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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 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
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
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.
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!
Start a tea time tradition. Pick out your favorite teacups below.
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Thank you for the information on Sweet Violet Tea. I’m definitely making some!
Enjoy…the tea and the benefits!
I can’t wait to try this!! Thanks for all the great info!
Is there a different between using fresh or dried? Sounds yummy!
No either is fine. Fresh has a lighter color and a slightly less intense flavor.
I had no idea! Thanks for sharing!
Happy to!
Amazing. I have so many of these around…. I had no idea!
I hope you can enjoy a cup of violet tea!
I love violets! But I’ve never thought of making tea out of them! Awesome!
Me either, until last fall. I’ve been waiting for my violets to bloom so I could try making tea.
Definitely will be giving this one a try and will be drying some for my concoctions as well!
I’d love to know what all you make! I use plants and herbs too. I’ll check your blog.
How fun is this?! I need to plant some sweet violets ASAP. Thank you for bringing it to my attention!
Awesome! And they return year after year.
Tea is so soothing and obviously healthy as well
Indeed! My favorite drink.
Tea has so many benefits, thanks for sharing about this one.
Yes I love that plants contribute so much to our well being.
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.
Yes! Google wild edibles or check with your local library for books on foraging.
That’s amazing that you just went in your yard and found all that!
Yes! Last fall I identified 18 edible plants growing in my yard…besides my veggies and herbs. And I live in a city!
I think the lowering of blood pressure is a great benefit. Plus. It’s so pretty.
Yes it is, on both counts!
I definitely want to try this. Tea has become a thing for me as I have entered mid-life!
Oh me too! I look forward every day to afternoon tea time.
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!
This was a first for me too. But not the last time I’ll make violet tea!
I would have never thought to use sweet violets as tea! But at the same time, growing up in Alabama my tea knowledge was limited to Lipton…
Mine too, growing up! There are so many plants that make good tea.
I’m not much of a tea drinker but I think I’ll try this one
Wonderful!
We have sweet violets everywhere!
Perfect for making tea!
This sounds really good! Love the benefits of it, too!
Yes so many good benefits and it tastes great too!
Looking forward to trying it! So many benefits!
Yes it’s a powerful plant!
Sounds delicious! There’s a cafe that I love in my hometown that does lavender iced tea 🙂
xoxo A
http://www.southernbelleintraining.com
I love lavender tea!
I love that you are making your own teas! I am a huge tea drinker and love trying new combos =)
It’s fun isn’t it?!
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.
Rose tea sounds good! I’ve had rose hips tea.
I LOVE tea, but have never had sweet violet tea – Will definitely try it out!
Awesome! Hope you enjoy it.
I’ve never heard of this type of tea. It’s so pretty. Perfect for spring!
It’s new to me too. I just learned you could make tea from the flowers and leaves last fall.
beautiful post. you’ve inspired me to get back into tea…
Wonderful! 😊❤️
The benefits sound amazing! I will definitely give it a try. Thank you for sharing! I love to know new stuff 🙂
It’s very good!
I love tea and always looking for new flavors.
We share that love for tea!
I love tea! This is great to have awesome finds right in your backyard.
Yes I love foraging in my own yard! 😃
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!
Perfect for you!
I would have never thought to pick flowers to make tea. Looks like it’s time for more research!
There are many flowers that make a tasty and beneficial tea. Have you tried dandelion tea yet?
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!
It’s a good one, provide by nature. Enjoy!
I love tea, I’m going to have to give this tea a try. Looks pretty!
It’s wet pretty with a mild flavor!
Such a beautiful and relaxing experience, PLUS great health benefits! Thank you for sharing!
Yes all of those things! Thanks for reading and commenting. 😊
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.
Sounds like a beautiful place! And if you desire you can gather a few blossoms for tea. 😊
Interesting, I’ve never heard of sweet violet tea. My husband is more of a tea drinker than I am… I pretty much just drink coffee!
I’d never tried it before either until now. It’s good!
I would love to try this it looks amazing, I need to grow some sweet violets! Thanks so much for sharing 🤗
The blooms and leaves makes such a wonderful tea! Very delicately flavored.
This is fascinating – I’ve never heard of sweet violet tea. I do love the idea of it lowering blood pressure!
It’s so great tasting too!