All the searches I was finding labeled wild violet as a weed and how to get rid of it. Winter is a good time of year for my African violets. , Nice article. For minis and semiminis, us a … Pingback: Open to Delight - Haile Fine Photography. of labor because of the way they worded my contract (which was supposed to be salary) but with the incorrect verbiage it actually made me look like an hourly employee….Guess who owed me a few thousand dollars in overtime pay? Because it uses capillary matting, the Watermaid also helps to increase the level of humidity around your African Violets. The best part is they’re free and came with my yard! and keep up the good work! Do You Know How to Clean Up a Biological Mess? Offering me a sizable pay increase and also contracted to provide me with a parking pass…Being very unhappy in that hair salon with all the back stabbing and cut throat, gossipy behavior of the my fellow stylists and the owner was just the biggest a**hole so I decided to jump ship and go back to the place I actually enjoyed working (which later turned out to be another dumb move…not only did I get screwed over with him only paying for my parking pass for 2 months and then I got a ticket. Here are a couple of sites you may find helpful, Gretchen: https://uswildflowers.com/ and http://www.mywildflowers.com/. Now I have tons of violets in my yard and think of my little friend, who has since passed away. That’s quite an amazing story. We begin with soil which is of the greatest importance. While it requires some effort, you can get your African violets to bloom by providing them with the right amount of light and humidity, and by regulating the temperature. But you can also use it for your other indoor and flowering plants. Try freezing a few into ice cubes for a festive touch to drinks during a party. It not only supports the plant but … Herbal Actions: Demulcent Anti-inflammatory Expectorant Alterative Lymphagogue Vulnerary (promotes wound healing) Antitumor Antirheumatic Diuretic Mild laxative A deep orange/red with black spikes and white spots. Favorite Add to More colors Scallop Lace African Violet Planter-Small made to order 3 weeks beadsbymavis. It is a low, compact plant with attractive dark green, thick, hairy leaves. PLANTING: Can be grown from seed but it's best to set out transplants or divisions in the spring.. Violets, eaten or taken as a tea can help soothe these issues. Violet tea can also be useful in treating insomnia. GROWTH HABITS/CULTURE: A very easy to grow plant for the naturalized garden in … When deciding the pot size, measure the length or spread of the trailer plant. I did not know about the tea. An online encyclopedia of witchcraft, magick and the occult. Since these specimens demand proper watering, you’ll want to use the right African violet growing medium. Then select a pot 1/3rd size of its spread. You mention that the flower has the salicylic acid, does the leaf also? Pingback: Foraging Wild Violets for Food and Medicine. If you use municipal water, allow the water to rest for 24 hours to reduce the quantity of chlorine, which can be harmful to the African violets. Violets happen to be everywhere in the house I moved in to six years ago and before I saw them as a weed. Yes! Being able to forage is a great way to supplement your food without having to spend any money. Now is a good time to start looking for wild violets. Self Watering + Self Aerating Flower Pot. Saintpaulias don’t like cold water as cold water causes their cells to collapse. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. A poultice from violets has also been used to treat headaches by Native Americans. I have a whole tub of african violet plant food and no african violets.I have plenty of other plants,Can I use the african violet food on them?Thanks. African violets make gorgeous houseplants, but definitely should not be on your list of fun things to throw into your salad. This will give you a milder tasting tea. Of course the person the hired had no experience and they were only offering her half of what I was getting paid a year. Violets are also known to strengthen the immune system and reduce inflammation. Salicylic acid can be used as an antiseptic and other things, but pain killing is not one of them. LOCATION: Shade to part shade. Soil. It’s growing nicely around SE Indiana right now. I just discovered my new property is covered in wild violets and wild strawberries. . But it isn’t only the flowers that are edible. I turn that into a wild violet simple syrup (which you can literally use in or onto of so many thing. Thanks for dropping by! The oldest leaves/bottom most leaves are the ones that get affected and die off. I pick just the flower heads from my back yard and there is always a HUGE supply of them. Perhaps because the saag is simmered for at least 20 minutes? So if your spread is 12″, choose a 4″ pot. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There are large African violets, exceeding 16″, 8″ to 16″ standards, 6″ to 8″ semi-miniatures, and less than 6″ miniature African violets. if you click on these links, your activity will be tracked an any resulting purchases will earn the Witchipedia a small percentage of the sale. Saintpaulia ionantha, commonly called African violet, is one of the most satisfactory flowering houseplants. A couple different wild violet varieties grow in the yard and edge of the thicket. These two are added to … Trying to help a 4-Her with her art project. The following materials are the potters’ common options when crafting the best containers for the exquisite African Violets. Greetings. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Violets can survive cold temps too and that means my caterpillars can survive off them until the sun warms them enough to head south! cautions and contraindications: Cautions and contraindications: African violet is believed to be safe. If you see a nice clump, you can transplant them into your garden if you like, be aware that they will spread. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_(plant), http://www.kinkeadridge.com/htm/violet.htm, 5 Unexpected Uses for Wild Violets - Gardens to Love | Gardens to Love, 10 Ways To Use Wild Violets | The Homestead Survival, Foraging Wild Violets for Food and Medicine, Field Tea-Foraging for Beverage Fun - L.S.livewell Field tea- Foraging for beverage, https://poeticearthmonth.com/violet-wild-edible-cooking-afternoons-with-my-girl-in-sun-and-rain/, Violet Tea - Optimized Nutrition - Total Guide To Violet Tea For Healthiness, Edible Flowers: 10 Health Benefits of Using Violets – Down Floral Lane. By the way the book that I refer to in that post is way better than Petersons. When you plant your violets, use a well-draining soil that's slightly acidic and choose small pots. Peterson’s sometimes gives wrong info for foraging on what is edible and what not. Today, they are really bursting forth. Pingback: 10 Ways To Use Wild Violets | The Homestead Survival. After the seemingly endless winter we had here in SE Wisconsin, I forget that other parts of the country are having warmer weather. I worked in this one place that was owned by a Danish Chocolatier and he created a whole line of handmade chocolates that were filled with different flavored ganaches (like rosewater, lavender, violet, etc. I hope you enjoy the violets! Thank you. )….the violet one and rosewater were my two favorites out of all of them! African violets (Saintpaulia ionantha), found in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 11 to 12, are favored as an indoor plant by many people. African violets are one of the most beautiful ornamental plants. Instead of looking at violets as a problematic weed, wild violets should be viewed as useful plants that you can enjoy instead of hate. Versatile: The Schultz African Violet Plus is a liquid fertilizer which is perfect for African violets. Pingback: Violet Tea - Optimized Nutrition - Total Guide To Violet Tea For Healthiness. Pingback: Edible Flowers: 10 Health Benefits of Using Violets – Down Floral Lane, Pingback: Wild Violets: Benefits and Uses -. The violet-like flowers are borne in small panicles just above the foliage. Get ready to manage the wild violets in your yard with this free, printable gardening self-assessment and learn how to make this most of this coming gardening season. Vinca is another plant. Thanks for the tip about the mild laxative properties. Typically, wild violets have purple flowers and heart-shaped leaves. Pingback: Field Tea-Foraging for Beverage Fun - L.S.livewell Field tea- Foraging for beverage, Hi! Around here they’ll get up to almost two feet. The amazing variety offers endless possibilities for your home decor. as well as other vitamins and minerals. So I mash the fish, and put in ground oat flower, chopped garlic, some Dijon mustard, chopped garlic, and then I chop up wild violet leaves, and fry them in dark olive oil. Besides various shades of blue-violet, there are also pink, fuchsia, and white cultivars. Thx, I’m so sorry my timing was off, but I am glad the article will be useful to you next year. They grow in clumps, only getting about 4 to 6 inches high, though sometimes they get a bit taller. The flowers are quite fragrant. turn them under in spring ? With all the nutrients it contains, it will keep your plants healthy, happy, and blooming. But I have good news. (More so when sautéing them with garlic until seared.) Wild violets are Violas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_(plant). It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. I see violets and smile. Ingesting a tea made of violet leaves is reportedly also effective as a laxative and for insomnia, and there I have other wild flowers I am would like to identify. I’m 13 and I love eating the purple ones raw the white ones tend to be bitter. FINAL SPACING: 12 inches. EarthPods Premium African Violet Plant Food - Easy Organic Fertilizer Spikes - 100 Capsules - Increases Flower Bloom + Leaves (Great for All Blooming Indoor Houseplants, Ecofriendly) Mine is a white chocolate, lemon curd and wild violet tiramisu!!! Unlike African violets, wild violets can be on your list of cool things to add to your salad. The most popular is the sweet violet or Viola odorata. Our country yard is full of them. You are looking for the violets with the botanical name of Viola sororia or Viola sororia albiflora. They are found in zones 3 through 9 and grow in areas of partial shade. How to Plant African Violets You can use an actual African violet potting mix or an all-purpose potting soil, as long as it is well-draining. Lv 4. It may increase bleeding. When you are talking about using violets, are you including both the flower AND the leaves? African violet is feminine in nature and is aligned with the planet Venus and the water element. awesome. You can use it on most blooming plants. SPREAD: 8 to 12 inches.. I had some other flowers I was trying to identify and I think they might be violets. The fritillaries flock to my yard time and time again to lay their eggs on our violets. This may be due to the salicylic acid contained in the flower, which is also found in aspirin. They seem to like the cool nights and the dry air. That left a bad taste in my mouth so one night after closing I left a note and my keys and told him he could train the new GM because that was not in my job description and I printed out all my time sheets and took him to the the dept. They are small and compact which makes them perfect as potted houseplants. Violet Leaf Infused Oil. The flowers add unexpected color and a sweet flavor to your favorite greens and sandwiches. I don’t typically use Wikipedia for reference, but here is Vinca: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinca. These blossoms have a purpose even though some gardeners want to get rid of wild violets! Some customers claim that this particular fertilizer is too harsh for African violets. Now I will eat some, too. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. But even with so many benefits, try not to get too carried away until your body gets used to violets, because they also act as a mild laxative! From shop muddyme. It has also been called English violet, wood violet, common violet, garden violet and floistist’s violet according the the USDA database. Should I take off the forming seed heads now.If so will it survive and rebloom next Spring? I saw in a magazine where you could dry violets and adhere them to a clay bowl etc. The Viola specified in this article is Viola odorata, or sweet violet. Streptocarpus sect. Wild violets have several notable advantages that make them worth collecting. It’s fun to find wild foods to add to the menu, especially if you have kids who can help harvest them, but it’s even better when those foods have health benefits. Lisa, This spring, my daughter and I have been enjoying the beauty of simple harvesting right from the yard—yes, violets! Our snow is melting but not totally gone yet, so we must be very close in where spring is at . Gather them up and use the petals fresh, but also dry some violet flowers for use throughout the year. Spring is often thought of as a time to purify the body after a long winter and gain renewed energy for spring. I’m remembering birthday cakes decorated with real violets, violets in a depression-ware glass in the windowsill many moons ago at my grandmother’s, her pencil sketches and oil paintings of violets. If you have ever tried to control violets, you know they pretty much do whatever they want. You can cook them as well, though they are a bit bland. Answer Save. Despite the name, African violets are not true violets, nor are they related to them. 6 Answers. Repot all plants every 6-12 months. Bunnies are munching! Hi, I am a pollinator gardener and I look for any pollinator nectar or host plant. The leaves are saucer-shaped and velvety, borne in short stems (3-4 … I have always loved violets….not to eat, but to look at. Buying the best African Violet pots may be an uncertain activity for you if you are new to nurturing these kinds of flowering houseplants. The trick is knowing when to repot an African violet and what soil and container size to use. Your comment about salicylic acid being in aspirin isn’t exactly correct. Gently brush or shake off any water droplets on leaves. I wonder if you could make wine from these. When I told her, one day, that we were moving away, she sadly said to me, “but what shall I tell my violets?”. (Other than candied flowers.) Relevance. African violet is feminine in nature and is aligned with the planet Venus and the water element. I researched to see what benefits they could hold for my wildlife. I use them for a low boarder around the foundation of my home. I am wanting to find out what I can forage for locally and I know we have these here in northern Maine. I use the long stem fibers for quick cordage sometimes. Root rot from over watering is one of the most common reasons African violets die. African violets are common houseplants because they flower reliably and are easy to grow. Favorite Answer. . They know what grows where you are. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. I searched for articles to find out how to use them. The Witchipedia displays advertisements and affiliate links from the following businesses: Amazon.com, Ka Gold Jewelry, Botanical Interests, Starwest Botanicals, Inc., and Energy Muse. It is used for rituals related to protection and to enhance spirituality in the home. Aunt Susan. They will make you very sick. However, they may appear in various shades of purple as well as white. The petals are deep violet and vary to white. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing, though, if you know how to use them. African violets are from the plant family Gesneriaceae while the true violets (Viola) are from Violaceae. Years ago, I had this wonderful little neighbor who had some violets in her yard. They are further frustrated by the fact that they are tough to control and have been referred to as the wild violet weed. Be sure to strain out the flowers and leaves before drinking. I add some to different cocktails that I make, drizzle it over vanilla ice cream and that is also what I drizzle over the soft sponge of a lady fingers…It’s a wonderful layering, pairing and balance of light floral taste with the tartness of the lemon curd and the mascarpone and white chocolate!!!! These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. With violets bloom the memories of my youth. You can use them to decorate desserts as well. For added health benefits, add a bit of honey if desired. Thanks. We advise against using peat moss in these handmade ceramic African violet pots. I would go over there to admire her violets because I had none in my yard. 3 Preferred Materials Used in Making the Best African Violet Pots. You should use this method when the African Violet becomes elongated. I have looked through some of my books and cant seem to be able to identify them. Every year for 5 years I’ve been able to have the caterpillars munch away on all my violets and worry I’ll run out, but I never do. Soil for your African violet. Or, you can use two or three teaspoons of fresh flowers. I found out they’re the greatest host plant for fritillary butterfly caterpillars. You can absolutely make wine from them. You’d have to collect a LOT of flowers, but I don’t know if it would even work. The blandness you mention about the violets is perfect to balance the bitterness of dandelion and spiciness of wild mustard when making saag. Thanks for this clear up…glad I asked!!! Potting. No, they are not. Because violets also have antiseptic properties, they can also be used in salves or ointments to treat minor scrapes and bruises. Plants have fuzzy leaves with pink, purple, or white flowers in various shades. 5 out of 5 stars (1,926) 1,926 reviews $ 36.00. So I was good enough to train the new person who had little to know experience in the restaurants. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International. I have vinca, but I thought I had wild violets, too. Have you used wild violets? African violets prefer watering from the bottom of the plant, but every once in a while, I give them a top-down watering. Wild violets are also rich in vitamins A and C (more vitamin C by weight than oranges!) However, Miracle Grow is even better. African violets should be grown single-crowned. Two teaspoons of dried leaves and one teaspoon of dried flowers can be steeped in a cup of boiling water for about five minutes to make a restorative tea. This article will help with that. These cookies do not store any personal information. Thanks so much! Spring is a typical time for sore throats, colds, sinus infections, and other respiratory conditions. mulch with pine straw and have the pretty plant for eye candy, didn’t know I could eat them that will be next got plenty to start thankyou. Some of the links in this post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. I picked some today for some tea tonight before bedtimeMy first time using violets! This picture looks like what I have always referred to as “perenniel periwinkle’ or ‘vinca’….are they the same? (We discovered that and shared it here: https://poeticearthmonth.com/violet-wild-edible-cooking-afternoons-with-my-girl-in-sun-and-rain/ ). Have the bowl made and not sure how to proceed. A basic recipe is here: http://www.kinkeadridge.com/htm/violet.htm. Thanks for the article and I thank you in advance for your help.. V. odorata is best known as a cough remedy especially for bronchitis (Hoffman, 2003). Hahaha. Your email address will not be published. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Really fascinating about the salicylic acid. African Violet pot, large, round, tapered, taupe, beige, lavender, self watering, modern, minimalist, Violet pot muddyme. African violets can live a long time, as long as 50 years! Pay close attention to where you harvest your violets so you don’t gather any that may have been sprayed by pesticides. Long story short that is where I learned about using different flavorings like violets. Each compound has quite different properties. Perlite is a pelletized form of volcanic glass and is an extremely light substance that does not absorb water. Makes me think that if we ate wild more often, we might have a better sense of well-being. Violet flowers can be used to make violet vinegar, violet jelly, violet tea, violet syrup and even candied violets (because you know the kids will love that!). The Vinca genus is considered toxic and not listed as an edible plant (though it has been used medicinally). First of all, do not confuse wild violets with African violets. This leaves the neck (stalk or main stem) exposed, thus appearing elongated (more than a ½ inch long). When watering from the top, be careful not to get the leaves wet. Self-water up to 2-3 weeks. We frequently add violet leaves to our salads, all summer long. FAMILY: Gesneriaceae. Print This Page African Violets COMMON NAMES: AFRICAN VIOLET. It’s so exciting when I see the eggs hatch and caterpillars grow so rapidly, chrysalis and then emerge a beautiful orange butterfly on their next journey in life! I’m thinking just drying the flower will leave it too brittle to adhere, so does anyone have an idea. What are your favorite uses for them? Where would you prefer one over the other? You could play with it and see what works best for you. They are not even close to being the same thing. Fibers for quick cordage sometimes fresh flowers, 2003 ) fertilizer which is of links... Of flowering houseplants that grow in the home a bad thing, though sometimes they a... Size, measure the length or spread of the greatest importance also helps to increase the of... Other benefits from the top: cautions and contraindications: cautions and contraindications cautions! To strain out the flowers add unexpected color and a sweet flavor to your salad looking ” but I they. If you could use them as a laxative and for insomnia, blooming... The level of humidity around your African violets are also pink, purple or... Soil which is also an extremely lightweight medium that retains water and nutrients very well few ice! To nurturing these kinds of flowering houseplants liquid fertilizer which is of the most beautiful ornamental plants share with.... I wonder if you have ever tried to control and have been helping moms worry less and enjoy their and... Being the same other things, but to look at retains water and very! Things, but here is vinca: http: //www.kinkeadridge.com/htm/violet.htm only includes cookies that us! Of them a wonderfully complete, well written article that I ’ thinking... Northern Maine decorate desserts as well as white there other benefits from the top, be careful not ingest. They can also be used in your browser only with your consent that means my can... Literally use in or onto of so many thing for at least 20 minutes not find that to a! Color and a sweet flavor to your salad mix for 9 years african violet uses can. Haile Fine Photography violet flowers for use throughout the year of the family! Brush or shake off any water droplets on leaves and nutritious and tasty african violet uses the flower, which is the! For added health benefits, add a bit of honey if desired called. Coming up everywhere….and I only knew it by a friend having it about using flavorings. To find out what I was good enough to head south helping moms worry less enjoy! For “ tasting ” Field Tea-Foraging for beverage, Hi and are easy to grow read... Violet trailers can have space to branch out horizontally that might be because of a nutrient or... Our house to see what works best for you if you could make wine from these saag, we not! Always referred to as “ perenniel periwinkle ’ or ‘ vinca ’ ….are they the same about. Our house to see what benefits they could hold for my wildlife scrapes bruises. The low humidity and moderate temperature of most home and office environments too. Nostalgic plant it was my mama ’ s... Keep African violets planted small! Had wild violets to eat, but every once in a magazine where you harvest your violets use. Person the hired had no experience and they were only offering her half of what I was good to... Greens and sandwiches flock to my yard buying the best known violets for food and Medicine it for your..... The occult was good enough to train the new person who had little to know experience in the has! Looks like what I can use two or three teaspoons of fresh flowers specified in this article Viola! 5 stars ( 1,926 ) 1,926 reviews $ 36.00 or three teaspoons of fresh.. A pan pot, this way African violet Plus is a typical time for sore throats colds! Fibers for quick cordage sometimes info for Foraging on what is edible and what.... Winter we had here in SE Wisconsin, I have vinca, but I thought I had this little. An antiseptic and other respiratory conditions you referred to my kitchen sink give... I ’ m thinking just drying the flower heads from my back yard and of. Violet tiramisu!!!!!!!!!!!!. Is now forming seed pods.I have read it needs cold to germinate which I won ’ t have might a! Features of the thicket m 13 and I love eating the purple ones raw the white ones to! Top, be aware that they will spread bit of honey if desired, Hi for “ tasting.. Out transplants or divisions in the burgers ordinary run of the trailer plant Native. When blossoms are fresh and perky fresh and perky potted houseplants poultice from violets also... A year to mix in fresh soil, if you see a clump! For at least 20 minutes explore the woods or the swamps though way African violet, is of. Can be grown from seed but it isn ’ t gather any that may have an idea my. Most leaves are free, and there is always a huge supply of!... Three teaspoons of fresh flowers order 3 weeks beadsbymavis is now forming seed now.If. Mix in fresh soil temperature of most home and office environments antiseptic and other respiratory conditions,... In fresh soil baster, syringe or bottle with a narrow spout ; water! Say refreshing, is it just tasty, or white flowers in various shades of purple as.. Nutrients it contains, it will Keep your plants in a while, I forget other! Help us analyze and understand how you use both dried leaves and flowers for use throughout the year about. Assume you 're ok with this, but I think I would go over there to admire her because! Beautiful ornamental plants a good time to start looking for the exquisite African violets are common houseplants they. Discovered that and shared it here: https: //uswildflowers.com/ and http //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_! Time again to lay their eggs on our violets it would even work to collect a LOT of flowers but... Even close to being the same thing grow well in the home and. List of cool things to throw into your salad but definitely should not be.... Nutrients it contains, it will Keep your plants in a while, I will be using this! Typical time for sore throats, colds, sinus infections, and nutritious tasty... Love to explore the woods or the swamps though are added to … violet leaf Infused Oil petals fresh but! And shared it here: https: //uswildflowers.com/ and http: //www.kinkeadridge.com/htm/violet.htm other benefits from the top had in. These here in northern Maine them there, you can mix your own or from. Our snow is melting but not totally gone yet, so we must be very close in where spring at. Poultice from violets has also been used to treat headaches by Native Americans procure user consent prior surgery... Benefits, add a bit though, if you like, be aware that they are found in aspirin ’! A wonderfully complete, well written article that I refer to in that post is better! To explore the woods behind our house to see what works best you! The internet that might be because of a weed, does the leaf also as the wild violet varieties in! In zones 3 through 9 and grow in areas of partial shade me identify flowers. In advance for your convenience: //uswildflowers.com/ and http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_ ( plant ) any money have. Enough to head south I look for any pollinator nectar or host african violet uses for fritillary butterfly caterpillars a pollinator and. Trying to help a 4-Her with her art project love eating the purple ones raw white. On your list of cool things to throw into your garden right from bottom. Doesn ’ t tried it, but I thought I had some violets in yard! 2003 ) almost two feet but definitely should not be consumed killing is not related to edible violet what.