Celebrate Spring with this delightful color-changing violet syrup and lemonade made with foraged wild violets.
Edible Flower Love
If you know me at all you know I LOVE flowers, especially edible flowers. My garden is filled with them from late spring to early fall. The first to bloom in these parts are violets and these cheerful purple blooms have held always held a special space in my heart. I think it stems from picking them as a little girl around my birthday and always having them on my birthday cake. Little patches of wild violets would grow around the base of a giant hemlock tree in our backyard. I remember laying down among them in the spring sunshine and picking little violet bouquets for my mom. We would make sugared violets together for my birthday cake and looking back now it was one of those magical childhood memories that stayed with me.
Violets Can Change Color
I didn't know this then but common violets have a magic power. Yup. It's true! They can change color. If you add an acid such as lemon juice to a violet infusion it lowers their natural alkaline ph and they turn pink. So after you make the violet syrup below you can make color-changing pink violet lemonade. Add the lemon juice last to watch the magic happen. Kids love this trick! And for an adult beverage try making violet mojitos with lime juice.
I think May is officially becoming my favorite month on the island because the winters are loooooong and the explosion of flowers just gets me so excited. More edible flower recipes are coming your way this month and throughout the summer so stay tuned. Our season is a little behind most of the country but I hope you can still find violets where you are! And if not then you can also use this method for any edible flower or blossom. I can't promise other flowers will change color the same way but it's still a great way to preserve the floral notes of edible flowers to use throughout the year.
Tips for Foraging Wild Violets
- There are many varieties of wild violets all in the Viola genus with Viola sororia (common blue violet) being the most common variety found in New England.
- Wild violets are easily identifiable by their 5 petalled flowers and dark green heart-shaped leaves. They are low-growing plants that prefer fertile soil and are commonly found in meadows, pastures, lawns, and at the edges of wooded areas.
- Always use caution when foraging for wild edible plants. Make sure to identify the plant correctly by referencing guidebooks and asking an experienced forager to confirm a plant's identity.
How to Make Wild Violet Syrup and Color-Changing Violet Lemonade
Step 1: Infuse
Start by making a violet infusion by steeping violet flowers in boiling water overnight.
Step 2: Simmer the Violet Syrup
Strain the violet infusion into a saucepan then add the sugar and bring to a simmer. Let the violet syrup reduce to runny syrup consistency, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. It should start to lightly coat the back of a wooden spoon or sides of the pan when swirled. The syrup will continue to thicken as it cools.
Step 3: Store the Syrup
Pour the hot syrup into a sterilized bottle and seal. Store syrup in a cool dark cabinet or refrigerate it for up to 6 months.
Step 4: Make Lemonade
Mix the syrup with water or sparkling water first then add the lemon juice last to see the color-changing effects take place. Serve over violet ice cubes.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Are all violets edible?
All varieties of the Viola genus are edible with Viola sororia (common blue violet) being the most common variety found in New England. There are also white and yellow-hued violets that are edible but won't change color like their blue and purple counterparts. African violets (Saintpaulias spp) are common house plants that are not edible at all and should not be confused with wild violets.
Can I use unrefined sweeteners?
White granulated sugar will yield the best results to preserve the color of the violets, but honey may also be used. Dark sugars and sweeteners will give the syrup a brown hue but can be used if you are not concerned about the color as much.
For more delicious ways to use edible flowers check out these recipes:
- Wild Violet Sugar
- Violet Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
- Lilac Syrup
- Elderflower Cordial
- Rose Simple Syrup
- Wild Elderflower Honey Lemon Drizzle Cake
- Lemon Coconut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Ricotta Pie (Torta di Ricotta) with Lemon and Honey
- Vegan Squash Blossom Tacos
Love this recipe?
If you made my Wild Violet Syrup & Magical Color-Changing Pink Violet Lemonade recipe I would love to hear your feedback! Please leave a star-rating review of the recipe and let me know what you think in a comment below. This small act is a great way to show your support for the food blogs you read and love.
Please tag me in your photos on Instagram so I can see your creations. I might miss it if you only tag me the caption because those notifications fall off quickly, but I can always find it if I’m tagged in the photo itself.

Wild Violet Syrup and Lemonade
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A spring time delight! Turn beautiful purple edible violets into a syrup and then watch it magically turn pink when mixed with lemon juice for the best lemonade of your life!!!
Ingredients
Violet Syrup
- 2 cups loosely packed edible violets
- ¾ cup boiling water
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
Violet Pink Lemonade
- 2 tablespoons violet syrup (or to taste)
- 1 cup water or sparkling water
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- violet ice cubes
- lemon slice, fresh mint, violets for garnish
Instructions
To make syrup:
- In the evening fill a jar with the fresh-picked violet flowers. Pour boiling water over violets and cover the jar. Steep overnight for best results.
- Strain violet infusion into a small saucepan. Add the sugar and allow the mixture to come to a low boil then reduce heat to a rolling simmer. Simmer to a runny syrup consistency, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. It should start to lightly coat the back of a wooden spoon or sides of the pan when swirled. The syrup will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Meanwhile, sterilize a small heat-proof glass bottle or jar and lid by filling it with boiling water.
- Pour hot syrup straight into the sterilized bottle and seal. Store syrup in a cool dark cabinet or refrigerate.
To make lemonade:
- Stir 2 tablespoons of violet syrup (or to taste) per 1 cup of water in a drinking glass. Wait to add lemon juice if you want to create a magic color change.
- Add ice cubes. Then pour in lemon 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and stir. Watch the color change to pink!! Kids love this!
Notes
The violet syrup should keep for about 6 months.
To make violet ice-cubes, add violet flowers to an ice cube tray and then fill with water. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
Always use caution when foraging for wild edible plants. Make sure to identify the plant correctly by referencing guidebooks and asking an experienced forager to confirm a plant's identity.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: violet syrup recipe, violet lemonade, wild violet syrup
A version of my recipe was first printed in issue 19: WANDER of Taproot Magazine in 2016. You can order back issues here.
This post contains affiliate links to ingredients and products relevant to this recipe. If you choose to purchase linked products I would earn a modest commission, which helps offset the costs of keeping Fare Isle going. Learn more about my affiliate policy here. Thank you for your continued support!
Dorothy Drobney says
Oh, my...this makes my heart sing! I have done lavender lemonade many times, but never thought of using violets. I have SO many this spring at my little house in the woods of northeastern Connecticut.
Kaity Farrell says
I'm so happy to hear that! Lavender lemonade sound amazing too! xx Kaity
lark says
this stuff is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????
i did the lemonade for a school project and it was soooo yumm.
★★★★★
Kaity Farrell says
So happy to hear that! Thank you! xx Kaity
Megan says
So much love for this... can you refer me where to find those bottles with corks?!
Kaity Farrell says
Thank you for reading! I believe they were from Specialty Bottle. xx Kaity
Korin says
Troubleshooting help (please!). I’m not sure what we did wrong— as soon as we poured the hot water over the violets, they started smelling rather... off. But we forged ahead and cooked the syrup the next day— But the smell was worse, and the taste was made only slightly better by the addition of sugar. Should we have removed more of the green parts? Did a few stray inedible flowers make their way into the batch? Any thoughts? Looking forward to trying this again (but perhaps with violets from a different patch?).
Kaity Farrell says
Hi Korin! Violets have a neutral leafy taste. They are used for their color in this case and usually as decoration rather than their taste. Without seeing the flowers I'm unable to identify them for you. I would consult a guidebook and ask a local forager if possible. Dark purple violets will work best to produce a stronger color. Feel free to send me any photos via email hello@fareisle.com and I would be happy to look at them to see if something seems amiss. xx Kaity
Jenna says
I had the same experience with the smell..almost rotten? I'm not sure what went wrong.
★★★★
Kaity Farrell says
Hi Jenna, Do you know what species of violets you used? I'm curious if there is a certain variety that has a stinky aroma perhaps? I haven't had any issues with the types of violets I grow and forage locally here.
Gwenneth says
Do you add 3 to 4 cups of boiling water, or 3/4 cup? The latter seems so little....
Thank you!
Kaity Farrell says
Hi Gwenneth! Yes, that is correct, 3/4 of a cup.
Lauren says
I was so excited to try this and when I looked at my steeped violets the next day the water was blue rather than purple... any thoughts on why this happened? Thank you!
Kaity Farrell says
Hi Lauren,
That is normal! It's going to be bluer than purple. Violet is kind of in the middle of blue and purple. And if you add lemon (acid) it will change to pink.
xx Kaity
Kaity Farrell says
test
★★★★★
Mary says
I make this every year for the past 3 years. It’s so simple and such a fun bonding activity to do with my daughter.
★★★★★