Finally!!!!

Sweet Violet

You really know that Spring is close when the Violets start blooming, I wait for this moment all Winter, and it is finally here! I Love Sweet Violets, they are very cheery little flowers, and it makes me happy whenever I see them. Maybe I like them so much because purple is my favorite color. 

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Actually, although purple is the most common color, Violets come in a variety of colors, from purple to white to any mixture of both in between.

One of the ways to identify sweet Violet (if the flowers are not enough) is the way the the bottom of the heart shaped leaves curl in towards the stem. Another reason I am so excited about the Violet is the fact that it is one of the safest and healthiest of the common Wild Edibles. Both the leaves and the flowers are edible and can be eaten raw, cooked or dried for use as a tea or to add to green drink smoothies. Dry a bunch and save for winter use when wild edibles are few and far between.
Euell Gibbons calls Violet leaves "natures vitamin pill" because of how many vitamins and minerals are in just a handful of leaves. It is reported that just 100g of fresh herb contains 246g of ascorbic acid and 20,000 IU of vitamin A!
Violets are also Medicinal. The plant is considered a cooling herb and has mucilaginous properties. These attributes make it a perfect herb for inflamed skin problems or internally for things like sore throat, just to name a couple of uses.
Be sure you pick your Violets and all other Wild Plants in a safe unsprayed area.

Beautiful Sweet Violet