Last year, I became interested in the many common wildflowers and colorful weeds we see growing along the roads and in our fields and yards. I am still interested, and I noticed that one of the first flowers to bloom in our yard is a wild violet, a weed, actually. They are lovely, and as are many wild plants, they are both edible and have many medicinal purposes.
The new violet blossoms are lovely as decorations for salads or as garnish for fish or poultry. Many desserts can be flavored with the essence of violets which have a vanilla flavor with a hint of wintergreen. Some people make a violet tea while other make a violet vinegar. Both the leaves and blossoms are edible either raw or cooked, and are extremely high in vitamin C. The roots, however, are not edible, so just gather the leaves and flowers.
The French are noted for a violet syrup as well as violet enhanced liquors. As medicines, violets are loaded with antioxidants and have been used effectively as cough suppressants for children with asthma. The oils from violets have been effective in treating insomnia for some as well as in treating dermatitis.
I just admire their simple beauty and I hate to mow them down with my mower. Maybe I’ll sprinkle on a few on my salad tonight. They would be a lovely addition.