Everyone knows this plant – the delicate, uneven color of the petals of its flowers attracted the attention of amateur breeders at the beginning of the last century. This is how the wild violet became the progenitor of a large number of garden brothers.
In natural conditions, the tricolor violet is an annual, rarely biennial plant, 10-30 cm tall. Its stem is twisted, hollow inside. The leaves are simple, alternate, with ridges on the edges. The lower leaves are on long petioles, round-heart-shaped. Flowers solitary, irregular; the petals are multi-colored, the upper ones are purple, of various shades, the lower ones are yellow or white, with dark stripes. The plant blooms from the end of April to autumn. Widespread in meadows, fields and gardens (as a weed) of the European part of Russia and beyond, usually in the forest zone. In Ukraine, it grows throughout the territory in similar places.
Violet grass is used to prepare medicines. Collect the above-ground part during the flowering period, cutting it with a knife or sickle, then spread it in a thin layer under shelter in the air or in well-ventilated rooms and dry, turning the raw materials from time to time. They keep it for 1.5 years. Violet grass is sold in specialized pharmacies.
The aerial part of the plant contains flavonoids, glycosides, ursolic acid, mucilage and tannins, vitamin E and essential oil, which includes methyl ester of salicylic acid.
Medicinal properties of tricolor violet provide a wide range of effects. Plant infusions have anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, broncholytic, diuretic, choleretic and antispasmodic effects. They are prescribed for colds, bronchitis, bronchopneumonia, whooping cough, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, bladder, urolithiasis, gout and rheumatic pains. In gynecology, violet grass is used to accelerate the contraction of the uterus in the postpartum period. The plant is part of various medicinal preparations and teas.
Usually, tricolor violet products do not cause side effects, but their significant overdose can cause diarrhea and vomiting.
Violet infusions are widely used in dermatology due to their antimicrobial and antipruritic properties. The herb helps in the treatment of poorly healing wounds, trophic ulcers, boils and skin rashes due to vitamin deficiency. The juice and infusions of the plant are prescribed for eczema and psoriasis.
Herbal infusion. 2 tablespoons of raw material per 400 ml of boiling water. Insist for 2 hours, filter. Take half a glass 4 times a day before meals.
Grass juice (external). Squeeze juice from fresh grass, lubricate the affected areas of the skin with eczema and psoriasis.