Violet – delicate flower

Violets are popular garden and wild plants with delicate flowers. There are about 500 species of violet. They include the common blue violet and the pansy.
They grow in places that have warm summers and cold winters. They can grow well under trees and shrubs. The smallest violets are about 5 centimeters high and the largest can reach a height of more than 50 centimeters.
Their flowers have five petals and are most commonly deep purple, blue, or lavender. They also can be white, yellow, reddish purple, or a combination of colors.
Some people eat flowers and they are used to make perfume.

Violets are one of the oldest horticultural crops. The first mention of it in the botanical garden of the Scottish city of Edinburgh dates back to 1683. In the XVIII century famous English florist F. Miller began to cultivate this plant.
Herba Violae tricoloris is used for baths or for internal use, as a tincture or tea. It treats respiratory diseases, rheumatism, atherosclerosis, gout, is used in urology and dermatology.
In 1984-1990 one gram of seeds was in space aboard the US space shuttle Columbia. The purpose of the experiment was to determine how the heredity changes in weightless conditions and the intensity of cosmic radiation. The result was a space series of varieties with prefix Ever: Optimara EverGrace, Optimara EverHarmony, Optimara EverLove, Optimara EverPraise. Their distinguishing feature is the thick green fringe around the edge of the petals, very luxuriant and continuous flowering.
Violets are divided into “boys” and “girls”: “girls” have bright light spot on the leaves and “boys’” leaves are entirely green.
Germans celebrate Violets Fest on the first Sunday of March.
Since ancient times, violet is a symbol of modesty and chastity.
Violet was a flower of happiness for Josephine de Beauharnais, Napoleon’s beloved wife. Delicate violets were faithful companions of their love story. They were present when Josephine met Napoleon and accompanied them on their wedding day. After the death of the Emperor at Saint Helena two little violets were found in his medallion.
In northern France white pansies considered a symbol of death.
The Romans used a violet as a healing herb and add it to the wine.
This modest lovely spring flower is loved worldwide by kings, poets, artists and ordinary people.