Scott D. Appell is currently Director of Education for the Horticultural Society of New York, a member of the Publications Committee of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and a Board Member of The American Violet Society. He is a contributing editor to Smith & Hawken's Book of Outdoor Gardening and Rodale Press' 1001 Ingenious Gardening Ideas as well as botanical consultant for Gardens by the Sea: Creating a Tropical Paradise, published by The Garden Club of Palm Beach. He has written three books: Pansies, Lilies and Tulips, all published by Friedman/Fairfax Publishers, Inc. (New York). His latest work, Orchids (also published by Friedman/Fairfax) is slated for winter 2001. In addition, he is guest editor/writer for Landscaping Indoors: Bringing the Outdoors, a part of the 21st-Century Gardening Series handbooks published by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, also slated for winter 2001. Scott Appell lives, writes and teaches horticulture in New York City . His private horticultural consultation company is called The Green Man,

             We admire them flowering in cultivated gardens, fields and glades or abandoned farm steads. We view their images incorporated into the Medieval Unicorn tapestries hung in the Cloisters or Cluny Museums. We hear them mentioned in theatrical performances ranging from Shakespeare's Hamlet, King John, Twelfth Night, Midsummer Night's Dream and Cymbeline to Lerner and Loewe's My Fair Lady. We even partake of them al fresco in fashionable tidbits or candied upon lavish confections. They are the violets, the genus Viola. Although we are all well aware of violets in these various guises, few of us are cognizant of their ethnobotanical (i.e. medicinal, nutritional and folkloric) uses among our Native Americans. We will review both indigenous and introduced species of violets. Whether we refer to our various neolithic emigrant populace as Native Americans, First Americans, American Indians or simply Indians, is a very personal matter, indeed, bogged down by intense political, moral and etymological parameters. In this simple report I will utilize the tribal appellations.

Chief Wilma Mankiller, First Woman Leader of the Cherokee Nation

             Key to The People

             As you peruse this elementary format, notice how so many different species of Viola are used for the exact same purpose by different tribes of First Americans. Here is a brief description of the various tribes I refer to:

 

Blackfoot.	The Blackfoot hunted over the region of Montana, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Blackfoot is a common spelling in Canada, whereas Blackfeet is more common in the United States.
Carrier	Southern. Near Ulkatcho, in northwestern British Columbia.
Cherokee	The Cherokees are found throughout most of western North Carolina, and in northwestern Georgia.
Diegueno	The Diegueno live throughout southernmost California.
Eskimo, Inukitut	Alaska, Canada and Greenland.
Klallam	Southern shore of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and the northern central Olympic Peninsula, Washington.
Iroquois	The Iroquois live throughout upstate New York and in southern Quebec.
Luiseno	Southern California, near San Juan Capistrano.
Makah	Northwestern tip of the Olympic Peninsula, Washington.
Navaho, Ramah	Western New Mexico.
Ojibwa	Also known as Chippewa, Ojibwas are located in the upper Midwest and Southern Ontario.
Ojibwa	South Red Lake and Leech Lake Minnesota
Tanana	Upper. Alaska, between Anchorage and Fairbanks.
Tolowa	Northwestern California.

           

Blackfoot on Horseback

            Glossary of Uses

Decoction	A preparation made by simmering a botanical in water for an extended period of time.
Emetic	An agent which induces vomiting.
Infusion	An extract of some botanical derived from soaking it briefly in water.
Poultice	Material applied to the surface of the body as a remedy for some disorder.

             THE VIOLETS

 

 

Viola adunca, the Hookedspur Violet Viola adunca Medicinal Uses Blackfoot External Antirheumatic: Infusion of the roots and leaves applied to sore and swollen joints. Pediatric Aid and Respiratory Aid: Infusion of leaves and roots given to asthmatic children. Carrier, Southern Analgesic and Gastrointestinal Aid: Decoction of entire plant taken for stomach pain. Klallam Analgesic: Poultice of smashed flowers applied to the chest for pain. Makah Gynecological Aid: Roots and leaves chewed by women during labor. . Tolowa Eye Medicine: Poultice of chewed leaves applied to sore eyes.  As a Dye Plant Blackfoot Blue: Plant used to dye arrows blue

Viola bicolor, the Johnny-Jump-Up  Johnny Jumpups Medicinal Uses Cherokee Analgesic: Poultice of leaves used for headache. Antidiarrheal: Infusion taken for dysentery. Blood Medicine:  Infusion taken for blood. Cold Remedy: Infusion taken for colds. Cough Medicine: Infusion with sugar taken for coughs. Dermatological Aid: Poultice of crushed roots applied to boils. Respiratory Aid: Infusion sprayed up nose for catarrh. Tonic: Infusion taken as spring tonic. Agricultural Uses Cherokee Insecticide: Infusion of roots used to soak corn seeds prior to planting to repel insects.

Viola biflora, the Two Flower Violet Miscellaneous Uses Eskimo, Inukitut Incense and Fragrance:  Stems with flowers placed among clothes.

Viola blanda, the Sweet White Violet Food Cherokee Vegetable: Leaves and stems mixed with other greens, parboiled, rinsed, and fried in fat with salt until soft.

Viola canadensis, the Canadian White Violet Canadian Violet Medicinal Uses Ojibwa, South Analgesic:  Decoction of roots used for pains of or near the bladder.

Viola conspersa, the American Dog Violet American Dog Violet (Viola conspersa) Medicinal Uses Ojibwa Heart Medicine:  Infusion of the whole plant taken for heart trouble

Viola cucullata, the Blue Marsh Violet Blue Marsh Violet (Viola cucullata) Medicinal Uses Cherokee Analgesic:  Poultice of leaves used for headache. Antidiarrheal: Infusion taken for dysentery. Blood Medicine: Infusion taken for blood. Cold Remedy: Infusion taken for colds. Cough Medicine: Sweetened infusion taken for coughs. Dermatological Aid:  Poultice of crushed roots applied to boils. Respiratory Aid: Infusion sprayed up nose for catarrh. Tonic: Infusion taken as spring tonic.

Viola epipsila, the Dwarf Marsh Violet Miscellaneous Uses Tanana, Upper Incense and Fragrance:  Dried roots used as incense in potlatches.

Viola nephrophylla, the Northern Bog Violet Medicinal Uses Navajo, Ramah Ceremonial Medicine and Emetic: Plant used as ceremonial emetic.

Viola pedata, the Bird's foot Violet White Birdsfoot Violet (Viola pedata) Medicinal Uses Cherokee Analgesic:  Poultice of leaves used for headache. Antidiarrheal: Infusion taken for dysentery. Blood Medicine: Infusion taken for blood. Cold Remedy: Infusion taken for colds. Cough Medicine: Sweetened infusion taken for coughs. Dermatological Aid:   Poultice of crushed roots applied to boils. Respiratory Aid: Infusion sprayed up nose for catarrh. Tonic: Infusion taken as spring tonic. Agricultural Uses Cherokee Insecticide:  Infusion of roots used to soak corn seeds prior to planting to repel insects.

Viola pedunculata, the California Golden Violet Food  Diegueno Vegetable: Young leaves, picked before flowers appear are boiled once, and eaten as green. Luiseno Vegetable: Leaves used as greens.

Viola pubescens var. pubescens, the Smooth Yellow Violet Smooth Yellow Violet (Viola pubescens) Medicinal Uses Iroquois Gastrointestinal Aid:  Compound decoction of plants taken for indigestion. Food  Cherokee Vegetable:  Leaves and stems mixed with other greens, parboiled. Then fried in fat with salt until tender.

Viola sagittata, the Arrowleaf Violet Arrow Leaved Violet Medicinal Uses Iroquois Witchcraft Medicine:  Compound used to detect bewitchment.

Viola striata, the Striped Cream Violet Striped Creamy Violet (Viola striata) Medicinal Uses Iroquois Witchcraft Medicine:  Plant used to make a girl sick and crazy by her rejected suitor after he has been refused by her parents. ?

© 2000 Scott D. Appel For The American Violet Society All Rights Reserved