reduce rigidity and allow flexibility. They move
stuck and stagnant lymph. The simple sight of them can open our hearts, allowing a softening of our mood.

Colds and Influenza:

Dry Coughs, Sore Throats, and Fevers
Violet’s ability to soften and soothe dry and inflamed tissues is a perfect match for dry mucus membranes
and irritated coughs. Violets have long been used for coughs in Native American, European, and Chinese
medicine. One double-blind randomized clinical trial with children aged 2 to 12 years found that violet
syrup could help the coughs of children with intermittent asthma.1

Violets can also soften and soothe a sore throat, especially when it is dry and irritated. It can be used to
bring instant relief as a tea, syrup, or infused honey.

An interesting 2019 study showed that hospitalized children with fevers who had violet-infused oil
rubbed on their abdomen had a significant decrease in their fever. As a result, those using the violet oil
had less incidence of using acetaminophen as a rescue treatment. 2

Congested Lymph
Violet is revered for moving stuck and stagnant lymph and has traditionally been acclaimed for softening
hardness in glandular tissues. There are a variety of ways that violet can be used.

Taken as a tea or fresh tincture, violet can address hot and swollen lymph nodes associated with upper
respiratory infections.

Taken internally and applied externally (as a poultice or infused oil), violet can gently move swollen
lymphatic glands in the breasts, armpits, groin, or any other area feeling stuck and stagnant.

Many herbs that affect the lymphatic system have been used to address cancer and this is also true for
violet. We do not have any clinical trials to confirm violet’s benefits for people with cancer; however,
there have been some interesting in vitro studies.3 One of these found certain constituents of Viola
odorata “with robust cytotoxicity that may be promising chemosensitizing agents against drug resistant
breast cancer.”4
Violet 6

Inflammation and Pain

Inflammation can often be related to a tissue state of heat and dryness. In these cases, violet is the
perfect balm. Violet’s moistening, cooling, and mild pain-relieving properties can calm inflammation,
especially chronic inflammation such as arthritis. Studies have shown that violet has anti-inflammatory,
analgesic, and antioxidant activities.5

Many First Nations of North America have used violet for headaches.6 In addition, one double-blind,
placebo-controlled clinical study showed that an Iranian formula using “Viola odorata flowers, Rosa
x damascena [Damask rose] flowers and Coriandrum sativum [coriander] fruits may be effective in
improving headaches in patients with migraine.”7

Joy
I don’t need to tell you that violets bring joy. Simply spend some time in their presence and you will
experience it for yourself. The closer you can get to the violets the better – hurriedly crouching down
beside them is no substitute for curling up beside them for a wee while.

Another name for violet is heartsease. It has been used for the physical and emotional heart for
thousands of years. Hildegard von Bingen, the German Benedictine abbess and herbalist born in 1098,
used violets extensively and recommended them in wine for “anyone oppressed by melancholy with a
discontented mind, which then harms his lungs.”8

Sleep
While not commonly used for sleep in Western herbalism, violets are a traditional remedy for sleep in
Iran. In one study, Iranian researchers gave 50 patients with chronic insomnia two drops of a Viola odorata
infused oil in each nostril nightly before sleeping. After a month, patients showed improvements in sleep.9
Another randomized, placebo-controlled study involving 75 patients with insomnia showed similar
promising results with intranasal violet-infused oil. The researchers pointed out that using this natural
and safe nasal treatment is a “non-oral method without serious side effects for treatment of insomnia.” 10

Another study showed that violet can be a safe and effective add-on therapy for patients with insomnia
and depression or obsession.11
Violet 7

Dry Eyes, Sinuses, and Skin

Given violet’s ability to moisten tissues, using violet for dry or irritated eyes is not surprising. And because
the tear ducts are connected to the nasal cavity, irritated eyes and sinuses often go together, especially
during allergy or wildfire seasons.

For dry sinuses and eyes, herbalist jim mcdonald recommends an eye or nasal wash:
“A mild tea of fresh or dried violet leaves can be made into a nasal rinse by adding 1/4 teaspoon of salt per
8-ounce cup of well-strained tea, and it is wonderfully soothing when dryness accompanies inflammation
of the sinuses. This same preparation can be used as an eyewash and is really quite impressive; use it when
the eyes are dry and blinking feels like someone’s scratching sandpaper over your cornea.”12

A well-designed study in Iran showed “that the intranasally administered [violet oil] enhances tear
production and improves tear film stability.”13

Violet’s ability to soften and soothe dryness also applies to our largest organ: the skin. In addition to being
moistening, violet may also work by promoting lymphatic circulation. Violet can be taken internally to
address dry skin as well as used externally.

Violet used externally can also help to relieve itching, even severe itching. One study found that when
violet oil was used in people who had severely itchy skin due to chronic kidney failure (uraemic pruritus) it
worked better than massage alone.14

Another study showed that a formula using Mahonia aquifolium [Oregon grape], Viola tricolor, and
Centella asiatica [gotu kola] relieved moderate atopic dermatitis under conditions of cold and dry weather
specifically.15

Nutrient Dense
Violets can grow abundantly, especially when they are not native to an area. This has earned them the
reputation of being a pesky weed. Of course, herbalists love to love weeds. We know they are filled with
nutrients that are not often abundant in our depleted grocery store vegetables. This is also the case for
violets! The flowers and leaves contain high amounts of vitamin C and the leaves are also high in beta-
carotenes (precursors to vitamin A).

Violet is high in antioxidant anthocyanins and rutin, which is known to support heart health by strengthening
and increasing flexibility in blood vessels, reducing cholesterol, and preventing and dissolving blood clots.
Violet 8

Botanically Speaking
Violets are found throughout the world, though they mostly occur in northern temperate climates.
There are up to 600 different species of violets. There also are many modern cultivars used in gardens
(often called pansies).

While many species are indeed purple, as the name violet implies, the flowers of the Viola genus range
from white to yellow to blue and purple. They can also be multicolored.

Violets have irregular flowers with five separate petals arranged in bilateral (side-to-side) symmetry.
They have five sepals which can persist after the flower has bloomed.

As described earlier, in many violets, the showy flowers of the spring are the ones that we enjoy seeing.
Later in the season, closed (cleistogamous), self-pollinated flowers form seeds beneath the leaves. Both
types of flowers result in a three-pronged seed head, which can open with incredible force, ejecting the
seeds meters away from the original plant.

The simple leaves are either alternate or basal and are often heart shaped.

While violet flowers are easy to recognize, violet leaves have many look-alikes, some of them quite toxic,
including monkshood (Aconitum spp.) and lesser celandine (Ficaria verna).

Always be certain you can identify the plant before harvesting.

Plant Preparations
Most violets can be similarly used; however, some violet species are especially high in saponins, a soap-
like substance that can cause stomach upset when eaten in large quantities. Once you’ve correctly
identified the violet growing near you, give it a taste. Are the leaves sweet and demulcent? Can you
imagine joyfully eating many of them? Or are they not really palatable? Stick with eating the ones that
are palatable, and eat them sparingly until you see how your body reacts.

Violet is a culinary delight. Its fresh leaves can be added to spring salads. Violet flowers are edible and
gorgeous, making them a nice garnish added to any meal. Violets are often used to lend their sweetness
to a variety of dishes, from meats and vegetables to salads and puddings. Violet syrup and candied
violet flowers are common confections in Europe, where violet is also used to flavor liqueurs such as
Creme Yvette, Creme de Violette, and Parfait d’Amour.

Violet flowers, especially the purple varieties, can be made into a variety of gorgeous herbal goodies
including syrups, candies, and jams.

Both the leaves and flowers can be extracted into alcohol, oil, or vinegar.
Violet 9

Violet leaves can be harvested throughout the season. The tender spring leaves are best as edibles, but
the later leaves can be dried for teas or other preparations. Violet leaves and flowers are very sensitive
after drying – store them in a tightly sealed container in a cool and dark location.

Dosage Suggestions
• Tea: 5-28 grams dried leaves and flowers per day
• Tincture (fresh): 1:2, 40%. 3-5 mLs, three times a day

Special Considerations
• Violet roots can be emetic (make you vomit).

• Violet species that are high in saponins may give someone nausea if they eat too many.

• Some violet species may give some people diarrhea if too much is eaten (probably due to saponin
content).
Violet 10

Citations
1. Qasemzadeh, Mohammad Javad, Hosein Sharifi, Mohammad Hamedanian, Mohammad Gharehbeglou, Mojtaba Heydari,
Mehdi Sardari, Meisam Akhlaghdoust, and Mohammad Bagher Minae. “The Effect of Viola Odorata Flower Syrup on the
Cough of Children With Asthma: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial.” Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary
& Alternative Medicine 20, no. 4 (October 2015): 287–91. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156587215584862.

2. Tafazoli, Vahid, Mahdi Shahriari, Mojtaba Heydari, Hosein Ali Nikbakht, Mohammad Mahdi Zarshenaas, and Majid
Nimrouzi. “The Effect of Viola Odorata l. Oil for Fever in Children: A Randomized Triple-Blinded Placebo-Controlled Clinical
Trial.” Current Drug Discovery Technologies, June 20, 2019. https://doi.org/10.2174/1570163816666190620142256.

3. Mohammad Ali Esmaeili et al., “Viola Plant Cyclotide Vigno 5 Induces Mitochondria-Mediated Apoptosis via Cytochrome C
Release and Caspases Activation in Cervical Cancer Cells,” Fitoterapia 109 (2016), doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2015.12.021; Yeon-
Joo Kwak et al., “Fermented Viola mandshurica Inhibits Melanogenesis in B16 Melanoma Cells,” Bioscience, Biotechnology,
and Biochemistry 75, no. 5 (2011), doi:10.1271/bbb.100641.

4. Samantha L. Gerlach et al., “Anticancer and Chemosensitizing Abilities of Cycloviolacin 02 from Viola odorata and Psyle
Cyclotides from Psychotria leptothyrsa,” Biopolymers 94, no. 5 (2010), doi:10.1002/bip.21435.

5. Feyzabadi, Zohre, Fariba Ghorbani, Yasaman Vazani, and Mohammad M. Zarshenas. “A Critical Review on Phytochemistry,
Pharmacology of Viola Odorata L. and Related Multipotential Products in Traditional Persian Medicine.” Phytotherapy
Research: PTR 31, no. 11 (November 2017): 1669–75. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.5909.

6. Moerman, Daniel E. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press. 596-598

7. Kamali, Mohadese, Rostam Seifadini, Hoda Kamali, Mitra Mehrabani, Yunes Jahani, and Haleh Tajadini. “Efficacy
of Combination of Viola Odorata, Rosa Damascena and Coriandrum Sativum in Prevention of Migraine Attacks: A
Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.” Electronic Physician 10, no. 3 (March 25, 2018): 6430–38.
https://doi.org/10.19082/6430.

8. Hildegard von Bingen, Hildegard von Bingen’s Physica: The Complete English Translation of Her Classic Work on Health
and Healing, trans. Priscilla Throop (Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 1998).

9. Feyzabadi, Zohre, Farhad Jafari, Seyed Hamid Kamali, Hassan Ashayeri, Shapour Badiee Aval, Mohammad Mahdi Esfahani,
and Omid Sadeghpour. “Efficacy of Viola Odorata in Treatment of Chronic Insomnia.” Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal
16, no. 12 (December 14, 2014). https://doi.org/10.5812/ircmj.17511.

10. Feyzabadi, Zohre, Fariborz Rezaeitalab, Shapour Badiee, Ali Taghipour, Fatemeh Moharari, Atefeh Soltanifar, and
Mohammad Reza Ahmadpour. “Efficacy of Violet Oil, a Traditional Iranian Formula, in Patients with Chronic Insomnia:
A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology 214 (March 25, 2018): 22–28.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2017.11.036.

11. Shayesteh, Maryam, Mohammad-Reza Vaez-Mahdavi, Jamal Shams, Mohammad Kamalinejad, Soghrat Faghihzadeh,
Mohammad Gholami-Fesharaki, Reza Gharebaghi, and Fatemeh Heidary. “Effects of Viola Odorata as an Add-On Therapy
on Insomnia in Patients with Obsession or Depression: A Pilot Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial.” Journal
of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.), February 19, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2019.0254.

12. mcdonald, jim. “Violet Herb.” HerbalRemediesAdvice.org. Accessed April 20, 2020. https://www.herbalremediesadvice.
org/violet-herb.html.

13. Saffar Shahroodi, Aniseh, Mahmood Nejabat, Majid Nimrouzi, Hossein Aghaei, Alireza Salehi, and Ali Rezaei Mokarram.
“Effects of Intranasal Administration of Violet Oil in Dry Eye Disease.” Clinical & Experimental Optometry 102, no. 6 (2019):
576–82. https://doi.org/10.1111/cxo.12910.

14. Khorsand, Ali, Roshanak Salari, Mohammad Reza Noras, Azadeh Saki, Jamshid Jamali, Farzaneh Sharifipour, Seyed Jamal
Mirmoosavi, and Seyed Majid Ghazanfari. “The Effect of Massage and Topical Violet Oil on the Severity of Pruritus and Dry
Skin in Hemodialysis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Complementary Therapies in Medicine 45 (August 2019):
248–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2019.06.015.

15. Klövekorn, W., A. Tepe, and U. Danesch. “A Randomized, Double-Blind, Vehicle-Controlled, Half-Side Comparison with
a Herbal Ointment Containing Mahonia Aquifolium, Viola Tricolor and Centella Asiatica for the Treatment of Mild-to-
Moderate Atopic Dermatitis.” International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 45, no. 11 (November 2007):
583–91. https://doi.org/10.5414/cpp45583.
Violet 11

Looking for Violet?

If you aren’t able to find or harvest violet near you, here’s some other ways you can find it.

1. Search for herbal apothecaries near you

2. Visit my listing of herb farms and wildcrafters within the US and Canada to find fresh herbs near you.

3. Visit Mountain Rose Herbs, an online apothecary that sells high quality organic herbs. They are my
first choice for herbs I’m not able to find near me.
Violet 12

About Rosalee

R
osalee de la Forêt, is passionate about
helping you explore the world of herbalism
and nature connection. She is the Education
Director at LearningHerbs, a registered herbalist
with the American Herbalist Guild, and the author
of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform
Everyday Ingredients into Foods and Remedies
that Heal as well as the online courses The Taste
of Herbs, Herbal Cold Care, and Apothecary: The
Alchemy of Herbs Video Companion.

Get more herbal recipes and and exclusive herbal

trainings at: HerbsWithRosalee.com.
Violet 13

Get more healing herbs in your life

with these books by Rosalee de la Forêt

Explore how to transform

everyday ingredients into foods
and remedies that heal with
Alchemy of Herbs

Get your bonuses at

AlchemyOfHerbs.com

Forage your own healing

foods and learn how to handcraft
herbal medicines with
Wild Remedies

Get your bonuses at

WildRemediesBook.com