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Habitat: Damp woods and other shady places.
Features ? This is, perhaps, best known of all wild plants, with its long-stalked, heart- shaped leaves, and delicate, characteristically-scented and coloured flowers.Part used ? Leaves and flowers.Action: Antiseptic and expectorant.
Remarkable claims have been made for violet leaves in the treatment of malignant tumours. The case of Lady Margaret Marsham, of Maidstone, was reported in the Daily Mail for November 14th, 1901. This lady, suffering from cancer of the throat, used an infusion, which was left to stand for twelve hours, of a handful of fresh violet leaves to a pint ofboiling water. After a fortnight of warm fomentations with this liquid the growth was said to have disappeared.The same newspaper, under date March 18th, 1905, told its readers that violet leaves as a cure for cancer were advocated in the current issue of the Lancet, where a remarkable case was reported by Dr. William Gordon, M.D. Such accounts as these, although interesting, should be read with considerable reserve.Violett, Violette, Violete, Vyolet, Vyolett, Vyolette, Vyolete, Violeta, Violetta, Vyoleta, Vyoletta, Violatta
FAMILY: Violaceae
SYNONYMS: English violet, garden violet, blue violet, sweet-scented violet.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A small, tender, perennial plant with dark green, heart-shaped leaves, fragrant violet-blue flowers and an oblique underground rhizome.
DISTRIBUTION: Native to Europe and parts of Asia; cultivated in gardens worldwide. It is mainly grown in southern France (Grasse) and to a lesser extent in Italy and China for perfumery use.
OTHER SPECIES: There are over 200 species of violet; the main types cultivated for aromatic extraction are the ‘Parma’ and the ‘Victoria’ violets.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: Both the leaf and flowers have a long tradition of use in herbal medicine, mainly for congestive pulmonary conditions and sensitive skin conditions, including capillary fragility. The leaf has also been used to treat cystitis and as a mouthwash for infections of the mouth and throat. It is reported to have mild pain-killing properties, probably due to the presence of salicylic acid (as in ‘aspirin’).
The flowers are still used to make a ‘syrup of violet’ which is used as a laxative and colouring agent. The dried leaf and flowers are current in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia as a specific for ‘eczema and skin eruptions with serious exudate, particularly when associated with rheumatic symptoms’.
ACTIONS: Analgesic (mild), anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, antiseptic, decongestant (liver), diuretic, expectorant, laxative, soporific, stimulant (circulation).
EXTRACTION: A concrete and absolute from 1. fresh leaves, and 2. flowers.
CHARACTERISTICS: 1. The leaf absolute is an intense dark green viscous liquid with a strong green-leaf odour and a delicate floral undertone. 2. The flower absolute is a yellowish-green viscous liquid with a sweet, rich, floral fragrance, characteristic of the fresh flowers. It blends well with tuberose, clary sage, boronia, tarragon, cumin, hop, basil, hyacinth and other florals.
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Both leaves and petals contain nonadienal, parmone, hexyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, ionone and viola quercitin, among others.
SAFETY DATA: Non-toxic, non-irritant, possible sensitization in some individuals.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE
Skin care: Acne, eczema, refines the pores, thread veins, wounds.
Circulation muscles and joints: Fibrosis, poor circulation, rheumatism.
Respiratory system: Bronchitis, catarrh, mouth and throat infections.
Nervous system: Dizziness, headaches, insomnia, nervous exhaustion – the scent was believed to ‘comfort and strengthen the heart’.
OTHER USES: Used in high-class perfumery work; occasionally used in flavouring, mainly confectionery.
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