Looking for St Hildegard’s sweet violet salve recipe for deep scars? Discover the famous medieval salve for deep scars.
Sweet violet (Viola odorata), also known as the equinox flower, blooms during the spring equinox and often again in early autumn. Beyond its delicate beauty and fragrance, sweet violet is a powerful medicinal plant. It contains glycosides, saponins, bitter compounds, the pigment cyamine, vitamin C, and essential mineral salts, making it an excellent natural remedy for skin healing.

In This Article You Will Find:
Traditional Uses of Sweet Violet for Skin Healing
Folk medicine has long recognized sweet violet salve as a potent remedy for skin conditions. In the past, healers would create a violet poultice to apply to abscesses, burns, and even cancerous skin lesions. The saponins found in sweet violet leaves stimulate skin metabolism and possess scientifically proven anti-carcinogenic properties, making this plant a valuable ally in natural skin care.
When to Harvest Sweet Violets to Make Salves
For the best sweet violet salve recipe, harvest violets when they are in full bloom, starting from the spring equinox. The ideal time for gathering is during a waxing moon in Pisces. When used externally, sweet violet salve promotes wound healing and helps reduce the appearance of scars. Internally, it has been known to lower blood pressure, purify the blood, and aid in respiratory health.
Enjoy the delicate fragrance and deep blue hue of a fresh violet bouquet. But be sure to keep a small supply of this medicinal plant in your home apothecary, so its healing properties can be used long after the flowers have faded. (Sebastian Kneipp)
Health Benefits of Sweet Violet Salve Recipe
Hippocrates used sweet violet flowers and seeds in remedies to ease childbirth. Though many of these ancient treatments have been lost, sweet violets have regained their place in natural healing thanks to St. Hildegard von Bingen, a renowned healer who created a miraculous scar-healing salve centuries ago. St. Hildegard recommended daily use of sweet violet salve for:
- Healing deep scars – This salve has been known to completely fade burn and surgical scars over time.
- Breaking down tough scar tissue – Unlike calendula salve, which is best for fresh post-surgical scars, sweet violet salve works on older, thick, or raised scars.
- Post-surgical abdominal massage – After endometriosis surgery, scar tissue can develop painful nodules. Daily massage with sweet violet salve may help reduce pain and even dissolve smaller nodules over time.
Naturopathic doctors Hertzka and Strehlow, followers of St. Hildegard’s teachings, even recommend sweet violet salve for preventing metastases when used daily after breast cancer surgery, alternating with calendula salve.

The Medieval Sweet Violet Salve Recipe
Ingredients:
- 20g fresh sweet violets in bloom (Viola odorata)
- 10ml olive oil
- 20g mutton tallow
- 3-4 drops of Damascus rose essential oil
Preparation:
- Finely chop the fresh sweet violets and place them in a heat-resistant container with the olive oil and sheep tallow. If you don’t have fresh sweet violets, you can replace them with 7 grams of dried flowers, but the original recipe asks for fresh ones.
- Heat the mixture in a double boiler, stirring continuously.
- Once the tallow has melted, continue stirring for a few more minutes, then strain the mixture.
- While the salve cools, add 3-4 drops of rose essential oil for fragrance and to prolong the shelf life.
- Pour the salve into a clean jar or cream container. Stored in the refrigerator, it can last up to one year.
The sweet violet salve is for external use only—safe for all skin types. However, pregnant women should avoid using it, as sweet violet may stimulate labor contractions.
Read Also: 5 Health Benefits of Sweet Violet, Uses and Natural Remedies
Sweet violet salve for deep scars is a powerful, time-tested remedy that has been valued for centuries. Whether you are looking to fade surgical scars, reduce scar tissue buildup, or nourish your skin with a natural healing balm, this sweet violet salve recipe is an excellent choice. Stay healthy, naturally!
Share on Pinterest ❤️


8 comments
Do you have a recommendation for buying it if we are overwhelmed by making it?
Hello Brigid,
Unfortunately we were not able to find this salve online, but if you ask for sweet violet salve or ointment at your local herbal shop or pharmacy, you may have a chance to find it. What you can do is replace the fresh violet flowers for dried ones (about 7 grams of dried plant). Sweet violets are in season from March to April: https://www.mynaturaltreatment.com/health-benefits-of-sweet-violet-remedy/#How_to_Harvest_Sweet_Violet so if you decide to take the time and make this recipe, this is the season to gather these lovely flowers. Much health!
OK, thank you for your information! I have need of it!
Thank you for being here, much health to you!
Sorry, another question: Would beef tallow work just as well? Is there a particular reason for mutton? THANK YOU
Beef tallow can work as well, I am not exactly sure why the recipe recommends mutton tallow specifically. Perhaps it was more available back in the days.
I’m ordering stuff to make it including the flowers, but would essential oil also work in a pinch or not as good? Too concentrated? To diluted? Not fresh?
I would not recommend using sweet violet essential oil instead of the fresh flowers for this recipe.