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Viola odorata

Perennial

HomePerennialViola odorata

Fields, hedgerows and woodlands, especially on calcareous soils.

Family: Violaceae
Height: 0.1 m / 1 ft
Sun, Semi-shade
Light, Medium and Heavy Soil
Moist

Plant Rating

Edible Uses: 5 of 5
Medicinal Uses: 3 of 5
Other Uses: 3 of 5

Native Habitat

Sweet Violet, English Violet, Garden Violet, Sweet Violet, Florist's Violet Viola odorata native habitat is Fields, hedgerows and woodlands, especially on calcareous soils.

Edible Uses

Young leaves and flower buds - raw or cooked. Usually available all through the winter. The leaves have a very mild flavour, though they soon become quite tough as they grow older. They make a very good salad, their mild flavour enabling them to be used in bulk whilst other stronger-tasting leaves can then be added to give more flavour. When added to soup they thicken it in much the same way as okra. Also used as a flavouring in puddings etc. A tea can be made from the leaves. Flowers - raw. Used to decorate salads and desserts. A sweet mild flavour with a delicate perfume, the flowers are an especially welcome decoration for the salad bowl since they are available in late winter. The flowers are also used fresh to flavour and colour confectionery. A soothing tea can be made from the leaves and flowers. A leaf extract is used to flavour sweets, baked goods and ice cream.

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