Common Blue Violet – Identification, Use, Folklore
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The Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia) is a perennial wildflower found across much of eastern and central North America. With its heart-shaped leaves and rich purple-blue blooms, it has captured the admiration of gardeners and herbalists alike. Beyond its beauty, Viola sororia plays a valuable role in ecosystems, traditional medicine, and even culinary traditions.
Table of contents
Common Blue Violet Identification
The most recognizable feature of Viola sororia is its striking, five-petaled flowers. They are typically a deep violet-blue, though white, pink, and speckled forms also exist. (Viola sororia f. rubra is the pink form.)
Blue violets bloom abundantly in springtime with flowers that that resemble miniature orchids. There are five dark blue/purple petals and white throats. Blue violet flowers emerge on flower stems separate from the leaves, and are about 1″ (2.5 cm) across. The blossoms have a delicate and distinctive fragrance.
Common violets are perennial, blooming in the spring/summer and dying back in fall/winter. They propagate mostly by underground runners, but also produce seeds – but not from the purple flowers.
Seeds set in autumn on small green flowers without petals that hide in the foliage (cleistogamous flowers). You won’t damage your patch at all by harvesting the purple flowers. The cleistogamous flowers are self fertile, and produce seeds during the summer, which get ejected from the seed capsules.
The heart shaped leaves curl slightly at the edges, but flatten as they age. The leaves are high on individual stalks rising from the base of the plant. They spread readily once established in a moist, shady area.
Where to find Common Blue Violets
Viola sororia is native to eastern North America. You will find it throughout most of the eastern United States and Canada. (source)
The range overlaps in some areas with viola odorata, which is native to Europe and Asia.
Look for these shade loving plants in moist woods and gardens, or a partly shaded lawn. (Many of the photos are from a friend’s yard.) They prefer rich silty loam or clay soil that is high in organic matter.
Uses of Common Blue Violet
Common blue violets have a long history of practical use. From nourishing foods to traditional remedies, Viola sororia offers a variety of benefits.
Food Uses
Please make sure to properly identify any plants before consuming. It’s best to harvest while the plants are blooming to make identification easier.
Both leaves and flowers of common blue violet are safe for human consumption. They are mild in flavor. Large amounts of leaves or flowers may have a laxative effect, so enjoy in moderation.
Look for younger leaves that recently emerged for best flavor. When used in soups, the leaves are slightly mucilaginous, giving them the nickname of “wild okra” in some areas. The flowers are often candied or added fresh to desserts for a splash of color.
Healing Wise by Susun Weed gives a plethora of violet recipes from vinegar and syrup to soup and salad. Susun sings the praises of sweet violets. She notes that 100 grams of fresh spring leaves contain:
- 264mg of ascorbic acid (a component of vitamin C)
- 20,000 IU of vitamin A
- An assortment of trace minerals
Make a simple violet vinegar for use in salad dressing. Fill a small jar with blossoms (don’t wash them). Cover with a good quality vinegar such as white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, or rice vinegar.
Put the lid on and let steep from 1-6 weeks before using. (The flavor becomes more pronounced as it ages.)
If you want more recipes, Healing Wise is the book for you. It’s a a whimsical exploration of seven common healing herbs and their uses. Samuel Thayer also has simple violet recipes in his book “Incredible Wild Edibles“.
Remember, the darker the color of the flowers, the darker the infusion. If you’re blessed with deep purple blossoms, you may want to try this beautiful violet jelly.
Medicinal Use
Traditionally, violets have been used for their soothing properties. They are considered cooling and moistening herbs. Medicinally, Susun Weed recommends violets for treatment of:
- cancers
- relief from various breast ailments
- headaches (the plants contain salicylic acid)
- respiratory trouble
- wound healing
(Yes, all this this from a little blue flowered weed.)
Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants of the Midwest sites historical use of violets for respiratory issues, headaches, fevers, inflammation, and more. Recent studies using viola species extracts for cancer treatment showed reduced metastasis and cancer cell death.
The Backyard Herbal Apothecary features several violet preparations. Devon Young shares recipes for teas and infusions, syrups and creams. Healing Wise and The Backyard Herbal Apothecary are excellent compliments to each other.
Wildlife Uses
The flowers are not popular with pollinators, but are sometimes visited by mason bees and pollinating flies. Fritillary butterfly caterpillars eat the leaves.
Mice and some birds, such as mourning doves, eat the seeds. Deer, rabbits, and livestock will eat the leaves, but it’s not a preferred forage.
Folklore
In Greek mythology, Zeus created a field of violets for a lover he turned into a white heifer to avoid the wrath of Hera. In Roman mythology, Venus beat maidens blue and turned them into violets. Why? Her son, Cupid, said the maidens were more lovely than his mother.
Early Christians said that violets turned downward after the crucifixion, and viewed them as symbols of modesty and humility. Pagan cultures associated them with love and lust.
Most people have heard the simple children’s rhyme,
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Sugar is sweet
And so are you
The name has also come back in fashion in recent years. (Everything old is new again.)
Other Names
Common Blue Violet is also known as Pansy, Heart’s Ease, Jump-Up, Wild Pansy, Hens and Roosters, kiss-me-at-the-gate. Other names include purple violet, woolly blue violet, hooded violet, confederate violet, wood violet, and garden violet.
There are over 70 species of the family violaceae in the United States. Most have similar medicinal and food qualities. Some common species with purple flowers include Viola odorata (sweet), Viola papilionacea (wood) and Viola cucullata (marsh).
Note: These are a different species from African Violets (Saintpaulia ionantha). African violets have round, fuzzy leaves and are commonly grown as a house plant. Don’t eat Saintpaulia ionantha!
State Flowers
Violets are the state flower for Illinois, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Wisconsin:
- Illinois (Purple violet – Viola)
- New Jersey (Viola sororia)
- Rhode Island (Viola)
- Wisconsin (Wood violet – Viola papilionacea)
More Ways to Use Wild Plants
This post is part of the Weekly Weeder series, which is all about wild plants. We share tips for identification, use, and sometimes, control.
Other posts in the series include:
- Recommended Wildcrafting Reference Books
- Creeping Charlie – Use and Control of the Shade Loving Ground Cover
- Benefits of Dandelion
Are you a fan of violets? Share your favorite ways to enjoy these beauties in the comments.
This article is written by Laurie Neverman. Laurie was raised on a small dairy farm in northwest Wisconsin, where she gathered wildflowers from the woods and pastures. She and her family now live in northeast Wisconsin, where they combine intentional plantings and semi-wild areas. Every season is a new opportunity to learn more about working with wild plants.
Originally published in 2012, updated in 2025.