Friday Foraging #162 - 25th July 2025

Friday Foraging

Hearts Ease - botanical name Viola tricolor

Also known as Viola tricolor, and so many folklore names there isn’t enough room to type them all, but I particularly like ‘Come Cuddle Me’ and ‘Johnny Jump up’.

The great thing about Hearts Ease is that it is a staple in most English gardens now adays, so we don’t have to go very far to find it. But for those of you who like a good forage, they are a springtime flower in the wild and grow low to the ground with dainty and unassuming little flower heads.

They like open grassland, scrubland and embankments and will grow in both coastal or inland environments.

The flowers are incredibly distinctive in purples, blues, yellows and white. Usually grow to no more than 15cm in height and around 1.5cm in diameter per flower head. You will see a horizontal stem that creeps along the ground, with stalks emerging along it, each one bearing a flower and leaves. Each stalk produces a single flower. It will usually flower all the way through from April till September, which is why they became such a popular garden plant.

Pick in the morning, but after the dew has dried on the petals to ensure they aren’t damaged while carrying home.

This delightful plant is not only good for eating and decorating your food with, but is used in soaps, skin preparations and as a bath soak. Magically is is used for easing a broken heart and calling in a new lover, so go for it!