Pansies and violas are the first flower that can be planted in the spring. Both are in the same genus (Viola) and are similar in planting. Violas are usually one color while pansies can have several colors. Both have five heart shaped, overlapping petals with markings that resemble a human face. They are usually grown as annuals in the north although some have been able to keep pansies for 2 or 3 years in the warm weather zones, probably because they self seeded.
Pansies and violas aren’t too picky; they will grow in full sun to partial shade and bloom spring through early summer. You might even get lucky and they will rebloom in the fall when the weather gets cooler. They are low growing, not more than 9 inches in height, and well suited for edgings or for being planted in rock gardens or paths. They do well in containers along with flowering spring bulbs. They come in a wide variety of colors including red, purple, blue, bronze, pink, black, yellow, white, lavender, orange, apricot, mauve, and mahogany and may contain one to three of the colors. Some pansies have ruffled petals that look double. Both pansies and violas come in a variety of sizes from tiny to very large blooms.
History
Pansies and violas are edible and can be added to salads for color and flavor. They have been noted as an ingredient for love potions in Shakespeare plays and folk tales and have been used in the past as a remedy for venereal disease. Violas were common in Greece during 4th century B.C. and they cultivated it for medicinal purposes. Pansies were observed later as a smaller plant that appeared in alpine meadows and on rocky ledges. Both plants were embraced by European gardeners and in the early 1800’s Lord Gambier and his gardener William Thompson began crossing different Viola species and they came up with a bloom that had huge blocks of color on the lower petals, which they called the face. “Medora” as named in 1839 and was the forerunner of the pansy we have today.
Planting
Pansies and violas are not fussy about where they grow as long as the soil is rich with a slightly acid pH (6.0). They flower most prolifically in full sun but they will take partial shade. They do not tolerate heat and will decline once the temperature starts to rise above 72 degrees. Don’t expect them to last all season.
You can grow pansies from seed but it takes special conditions to germinate so it is better to purchase plants. You can get a full range of colors this way as they are normally packaged in an array of colors from brights to pastels. Purchase plants that are bushy and have buds. Try to stay away from plants that are in full bloom.
Should you want to try from seed you will need a cool place to keep them (a constant 60 to 65 degrees F). Plant in a container with a light soil or germinating mixture that contains no soil. Sow seeds about 1/8 inch deep and cover lightly with more medium. Water gently. The seeds need total darkness to germinate. Cover the soil with black plastic, but you will have to check the soil for dryness everyday in the dark. They should never dry out so spray with a mist of fine spray. Once shoots have come up the plastic can come off and seedlings should be placed in sunlight. Seeds will germinate in 1 to 2 weeks but 15 weeks are needed from seeding to bloom. Sow seeds indoors about 6 to 8 weeks prior to being able to set outside. Once the seedlings have 2 sets of leaves, gently pull them apart and plant into a larger container.
When planting your seedling plants or purchased plants from the nursery you can plant about 6 to 10 inches apart. Dig a hole about 8 inches deep and then remove the plant from the pot. Do not break apart the root ball but tease it a bit to unconfined the roots. Place in holes and fill with soil around them. Apply a few inches of mulch. Fertilizer can be added at this time. They like manure and compost. Water well and make sure they are well watered for a few weeks until their roots take hold. Once the flower begins to fade remove it and you may get more blooms.
Now that your pansies or violas are planted let’s see how to cultivate them, what kind of pests and diseases could halt their growth and how to deal with them, and find out what varieties can be grown.
Ever try to eat your pansies and violas? Here are a few recipes.
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