Pansy

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Pansies are annuals which are generally planted in autumn for flowers through winter and spring. In cooler climates pansies can also be planted in late winter and spring for flowering into summer. Today we take pansies and violas for granted in our gardens but the large flowers and extensive colour range we grow was only developed last century, from 1830. The original plant used to develop these garden annuals was the heartsease, (also called Johnny Jump-up), which is an English native plant widely grown today in cottage gardens.

Pansies were developed as competition flowers for exhibitions with amateur breeders seeking the perfect, rounded flower shape. They provide colour in the garden with a wide range of colour combinations. Take into consideration what colours would complement your house before deciding which varieties to buy.

Plant details

Common name: Pansy

Botanical name: Viola x wittrockiana

Varieties:

‘Mikado’ – A variety of colours that complement each other.
‘Bingo Blue’ – Bingo pansies come in mauve/purple and yellow/orange colours.
‘Harbour Lights’ – The small flowers come in an array of soft colours: mauves, blues, yellows and some purples. Some of the plants also have a delicious perfume.

Best climate: In warmer areas such as Brisbane and north, grow pansies as a winter flowering annual.

Care

Pansies grow well in full sun but like protection from afternoon sun, particularly in warmer areas.
To keep pansies flowering, pick them either for using indoors as a cut flower or dead head the spent flowers.

Getting started:

Buy in punnets or single pots. Prices for these new varieties will range between $3.00 and $4.00 a punnet.
Plant through autumn. In the cooler zones you can plant them later into winter, so that they flower through summer.
Dig compost and manure into soil before planting.