|
Viola Tricolor - Beautiful and Edible
price includes express shipping
50 plants 1" to 3" high
Viola Tricolor, know as Heartseanse is a common European flower which
grows as an annual. After being introduced to North America it became
know as Johnny Jump Up
These wild pansies are small plants which like to creep and move though
out their habit. They will reach a height of 15 cm forming flowers
about 1.5 cm in diameter. They enjoy growing in acid to neutral soils
with partial shade. Flowers from April to September with purple, blue,
yellow and white colours. Heartsease are hermaphrodite and
self-fertilize with the help of bees.
Heartsease as its name implies, has a long history with herbalism. It
has been recommended, among other uses, for epilepsy, asthma, skin
disease and eczema. Viola Tricolor has a history in folk medicine of
helping respiratory problems such as bronchitis, asthma, and cold
symptoms. With its expectorant properties, it has been used in the
treatment of chest complaints in bronchitis and whooping cough.
Chemicals:
Viola Tricolor is on of many Viola plant species containing cyclotides.
These small peptides have proven to be useful in drug development due
to their size and structure giving rise to high stability. Many
cyclotides, found in Viola tricolor are cytotoxic. This feature means
that it could be used to treat cancers.
The plant, especially the flowers, contain antioxidants and are edible.
Plants contain aglycones, apigenin, chrysoeriol, isorhamnetin,
kaempferol, luteolin, querctin and rutin.
The fresh herb ( Viola declinata and V. tricolor, ) contains approx :
saponins (4.40%)
mucilages (10.26%)
total carotenoids (8.45 mg/100g veg. product, expressed in B-carotene)
|
