Sweet Violet Tea Benefits

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A couple of weeks ago, I enjoyed foraging for tea in my own yard. Spring announces itself with a flurry of early blooming flowers and plants. I learned last fall that many of these harbingers of spring are edible, making them suitable for tea.

Since that day, I’ve enjoyed delicately flavored lilac tea and earthy redbud tea. From the backyard I gathered dead nettle and henbit. It grounds and centers me to gather wild edibles and savor them as tea.

I had one last tea to try, before this first blooming season ended. Sweet violet tea offers many health benefits and the gift of beauty as well.

Sweet Violet Tea Benefits

Sweet Violets

This common flowering perennial, which is considered an herb, is among the earliest to appear after winter. The hardy plants favor the edge of woods and are not too shy to show up in lawns and gardens, uninvited. The herbs prefer shady areas. Look for them near house foundations, in areas of the yard and garden protected by other plants and on the north side of structures.

The flowers range in color from dark purple to lilac to pale yellow to white. The plant, which reaches a modest height of four to six inches, has dark green heart shaped leaves.

In the late Victorian era, the sweet scent of the violet proved popular in fragrances and perfumes. The French created violet syrup and the Americans used this concoction to make violet scones and violet marshmallows.

Culturally, Shakespeare mentioned this sweet flower in these now famous lines from A Midsummer Night’s Dream:

“I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, where oxlips and the nodding violet grows, quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, with sweet musk roses and with eglantine.”

Sweet Violet Tea Benefits

Sweet Violet Tea Benefits

Medicinally, sweet violets have been used for centuries, valued for their healing properties. The entire plant is edible and rich in vitamins A and C and full of bioflavonoids, alkaloids and anti-inflammatories.

Benefits include:

Anti-cancer properties that are effective against lung, skin, stomach and breast cancers.

Soothe respiratory ailments such as coughs, bronchitis, congestion, asthma and sinus infections.

Contains high amounts of rutin and salicylic acid which act similarly to aspirin. This makes the herb helpful for treating aches and pains, inflammation, flu symptoms, headaches and arthritis pain. Those same compounds help to prevent blood clots as well.

Eases nervousness, anxiety, stomachaches, indigestion, ulcers, insomnia, swollen glands, canker sores and gum disease.

Lowers blood pressure.

Added to baths, the flowers and leaves help treat psoriasis, eczema, rashes, sores and skin cancer.

Purifies the blood, strengthens the heart and detoxes and cleanses the entire body.

Sweet Violet Tea Benefits

Sweet Violet Tea

This herb is available online or at health conscious stores as dried tea, capsules, syrup, tinctures, extracts, creams and salves. Fresh flowers and leaves are suitable additions for salads, smoothies and fruit bowls.

However, in early spring it’s fun to gather sweet violet flowers and leaves and create freshly brewed tea.

I gathered a handful of delicate flowers and several small leaves from plants clustered in shady areas of my yard. When foraging, choose a patch of violets that are in a familiar area, where no chemicals or fertilizers have been used.

To brew sweet violet tea, cover 2 to 4 teaspoons of fresh or dried flowers and leaves with 1 cup of boiling water. Cover and allow tea to steep for 15 minutes. Strain and sweeten with organic honey if desired. Or for fun, leave the flowers and leaves in the tea.

Sweet Violet Tea Benefits

Enjoying Sweet Violet Tea

I sipped my first cup of sweet violet tea and savored the mild flavor. The brewed tea is a pretty shade of pale green, the perfect representation of spring’s arrival. My freshly prepared tea paired well with a bowl of apple slices, creating a simple afternoon tea.

I might get to enjoy a couple of cups of sweet violet tea before the flowers fade away.

It’s just the beginning of the growing season, however. Dandelions are popping up all over the yard. And while some see these cheerful plants as weeds or wishes, I see tea!

Sweet Violet Tea Benefits

Start a tea time tradition. Pick out your favorite teacups below.

 


 

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75 thoughts on “Sweet Violet Tea Benefits”

    1. Me either, until last fall. I’ve been waiting for my violets to bloom so I could try making tea.

    1. I’d love to know what all you make! I use plants and herbs too. I’ll check your blog.

  1. How fun is this?! I need to plant some sweet violets ASAP. Thank you for bringing it to my attention!

  2. I haven’t really thought to try to forage through my flowers for tea – I would love to give it a try! I will have to see which flowers are edible in my garden.

    1. Yes! Last fall I identified 18 edible plants growing in my yard…besides my veggies and herbs. And I live in a city!

  3. That’s so cool to make tea out of plants in your own yard! I, too, see dandelions as tea, smoothie ingredients, or even just beautiful flowers. I’ve never use sweet violets though!

  4. I love that you are making your own teas! I am a huge tea drinker and love trying new combos =)

  5. I love trying different types of teas. I want to try rose tea. Here in Japan, we have Sakura tea. I have to see if we have Sweet Violets tea here.

    1. It’s new to me too. I just learned you could make tea from the flowers and leaves last fall.

  6. The benefits sound amazing! I will definitely give it a try. Thank you for sharing! I love to know new stuff 🙂

  7. I’ve never tried sweet violet tea before, but as someone who regularly deals with respiratory issues, I’ll definitely have to give it a try. Especially being a tea addict already!

    1. There are many flowers that make a tasty and beneficial tea. Have you tried dandelion tea yet?

  8. I love trying different kinds of tea. I have not heard of this kind before but it sounds really good and has great benefits. I will have to try it!

  9. We have tons of violets in the woods by the creek. They are so delicate and pretty. I knew they were edible but I’ve never thought to put them in tea.

    1. Sounds like a beautiful place! And if you desire you can gather a few blossoms for tea. 😊

  10. I would love to try this it looks amazing, I need to grow some sweet violets! Thanks so much for sharing 🤗

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