Viola papilionacea

Pursh

Common Blue Violet

ViolaceaeLeavesFlowersScore: 38/100Potential hazards — see below

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(c) Alex Abair, some rights reserved (CC BY)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Flowers, Leaves

Young leaves are cooked and served like spinach. Flowers are made into jams, jellies, sweetmeats, syrup, and salads.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant.

Asia, Korea, North America, Slovenia, USA,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Antigua & Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bahamas, Bhutan, Belize, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Georgia, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jamaica, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, St Kitts & Nevis, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, St Lucia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Mexico, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Nepal, Oman, Panama, Philippines, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, El Salvador, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Trinidad & Tobago, Taiwan, United States, Uzbekistan, St Vincent, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

A temperate herbaceous violet with young leaves high in Vitamin A & C.

Nutrition Score: 38/100

Part	Moisture	kJ	kcal	Protein	Vit A	Vit C	Iron	Zinc
Leaves	—	—	—	20000	264	—	—	—

Medicinal Uses

Beyond its use as a common lawn and garden plant, Viola sororia has historically been used for food and for medicine. The flowers and leaves are edible, and some sources suggest the roots can also be eaten. The Cherokee have used it to treat colds and headaches. Rafinesque, in his Medical Flora, a Manual of the Medical Botany of the United States of North America (1828–1830), wrote of Viola sororia being used by his American contemporaries for coughs, sore throats, and constipation. Viola sororia can be used to decorate walkways and park areas. It is used as a wildflower in lawns, though some consider Viola sororia a weed despite its being a resource for pollinators and importance as host plant to various fritillary butterflies, including the greater fritillaries in genus Speyeria. Viola sororia is high in vitamins A and C. The young leaves and flower buds can be eaten raw or cooked, or brewed for a tea. It may also work as an anti-inflammatory and has been used topically for skin conditions. Viola sororia is deer resistant.

Notes

There are about 500 Viola species. The leaves are high in Vitamin A & C.