This plant can help to beautify your garden, and be used for medical reasons. Violet flowers are a self-seed flower that can come back each year in locations least expected.
As you read this, you can learn the following;
* Violet Flower Meaning
* Violet Flower History
* Violet Plant Varieties
* How to Grow Violet Flowers
* How to Care for Violets
* Violet Flower Benefits
Violet Flower Meaning
Violet flowers are one of the cheeriest flowers to plant indoors. People mistake violets with the African violets, but they are quite different. African violets are most prominent in east Africa, while violets are natives of the temperate region of the northern hemisphere.
There are over 400 types of violets in the genus it belongs to, and each type has some characteristics that make it unique from others.
Violet Flower History
The violet flower meaning is replete with some religious/cultural connotations and interesting stories. From Christianity, the flower is given the title viola odorata, which can be interpreted as “our lady of modesty,” which Roman Catholics used to define Mary’s humility and her devotion to the religion. The story says that the flower grew when angel Gabriel broke the news of her conception. The significance of this story to some makes them see it as a sacred flower.
In medieval times, monks described violets as the herb of the trinity because it has one of the three primary colors that they recognized.
In Rome, this flower was used for the remembrance of a loved one. Visitors also carried violets for protection because they believed that it prevents them from being infected with air-borne diseases.
Violet Plant Varieties
Violet flowers have been commonly used for numerous reasons as far back as 500 B.C. Although the most common use of violets is as ornaments, the plant is also used for its medicinal properties and flavorings.
Violets encompass the wild pansies, sweet violets, and dog violets, which are a variant of Europe’s wild sweet violets. It has many variants, and this can make it difficult for you to decide which of the flower you want for your landscape. We can educate you on the different types of variants available so that you can pick the most suitable one for your garden.
Both violets and pansies belong to the genus Viola. Some are annuals, and some are perennials, but they all have a similarly shaped flower that is characteristic of the family Violaceae. Although both have the same color, each as its distinguishing genesis and characteristic.
Pansies are a cross between viola lutea, viola tricolor, and wild violets, and they have the ability to grow up in any situation.
Over a hundred species of violets flowers are available in nurseries across the United States; however, the most common ones are sweet violets and bedding violets. These two can be categorized into five distinct categories, they are;
* Double
* Heirloom
* Viola
* Parmas
* New violet
How to Grow Violets
Plant Seeds During Late Fall: The seeds require cold stratification to thrive; thus, it is best to plant it in late autumn. This way, the winter prepares the seeds. If you’re planting a violet seed, you should cover the seed with 0.125 inches of soil.
If you want to plant your seed indoors, you should plant them within the five to seven weeks before the last frost of spring, and then you can transplant outdoors.
Plant Seedlings in Early Spring: Plant divided violets or seedlings after the last frost of winter. Violets can thrive well in mild frosts, but a harsh frost can harm the violets.
Add Mulch: Mulching can help to keep your roots cool and keep the soil damp. It is very important to mulch if you stay in a hot region.
Fertilize: Fertilize the soil with a general fertilizer, manure, or compost. You should fertilize the soil when planting, and once in a month.
How to Care for Violets
Keep Your Soil Damp, But Not Saturated: Water the soil once or twice a week.
Remove Spent Blooms: Trim the flowers when they’re well spent; this gives the flowers enough room to bloom and would ensure that your garden blooms for a longer period, it also makes your garden tidy.
Divide the Violets: You should divide your violets every spring to ensure that they propagate further. Cut the foliage halfway, and then divide it to reduce the weight on the violet plant.
You can take a cutting near the root and grow them in a container indoor for a period of six weeks if you want another violet plant. Don’t forget to follow the instructions above on how to grow violets.
Use Liquid Fertilizer in Late Autumn: Violets can live long if they are well cared for, and you can do this by adding liquid fertilizer at the beginning of spring.
Violet Flower Benefits
Cold and Flu Treatment: The violet flower helps to cure a cold and flu. A syrup of violet flower may be all that is required to soothe a hot and irritated throat. It is also used to relieve a swollen lymph gland and congestion. You can use violet flowers for curing ear infection, and for treating dry cough.
Reduces Cysts: Violet flowers are traditionally used to dissolve lumps, fibrotic tissue, and cyst in the breast, it is also used by some to treat minor skin irritations, swollen glands, sores and abscesses.
Anti-inflammatory: Violet is commonly used by herbalists internally and externally to relieve pain caused by arthritis.
For Heart Illnesses: The use of violets for treating earth illnesses is very common practice with herbalists; this is because violet contains rutin which helps to prevent platelet aggregation and strengthen capillaries.
As Food: Violet is a very common culinary diet in some parts of eastern Europe. Its leaves are used for making salads, and the flowers can also be steamed and consumed. You should eat violets if you have an illness because it is rich in vitamins A and C, which helps to build the body’s resistance against diseases.