Wild Violet Tea: From Foraging to Enjoying the Perfect Cup

Wild violet tea is a unique and delicious brew that's perfect for warm weather. Wild violets are a common sight in many backyards and parks, and with a little knowledge, you can turn them into a refreshing cup of tea.

To start, you'll need to identify the right type of violet to use - look for the fragrant, edible flowers of the Viola odorata species. These flowers are the key to making a great cup of wild violet tea.

The first step in making wild violet tea is to dry the flowers, either by air-drying or using a food dehydrator. This helps preserve the delicate flavor and aroma of the violets.

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Foraging for wild violets is as simple as a walk in your backyard. The common blue violet can be found growing wild in most of the United States.

To find success in foraging, look under trees and in shady spots where this delicate flower likes to grow. The more petals you use, the darker your tea will be.

You'll need a lot of violets to make a batch of tea, so be prepared to collect a large quantity.

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Wild violet tea has been used for centuries to ease a variety of health issues. The leaves of violet are high in mucilage that soothes irritated tissue.

Wild violets have anti-inflammatory properties that can help ease skin conditions like sunburn and bug bites. They contain salicylic acid, which helps reduce pain and swelling.

Violet tea has been traditionally used to ease sore throat and congestion, and to improve breast health. Herbalist Susan Weed uses violets internally as a tea and externally as a poultice to help heal fibrocystic breasts, breast cancer, and mastitis.

The tea of the flowers, leaves, and sometimes the roots is used internally to help dissolve tumors and relieve congested tissue. This action may be partly due to steroidal saponins found in the plant.

Violet leaves and flowers have been used historically for the treatment of cancer and swollen glands. Herbalist Alma Hutchen says that violets’ dissolving properties “seem to have intricate inward skill, reaching places only the blood and lymphatic fluids penetrate.”

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To make a delicious wild violet tea, you'll need a few simple ingredients. You can use dried wild violets, which can be found in most health food stores or online, or forage for them from a pesticide-free location if you know how to distinguish them from their look-alikes.

You'll also need filtered water, which is essential for bringing out the best flavor and aroma of the tea. Freshwater full of oxygen is ideal, so make sure to use a water filter or collect water from a natural source.

If you want to add a touch of sweetness to your tea, you can use honey or your preferred sweetener. Violets are beautiful but don't contain a lot of flavor, so a sweetener can help enhance the taste.

Here's a list of the basic ingredients you'll need:

Keep in mind that wild violet tea can be a bit bland on its own, so feel free to experiment with adding a lemon slice or mixing it with another herb like mint to give it more flavor.

You can brew wild violet tea with boiling water and let it steep for as long as you like. In fact, Nectar & Leaf recommends brewing their Wild Violet tea for 3 minutes in hot water, and I found this to be just right for me.

Unlike traditional caffeinated tea, it's hard to over-brew wild violet tea, so don't hesitate to let it brew for longer if you prefer a stronger flavor.

You can drink wild violet tea at any time of day or night without disrupting your sleep schedule, thanks to its caffeine-free blend of ingredients.

To make the most of your wild violet tea, try pairing it with sweet foods like shortbread, creamy foods like crème brulée, or natural yoghurt with berries.

Here are the basic steps to brew wild violet tea:

If you're looking to make a blue-colored tea, be sure to gently bruise the petals before steeping, as this will release the blue color. If you don't, your tea won't turn blue!