HEARTSEASE SEEDS

Viola tricolor

Historically employed as a curative in diseases of the heart, hence the common name of ‘Heartsease', this tiny violet is extremely easy to grow and entirely edible. It belongs in every corner of your garden, but especially amongst the cutting lettuce and arugula, which desperately need dressing up.

Viola tricolor possesses several qualities that make it appropriate for medicinal use: It is a natural source of salicylic acid, making it useful as a topical for conditions such as eczema and acne. It is gentle enough for use in treating cradle cap in babies. Interestingly, it may also be useful in treating insomnia, and specifically night terrors. Consider adding a dropper full of V. tricolor tincture to your tea before bedtime.

This seed is easily germinated by broadcasting onto prepared garden soil in very early spring, or by starting indoors: press seed into moist soil, barely covering seed, mist generously; keep moist in a cool (60°F) and dimly-lit place to germinate within 2 weeks or so. Seedlings may be transplanted outdoors well before the last frost. Leggy seedlings should be pinched. Water generously until well-rooted.

Blooms for months in cool weather. Where summers are hot they are best transplanted in very early spring, or early autumn where winters are mild. Pluck just opened flowers each morning for use in tinctures. If you’re not interested in making medicine, the cut flowers of violets are almost unbearably adorable presented in antique salt & pepper shakers.

Viola tricolor is most often listed as a biennial, but will flower the first year if sown early in the spring. It will self-sow where it is happy.

Packet contains a minimum of 500 seeds.