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.

These seeds can be broadcast onto prepared garden soil in cool autumn or very early spring. They can also be started indoors in late winter: press seed into flats of moist soil, barely covering seeds, and mist generously. Cover with plastic. Keep moist in a cool room (around 60°F) with bright light the seeds will usually germinate within 2 weeks or so. If no germination occurs place the flat outdoors while nights are still frosty. Seedlings are quite tolerant of cold and may be transplanted 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 in autumn. 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 when presented in antique salt & pepper shakers.

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

Packet contains around 500 seeds.