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| Wild Pansy; Viola tricolor L. |
Violet Family; VIOLACEÆ
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| Wild Pansy or Heart's-ease is an annual or short-lived perennial herb of floppy, weak growth, that bears charming and
familiar "smiling" flowers. That such a pretty plant is offered in nurseries is no surprise. But its inclusion in a weed account may excite
mild indignation, so prompt explanation is necessary. |
| In its European homeland, this species is a wild plant of waysides and cultivated ground. Some of its many English names are:
Johnny Jump-Up, Love and Idle, Cat's Face, Beedy's Eyes, Ladies' Delight, and Look Up and Kiss Me. From this weedy wildflower the
common garden pansies were bred. |
| It is therefore variously regarded as a minor weed, a wildflower, or (especially in some local opinions) a "garden flower"
that occasionally goes wild. It may be aptly compared to our common Parsley, Forget-Me-Not, Sweet Alyssum and other such European
plants that both grow wild and are cultivated here. |
| In no sense its Heart's-ease a serious pest. We'd be pleased if most of our weeds were as pretty, easy to control and useful. Life
just wouldn't be the same. This cute wild pansy limits itself to disturbed, bare ground, and can be plucked effortlessly. Ants sometimes
move the seeds around. |
| The flowers are up to about an inch wide and somewhat longer. They appear mostly from April through October but can be found
in bloom any month. It is a pleasure to compare their various color patterns: mixtures of blue, purple, violet, yellow and white. |
| It has been used medicinally for treating skin problems and other ailments. Long ago, it had a role in some love charms. Does
anyone still even prepare herbal love potions? Be that as it may, certainly Heart's-ease is a good flower to
eat. The blossoms are sweet and mucilaginous, somewhat like rice candy. They are superb additions to salads because of their bright color and delicious flavor. The
leaves, too, can be eaten. |
On all accounts this little wild violet is one we should encourage to run about in our gardens.
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Originally published as the Seattle Tilth newsletter Weed of the Month in May 1988, along with an illustration drawn by Sylvan Haven.
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