Plant ID Pages

Plant ID Pages

Plant ID Pages

Hummingbird moth with bee balm blossom
Hummingbird moth with bee balm blossom

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)


Spring tonic. Flower confetti. Heart-opening and gut-soothing.

What It Is


Violets are cool-weather bloomers that brighten lawns, shaded woods, and garden beds. Recognizable by their heart-shaped leaves and purple (sometimes white or yellow) flowers, they’re edible, mineral-rich, and long used as gentle herbal allies.


Spring tonic. Flower confetti. Heart-opening and gut-soothing.

What It Is


Violets are cool-weather bloomers that brighten lawns, shaded woods, and garden beds. Recognizable by their heart-shaped leaves and purple (sometimes white or yellow) flowers, they’re edible, mineral-rich, and long used as gentle herbal allies.

Use It Like This

Leaves

  • Add raw to salads or smoothies for Vitamin C.

  • Simmer into syrups for soothing support.

  • Infuse into oils or salves for skin care.


Flowers

  • Crystallize for dessert décor.

  • Steep into jelly or honey.

  • Sprinkle fresh as edible confetti.


Tip: Violet leaves make an excellent base for spring “weed pesto” or wild green soup.


Harvest Notes

  • All violet species are edible; avoid tiny, flowerless wild violas with spade-shaped leaves.

  • Harvest in early spring before leaves toughen.

  • Leaves wilt quickly — gather in the morning and use fresh.


Wild Pantry Snapshot


Violet is the gentle herbalist’s friend: mineral-rich, beautiful, and full of soft medicine.

Students identifying and sorting edible wild plants as part of a foraging certification course.
Students identifying and sorting edible wild plants as part of a foraging certification course.
Students identifying and sorting edible wild plants as part of a foraging certification course.
Fresh wild greens and berries in a wooden bowl, representing the hands-on results of Foraging Academy’s certification classes.
Fresh wild greens and berries in a wooden bowl, representing the hands-on results of Foraging Academy’s certification classes.
Fresh wild greens and berries in a wooden bowl, representing the hands-on results of Foraging Academy’s certification classes.
Group of students processing acorns together during a foraging class, representing shared learning and scholarship.
Group of students processing acorns together during a foraging class, representing shared learning and scholarship.
Group of students processing acorns together during a foraging class, representing shared learning and scholarship.