Violet: Meaning And Symbolism

Violets are happy little purple flowers that symbolize many different things. They are aptly named after their lovely violet color.

Violets (violas) are in the family Violaceae and they can be found all over the world. These popular little flowers thrive in temperate climates and grow as native wildflowers. They are hardy and naturally resistant to deer and make an ideal perennial ground cover.

Violets are good for growing in containers, borders, and flower beds. There are over 500 species categorized in the Violaceae family, with the purple blooming variety being the most well-known. Some viola species are more popular than others due to aesthetic reasons, while others are popular because of their fragrance or health benefits.

Although some species are more popular than others due to their features or bloom colors, all convey the same basic meaning and symbolism.

Christian Symbolism

In Christianity, the violet flower symbolizes the Virgin Mary’s humility.

Legend says that violets bloomed when the angel Gabriel told Mary that Jesus would be her baby.

Moreover, another Christian legend tells us that violet blooms were white until Mary was filled with anguish from watching her son, Christ, suffer upon the Cross. At the moment of Christ’s death, all the white violets turned purple to echo her mourning.

Viola odorata is a species in the viola family that is native to Europe and Asia. The name, Viola odorata, translates to “Our Lady of Modesty,” which associates the violet with Mary’s humble nature and devotion in the Christian tradition.

Truth And Loyalty

The violet has a sweet, dependable fragrance and symbolizes truth and loyalty. The fragrance of violet is the same regardless of where the plant is being grown. The plant can be identified by scent alone.

Modesty

The flower conveys the meaning of modesty, spiritual wisdom, and humility. The flower heads are small and bowed down and appear to be very modest and humble. The petite plant symbolizes spiritual wisdom with its bowed head and purple bloom color.

Faithfulness

This faithful blooming plant is named after its purple petals and matches February’s purple birthstone, the amethyst. The meaning of amethyst is serenity, understanding, trust, and grace and the purple color of the violet symbolizes those things as well.

Innocence

The small flower symbolized the innocence of the Virgin Mary in Bible times. Violets continued to convey innocence during the Victorian days and  Renaissance, and still continue to symbolize that in our modern-day society.

Royalty

The color purple has always been associated with royalty. It also symbolizes confidence and spiritual association.

Everlasting Love

Violets symbolize an everlasting love that will never be forgotten. Just as the tiny plant returns year after year to faithfully display its purple blooms, it continues to grow and spread each new year. The love between two people will is symbolically like the violet – it will continue to grow and spread without ever ending.

In ancient Roman culture, violets were used as traditional funeral flowers to represent the remembrance of the deceased.

Faith

The small purple flower also symbolizes faith, spirituality, and mysticism. The flower is connected to amethyst crystals and is a symbol of faith in some ceremonies.

Violets are sometimes called the Herb of the Trinity because they have three flower petals and three primary colors.

Dreaming Of Violets

* Dreaming of a field of violets symbolizes that happy, joyful home life is something you have or desire to have.

* Picking one violet in a dream means you have fallen in love.

* Giving a violet to someone in a dream means one of your current relationships will be prosperous.

* Placing violets under your pillow at night is said to help you have a restful night of sleep.