Violets
February Birth Flower
The violet is one of the earliest blooming plants in the spring. Violets typically have heart-shaped leaves and asymmetrical flowers that vary in color. Many are violet, as their name suggests, while others are blue, yellow, white, and cream. Some are even bicolored, often blue and yellow.
Native to Europe and Asia, the violet is indigenous to temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere. Violets (Viola) are a genus of the Violaceae family. There are more than 400 species of violets in the genus.
In the Victorian age, a gift of violets was a declaration always to be true. It still serves as a reminder of loyalty, thoughtfulness, and dependability. Give a violet to someone to let them know you’ll always be there for them!
In Christianity, the violet flower symbolizes the Virgin Mary’s humility. It is believed that the flowers blossomed when the angel Gabriel told Mary that Jesus would be her baby.
In religious art, violets are often portrayed as a symbol of modesty and humbleness.
In Renaissance-era paintings, the Virgin Mary is often seen with baby Jesus in her arms with purple flowers, a symbolic reference to her modesty.
When presented as a flower, each color has its own meaning: yellow symbolizes high worth, white is for innocence and purity, purple means truth and loyalty, and blue is for faithfulness and devotion.
Meaning
Purity: In Christian traditions, violets represent purity and humility.
Love: In ancient Greece, violets represented love, romance, and fertility.
Faithfulness: Violets symbolize faithfulness and loyalty.
Wisdom: Violets represent spiritual wisdom.
Modesty: Violets symbolize modesty.
Virtue: Violets symbolize virtue.
History
St. Valentine used violets to write notes to his friends while he was banished.
Violets were used in love potions in ancient Greece and Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
The Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder praised violets for their medicinal value.
Napoleon Bonaparte was fond of violets and wore a locket containing violets picked by his wife, Empress Josephine.
Appearance
Violets have five-petaled flowers that come in a variety of colors, including purple, blue, violet, white, and yellow.
Their leaves are often heart-shaped or rounded with scalloped edges.
Other uses
Violets can be mixed into teas or syrups to improve the immune system, cleanse the blood, and assist with congestion, stomach cramps, and sore throats.
Violet petals can be used as decorations atop cakes, in cocktails, and more.
Violets in the Garden
Violets grow well in the front of borders, in garden beds, and in containers. Depending on where you live, you’re most likely to see wild violets pop up in your garden, but they can also be planted or started from seed.
Many violets are best grown in a woodland-type setting using rich, organic soils. While violets are tough in terms of their cold tolerance, they are neither drought-tolerant nor heat-tolerant.
Make sure violets have consistent moisture, especially in warmer months. When growing in containers, choose a well-drained potting mix. Using a slow-release fertilizer will help encourage continuous blooms.
Although violets tolerate various light conditions, most will grow best in full sun to partial shade. In warmer climates, plant violets in areas that receive afternoon shade to help keep plants cool in the summer months.
The best time to plant violets is early spring. Use mulch liberally to help keep roots cooler for a longer period of time. Violets only need a moderate amount of water, so aim for consistent moisture, but avoid over-watering.
Violets are also host plants for the mining bee—a specialist pollinator common to the Eastern U.S. that only visits violets—and attract various pollinators, including bees and hummingbirds.
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