Fundamental Facts
HARDINESS: Frost tolerant
PREFERRED SOIL PH: Neutral
PREFERRED SOIL TYPE: Average
PREFERRED LIGHT: Sun to partial shade
ATTRIBUTES: Long-blooming, colorful flowers on compact plants; for pots, boxes, or edging in spring and fall
SEASON OF INTEREST: Spring to summer; winter in Zones 7 to 9
FAVORITES: 'Crystal Bowl' for wide color range; 'Majestic Giants' for large flowers with interesting markings; 'Sorbet' and other mini-pansies for winter bloom in warm climates
QUIRKS: Blooming stops when summer nights rise above 60°F (16°C)
GOOD NEIGHBORS: Sweet alyssum, larkspur, ornamental cabbage, snapdragon, bulbs
WHERE IT GROWS BEST: Fertile, well-drained soil
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS: Nematodes in warm climates; slugs, snails
CRITTER RESISTANCE: Good
SOURCE: Bedding plants, seeds
DIMENSIONS: 6-8 in (15.2-20.3 cm) tall, 6-12 in (15.2-30.5 cm) wide
Pansies in the Landscape
Pen, saucy, and perfect for a quick spark of color in spring and fall, pansies (Viola x wittrockiana) are the modern hybrids of violets. Famed for their intricate markings and long flowering time, pansies bloom in a wide color range, from white to wine. In addition to beloved older strains with blotched flowers that look like faces, there are modern varieties that may have no blotch at all or be "mini-pansies" (V. tricolor), which are small-flowered hybrids of Johnny-jump-ups.
Flower breeders have improved the winter hardiness of pansies, so much so that hardy varieties, such as the Sky and Delta series can be planted in fall as far north as Zone 5. In all areas pansies can go into beds, containers, or window boxes even before the last frost in spring. Use pansies as constants in the spring garden to unify colors that come and go on spring-flowering bulbs and shrubs. Yellow or white pansies are invaluable for this purpose, and mixing in blues provides a beautiful contrast.
Almost Limitless Choice
Pansies have been bred primarily for color, making it easy to paint your landscape with them. Generally, varieties with large, 3 in (7.6 cm) flowers, such as the 'Majestic Giant' series set fewer blooms than smaller-flowered varieties, such as the 'Crystal Bowl' series. Vigorous mini-pansies, often called violas, produce hundreds of 1 in (2.5 cm) diameter flowers on mounding plants, and bloom better in cold weather than do fancier hybrids. The 'Sorbet' series is an example of this impressive new type of pansy.
Growing Pansies
Bedding plant pansies are inexpensive and come in great variety at garden centers, usually with a bloom or two showing the flower colors. Look for compact young plants that have not begun to flop. Space larger-flowered types 8 in (20.3 cm) apart, but allow 10 in (25.4 cm) for bushy mini pansies. Before planting, work a balanced organic or timed-release fertilizer into the soil at the rate recommended on the label. Set out pansies as early as possible in the fall so they will be well rooted when soil temperatures fall below 45°F (7°C). In spring, begin setting out pansies up to a month before your last frost is expected.
Should your plants grow lean and leggy, they probably need more fertilizer or more sun. Pinching off old flowers helps promote bloom. However, in warm climates, pale, scrawny-looking pansies may fall victim to minute, wormlike soil organisms called rootknot nematodes, for which there is no cure. Check for hard, swollen nodules on roots to confirm this problem and dispose of infested plants. Leaves and flowers that are chewed and marked with slimy trails are the handiwork of slugs and snails. Set saucers of beer on the ground to lure and drown these pests. Pansies stop flowering and die out in hot weather, and it's best to replace them with heat-tolerant flowering plants.
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