They bloom quietly in gardens, meadows, and along roadsides – yet they’re rarely recognized for what they’ve been for thousands of years: fascinating plants with a long tradition. Pansies and violets belong to the same plant family, the Violaceae, and share a long history as monastery botanicals. Hildegard of Bingen devoted an entire chapter of her Physica to violets, describing their significance in various traditions.
While the large-flowered garden pansy mainly decorates balconies today, the real fascination lies in its wild ancestors: the wild pansy (Viola tricolor) and the sweet violet (Viola odorata). Both contain remarkable compounds – and both play their own role in Hildegard’s teachings.
In this article, you’ll find out what makes pansies and violets so special as plants, what Hildegard of Bingen wrote about them, how to make a tea, and why violet salve is one of the most famous recipes from the monastery tradition.
What does science say? Expert opinion & EMA assessment
Source: PhytoDoc – Wild pansy, professionally reviewed by Prof. Dr. Michael Wink, co-author of “Handbook of Medicinal Plants” (Wiss. Verlagsgesellschaft Stuttgart, 2015).
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published an official herbal monograph for Viola tricolor (pansy herb). Its traditional use is recognized there.
Additionally, the Monastery Medicine Research Group at the University of Würzburg confirms that violets are classic monastery botanicals, consistently featured in herbal books from antiquity through the Middle Ages – from Dioscorides to the Lorsch Pharmacopoeia and Hildegard of Bingen.
Pansies & violets – which is which?
Most people think of the colorful garden pansy on the balcony when they hear “pansy” – but that’s not the one that matters in herbalism. The wild relatives are the important ones:
Wild pansy (Viola tricolor L.): The real plant of herbal tradition. Also called field pansy, trinity flower, or three-colored violet. Annual to biennial, 10–40 cm tall, three-colored flowers in purple, white, and yellow. Grows in meadows, along roadsides, and in fields. The herb – leaves, stems, and flowers – collected and dried during blooming is the official botanical (Violae tricoloris herba). This is the violet listed in the EMA monograph.
Sweet violet (Viola odorata): The classic “violet” with its unmistakable, sweet scent. Perennial, 5–15 cm tall, heart-shaped leaves, deep violet flowers that bloom from March to April. In Hildegard’s teachings, it’s the violet – and is still preferred for topical preparations like violet salve and violet oil.
Garden pansy (Viola wittrockiana): The widely cultivated variety with large, colorful flowers. It’s edible and used as a decorative flower, but compared to its wild ancestors, it contains far fewer active compounds. It’s not relevant for herbalism.
All three belong to the genus Viola within the Violaceae family – a group with around 400 species worldwide. In Hildegard’s teachings and the European monastery tradition, sweet violet (Viola odorata) is always used for topical preparations, and wild pansy (Viola tricolor) is used for internal ones. You can learn more about Hildegard’s herbal teachings in our overview of herbs according to Hildegard’s teachings.
Why is it called “pansy”?
The charming folk name comes from the flower’s structure: five petals are supported by five sepals. The largest, lower petal – the “stepmother” – sits on two sepals, the paired side petals (the “proper daughters”) each have their own sepal. The two upper purple petals, the “stepdaughters,” have to share a single sepal. A flower with family drama – and for centuries, a symbol of the Trinity and quiet love.
Hildegard of Bingen on the violet – traditions from the Physica
Hildegard of Bingen described the violet in her Physica as a plant between warmth and cold – of “moderately cool” nature, living from the purity and sweetness of early spring air. For Hildegard, it was a botanical that touched both body and soul.
Hildegard wrote about violets and headaches: if you have a headache, you should rub violet salve across your forehead. Her precise instructions for making and using violet oil and violet salve show that these aren’t just casual mentions, but targeted, experience-based traditions.
Besides topical use, Hildegard also described violets for melancholy, anger, and lack of motivation – in the form of a violet drink made from flowers in wine or honey water. The flavonoids rutin and quercetin, which are actually found in violets, are now being studied in modern research.
The violet stands for a special feature of Hildegard’s teachings: the connection between physical and emotional mindfulness – a holistic principle that still fascinates many people today.
Pansies & violets: compounds
The compounds in pansies and violets are complex. Wild forms contain a remarkable c
Flavonoids (especially rutin, quercetin, luteolin): With up to 21% rutin in the botanical, wild pansy is one of the richest plants in flavonoids. These flavonoids also help give the botanical its striking color.
Salicylic acid and its derivatives: Wild pansy contains 0.06–0.3% salicylic acid compounds. These are also found in other plants like willow bark.
Mucilages (about 10%): Made up of glucose, galactose, arabinose, and rhamnose – these give the plant its unique texture.
Cyclotides (peptides): A recently discovered group of compounds found in pansy. These ring-shaped peptides are currently being studied in pharmaceutical research.
Tannins: Typical components of many herbs from the monastic tradition.
Carotenoids (violaxanthin, lutein, beta-carotene): Responsible for the intense botanical colors. Violet botanicals are rich in vitamin A precursors.
What are pansies and violets traditionally known for?
In herbal and monastic traditions, pansies and violets have been described in many ways – both for internal and external use:
| Traditional context | Preparation method | Tradition / Note |
|---|---|---|
| External skin care | Tea infusion, wash, cream | EMA monograph (Viola tricolor) |
| Head and forehead (external) | Violet oil, ointment | Hildegard Physica; Hippocrates |
| External care | Violet ointment, cream | Hildegard Physica; herbal tradition |
| Emotional well-being | Violet drink in wine or honey | Hildegard Physica; Hippocrates |
| Herbal tea tradition | Tea (pansy) | Herbal tradition; Lonicerus (16th century) |
| Spring cleanse | Internal: tea | Monastic tradition |
Especially gentle and well tolerated: pansy is considered one of the mildest botanicals in herbal tradition. In monastic tradition, pansy tea was even recommended for kids.
Pansy Tea: Preparation and Use
Tea made from dried wild pansy (Viola tricolor herba) is the classic way to use it internally – easy to make and gentle on the system.
Basic Pansy Tea Recipe
Ingredients: 1.5–2 g dried pansy herb (about 1 heaping teaspoon) per 150–200 ml boiling water.
Preparation: Put the herb in a tea strainer or directly in the pot, pour over freshly boiled (not boiling!) water, and let steep for 10 minutes. Then strain. The tea tastes slightly bitter and grassy; if you like, sweeten it with a teaspoon of honey.
Use: 2–3 cups a day, preferably between meals. In herbal tradition, a 4–6 week course is described as a spring cleanse.
Pansy Tea for External Use
The cooled tea can also be used externally as a wash or compress. Dip a clean linen cloth in the tea, wring it out, and place it on the skin for 10–15 minutes. This double use – internal and external – is typical of the monastic tradition after Hildegard von Bingen. You can find more about Hildegard’s approach in our Hildegard Cosmetics Collection.
Hildegard’s Violet Elixir – the Internal Tradition
For the tradition described by Hildegard for melancholy and emotional strain, the abbess recommended violet botanicals in wine or honey water – a kind of elixir, still popular in the tradition of Hildegard herbal drinks and elixirs today. For this, fresh or dried botanicals of sweet violet (Viola odorata) are preferred – our Violet Leaves with Botanicals are perfect for this.
Violet Ointment – Hildegard’s Most Famous Violet Recipe
No other violet preparation is as closely linked to Hildegard von Bingen as violet ointment. In her Physica, Hildegard described in detail how to make an ointment from violets and pure fat.
The combination of olive oil (as a base) and violet botanical extract makes the ointment especially gentle on the skin. Our Violet Cream after Hildegard von Bingen is made using the traditional recipe from fresh violet botanicals and leaves – without preservatives or synthetic additives.
The Violet Skin Oil – an infusion of violet botanicals in pure olive oil – follows the traditions of the Great Hildegard Apothecary. You’ll find all our violet care products in our Hildegard Cosmetics Collection.
Violets and Pansies in the Hildegard Spring Cleanse
In monastic tradition, violets and pansies had a special place in spring. As some of the first botanicals to bloom each year – sweet violet appears as early as March, wild pansy from May – they were seen as ideal “spring herbs” for a mindful spring cleanse after the dark winter months.
This seasonal cleanse idea fits perfectly with Hildegard’s teaching on the seasons: the body needs special care in spring. Pansy tea is one of the classic spring herbs in tradition. Combined with fasting periods and avoiding heavy foods, it makes for a mindful spring routine.
Violet fits in not just as tea or ointment, but also as an edible botanical in your spring ritual: the edible botanicals of wild pansy and sweet violet can be added fresh to salads or used to decorate desserts – with a slightly bitter botanical flavor. This edible wild plant knowledge is right in line with the tradition of Hildegard’s nutrition.
Growing Wild Pansy and Violet in Your Own Garden
If you want to use pansies and violets, it’s best to grow them yourself – from b
with organic seeds, no pesticides. Store-bought garden pansies aren’t suitable for herbal use.Wild Pansy (Viola tricolor): Thrives in sunny to partially shaded spots with poor, well-drained soil. No standing water. Self-seeding and usually biennial. Blooms from May to September. Harvest the whole flowering herb (without the root) – best during peak bloom, then dry and store in a well-ventilated place.
Scented Violet (Viola odorata): Prefers partially shaded, slightly moist spots under trees or hedges. Perennial, spreads by runners. Blooms from March to April, sometimes again in autumn. The flowers are used fresh or gently dried – the fresher, the more fragrant.
Note: The Cyclamen (Cyclamen), often kept as a potted plant indoors, is not actually a violet, despite its name – it’s a primrose and is toxic. There’s little risk of confusion outdoors, but it’s still important to mention as a warning.
Conclusion: Pansies & Violets – small, quiet, and fascinating
Pansies and violets are subtle plants. They bloom early, rarely stand out – yet they’ve had a place in monastery gardens and herbal books for thousands of years. Hildegard of Bingen gave them special attention in her writings.
Their components – flavonoids, salicylates, and the newly discovered cyclotides – make Viola tricolor and Viola odorata fascinating botanicals with a remarkable profile. EMA recognition and a long tradition in herbalism highlight their importance.
Check out our violet products inspired by Hildegard’s tradition: the Violet Cream and Violet Skin Oil for external use, and Violet Leaves with Flowers for tea. If you want to dive deeper into the world of Hildegard natural cosmetics, you’ll find all products in our Hildegard Cosmetics Collection and in our entire range inspired by Hildegard’s teachings.
