This very aromatic flower has a long history in Britain and throughout Europe having a primary use in cosmetics and perfume. Indigo Herbs brings you Sweet Violet in the form of Sweet Violet Leaf Tea which has all the fragrant properties of this small dainty flower. This tea can consumed on its own or be mixed with other teas to create a beautiful infusion which will carry over the sweet smelling properties of this highly aromatic flower. For a more concentrated dose of Sweet Violet's constituents, we are delighted to offer Sweet Violet Tincture.

Stretching back as far as the Romans, Sweet Violet has been used to invigorate and transform. The Romans themselves used this bright little flower for sweet wine and even in food. This practice stretched to the medieval period where Sweet Violet flowers were used in strewing on the floors of banquet halls and homes to mask undesirable smells. The most famous story regarding sweet violet concerns the relationship between Joséphine de Beauharnais and Napoléon Bonaparte. It is said that when Joséphine first met Napoléon she threw him a bunch of sweet violet. Later, after Napoléon’s defeat at Waterloo, he was granted one last visit to Joséphine’s grave before his incarceration on the Island of St Helena. Upon Joséphine’s grave Napoléon found sweet violets growing and picked a few in remembrance. These same sweet violet flowers stayed with Napoléon and were later found inside a locket around his neck on his deathbed.

This small plant was once found in many wild patches of meadow and hedgerow in Europe but has since been less noticeable during the modern age. When planted Sweet Violet can become very vigorous and can spread throughout if given the chance and enough shade. There are about 200 hundred varieties. They are found in many temperate regions throughout Europe, the Americas and Asia. Although there are many different forms of these flowers, the most recognisable is the small plant that has small deep purple flowers and deep green heart shaped leaves.