Then set them out to dry. Violet vinegar was made by soaking violet flowers in vinegar. Crushed violets have been used as poultices for boils, swellings and many skin diseases. Pansies a botanicaly similar plant are also edible, if they have not been poisoned with pesticides. Warning Violet roots and some yellow violets are emetic.
African violets are mildly toxic.
Violets with deeply cut leaves, such as the Birdfoot violet Viola pedata , look very much like the toxic Larkspur Delphinium or Monkshood Aconitum . The flowers are quite different so wait for the flowers to come out before eating violets with deeply cut leaves. Some violets are rare or endangered so make sure that the violets you eat are abundant.