Violet: the flower, leaf and root

Violet (Viola odorata), also called Sweet Violet, grows in regions of the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. Its delicate purple, white, or variegated flowers appear early in the springtime before the trees grow leaves. Violet is well known for its sweet floral odor, but also for its wide variety of therapeutic properties: it helps with cold, asthma, rheumatism, and a range of infections (including syphilis).

Violet was a symbol of ancient Athens, and also a favorite flower of Napoleon Bonaparte. In the 19th century, violet-based perfumes were very popular.

The odor of violet flower is different than the odor of the leaves. The flower possesses a sweet powdery to woodsy-flowery scent due to ionones, first separated from the Parma violet by Tiemann and Kruger in 1893. The discovery of ionones enabled production of a synthetic violet scent identical and not as expensive as the precious natural oil. Nowadays, ionones and methyl ionones are used in almost every perfume. The ionones palette ranges from the scent of fresh violet in blossom to mild woodsy sweet-floral nuances. Methyl ionones possess a stronger woodsy nuance, similar to iris.

Violet scent can be found in the following fragrances:
Angel Garden Of Stars - Violette Angel (Thierry Mugler)
Ultraviolet (Paco Rabanne)
April Violets (Yardley)
Black Violet (of the first collection of Tom Ford's 12 aromas)
La Violette (Annick Goutal)
Je T'ai Gueilli Une Fleur (Verte Violette) (L'Artisan Parfumeur)
Violette Precieusse (Caron) created in 1913, launched again in 1999, and re-launched in 2007
Oscar Violet (Oscar de la Renta)
Eau de Violette de Parme (Rance)
Caprice Violette (Lolita Lempicka), the newest fragrance of Lolita Lempicka house, which together with three more fragrances form a limited edition collection created in honor of the first Lolita perfume's 10th anniversary.

The odor of violet leaves is different than the odor of flowers. The leaves give a very intensive green aroma similar to one of the mowed grass combined with the nuance of cucumber. At the south of France, two kinds of violets are cultivated for their leaves—Parma and Victoria. The fresh odor of violet leaves is an integral component in the compositions of many fragrances, ranging from fresh floral to oriental-spicy and fougere. The scent of violet leaf is included, for example, in the compositions of L by Gwen Stefani, Dior's Fahrenheit, Annick Goutal's La Violette, and Dona Karan's Be Delicious. In the last one, Be Delicious, the fresh green note of violet leaves with a distinguishing cucumber nuance is very intensive and takes part in the "construction" of the green apple scent.

The root of violet has therapeutic properties and is used in traditional medicine, but not as a perfume component. Although very often in the perfume composition a description can be found that one of the elements is "violet root," this component has nothing in common with violet. It is actually the root of iris. Its natural odor is not too intensive and is reminiscent of a violet scent.  That is where the name originates This "false" violet root, or better to say iris root, is a usual component in many fragrances. It gives a woodsy-floral note and at the same time is a very good fixative. It can be found in Pleasures for Men, and Boss Woman.