Pansies: Cultivation, Sowing, Planting and Care

Botany

Pansies, belonging to the Viola genus, comprise nearly 500 species native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Those cultivated in gardens are generally small herbaceous plants. In the wild, there are annual, perennial pansies, and even small bushes. They have a very wide global distribution. They are found in temperate regions, in America (North and South), Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand… In the wild in France, there are 39 species, including Viola tricolor, Viola odorata, Viola cornuta… They are mainly found in woodland undergrowth and forest edges, sometimes in meadows.

The Viola genus is extremely diverse in terms of forms, colours, life cycle (annual, biennial, perennial…) or flowering period. The pansies found in gardens today have been heavily hybridised. They result from hybridisations involving notably Viola tricolor (Wild Pansy), as well as Viola lutea, Viola altaica and a few other species. Garden pansies are generally grouped under the name Viola x wittrockiana. They are also called Swiss Giant Pansies. They produce large, impressive flowers. Viola cornuta, or Horned Violets, are also common in garden cultivation. Their flowers are smaller and more delicate.

Viola x wittrockiana owes its name to the Swedish botanist Veit Brecher Wittrock (1839–1914), former director of Stockholm’s botanical garden and a pansy specialist.

Viola tricolor (Wild Pansy, ancestor of cultivated pansies): Botanical plate

The pansy, or Viola, gave its name to the Violaceae family (over 800 species), to which it belongs. This family mainly comprises tropical plants, often trees and lianas. Viola represents more than half of the species in this family!

Pansies began to be cultivated and hybridised at the beginning of the 19^th century, driven by Lady Mary Elizabeth Bennet (1785–1861) who was the first to collect a large number and create crosses. By the late 1830s, the first varieties with large black macules appeared (replacing the streaks, called “whiskers”, on the original species). Pansies quickly became very popular.

The pansies found in gardens are mainly short-lived perennial plants, but they are usually grown as annuals or biennials. Being hybrids, the flowers are very beautiful during the first flowering but then degenerate, becoming less interesting in subsequent years. It’s best to renew the plants regularly.

Pansies form small clumps, not very tall, growing more or less at ground level. They generally measure between 10 and 20 cm in height. They can have a trailing habit, making them very decorative in hanging baskets.

Depending on the variety (and sowing or planting date!), pansies can flower in spring, summer, autumn, and even in winter! It’s thus possible to enjoy them all year round by combining plants whose flowering periods succeed one another. Pansies can flower very early in the season; they are precious for bringing colour in winter! Moreover, they have the advantage of producing flowers over a long period.

Pansy flowers are generally solitary. They have an irregular, zygomorphic shape. They consist of five petals: one large lower petal, two lateral ones, and two upper ones. They have a rounded shape. The two upper petals overlap, partly covering each other. At the base of the petals, the flowers also have five sepals that remain after flowering. The flower has five free stamens (male organs, bearing pollen).

Pansy flowers have a soft and warm appearance, undoubtedly due to the very rounded shapes of their petals and macules. The edge of the petals is sometimes undulate, curled. There are even double-flowered varieties, with a large number of petals, like the ‘Chalon Supreme Wildberry’ pansy!

Among pansies, the most common colours are yellow, purple and blue; they correspond to the colours of wild pansies, ancestors of garden pansies, Viola x wittrockiana. But the countless horticultural varieties offer an extremely wide colour range: yellow, orange, red, brown, blue, purple, pink, white… The flowers can even be black, like the superb ‘Molly Sanderson’ variety.

Pansy flowering can take varied hues. In order: Viola wittrockiana ‘Alpha F1 Moonlight’, ‘Matrix Lavender Shades’, Viola wittrockiana Rose with macule, ‘Matrix Solar Flare’, ‘Sorbet True Blue’

Garden pansies, Viola x wittrockiana, offer impressive, highly contrasted flowerings, often with large black macules at the centre, which can resemble a face. The flowers measure between 5 and 8 cm in diameter. Those in the Colossal series even exceed 10 cm in diameter! The flowers of wild, botanical pansies are much smaller and more delicate. It’s the hybridisation work, begun in the 19^th century, that allowed the selection of varieties highly prized for their large flowers and black central macule, giving the flowering more contrast and intensity.

The style is very different between large-flowered, impressive pansies and small-flowered varieties, like Viola cornuta, which seem much more delicate and natural. Similarly, pansies with large black macules immediately catch the eye, while those with streaks have a more delicate and discreet appearance.

For most varieties, the flowers don’t really have a scent. However, some are pleasantly fragrant, like the ‘Etain’ pansy.

Pansy flowers are edible! They are perfect for decorating salads, for example. The Viola wittrockiana ‘Tasty F1’ variety is particularly appreciated for its gustatory qualities.

Pansy leaves can take quite variable forms. They are alternate, simple, undivided. They are generally elliptical or ovate, with the lamina edge dentate or crenate. The leaves measure between 2 and 5 cm in length. They bear stipules (leaf-like appendages, inserted at their base), sometimes well-developed. The leaves are medium or dark green, very ordinary.

After flowering, the plant produces capsules that open into three valves. They then release the small, rounded brown seeds. When drying, the capsules can eject the seeds quite far, several metres away. Some species have elaiosomes, outgrowths appreciated by ants, which come to collect the seeds and help disperse them!

Pansies can self-seed. However, as they are often horticultural varieties, the flowers of seedlings may differ from the initial plant.

Fruits and seeds of Viola x wittrockiana (photo Berthold Werner)

The varieties

Most Popular Varieties

Our Favourite Varieties

Other Varieties to Discover

Viola Alpha F1 Pink Shades - Medium-flowered Pansy

This variety produces numerous flowers that declinate in pink and mauve hues, ranging from light to dark and maculate with black. A beautiful collection of flowers with a delicate appearance and pastel tones.

• Flowering time March to October
• Height at maturity 15 cm

See the product sheet

Viola x wittrockiana Cool Wave Blue Skies - Pansy

A variety with blue-violet flowers, subtly shaded with yellow at the centre and marked by fine black striations. Its trailing habit makes it an ideal pansy for hanging baskets! It grows quickly and flowers for a long time.

• Height at maturity 20 cm

See the product sheet

Viola wittrockiana Cool Wave Pink Yellow Bicolour- Swiss Garden Pansy

This variety features yellow, beige, and pink flowers, delicately streaked with purple at the centre. It is prized for its warm and luminous tones.

• Height at maturity 20 cm

See the product sheet

Viola x wittrockiana Inspire Silver Blue - Pansy

A variety with light blue flowers on the outer edges, deepening to dark blue at the centre. The flowering presents a beautiful gradient between blue and silvery-grey.

• Flowering time February to June
• Height at maturity 20 cm

See the product sheet

Viola Matrix Rose - Pansy

This variety boasts deep pink-red flowers, with a solid colour only softened by a small yellow centre. They have a simple yet velvety appearance.

• Flowering time April to November
• Height at maturity 20 cm

See the product sheet

Viola hybrida Inspire F1 Orange Blotch - Pansy

This pansy offers bright orange flowers, maculate with black. Their warm hue is perfect for adding vibrant colour to flower beds or containers! A highly floriferous variety with a compact habit.

• Flowering time April to December
• Height at maturity 15 cm

See the product sheet

Viola cornuta Molly Sanderson

This is a highly original variety with black flowers, simply brightened by a small yellow centre! An intense and rare flowering, quite uncommon. It has been awarded the Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

• Flowering time May to October
• Height at maturity 15 cm

See the product sheet

Viola hybrida Matrix F1 Lavender Shades - Pansy

This is a stunning variety with violet flowers, marked at the centre by darker striations. The subtle colour variations are magnificent!

• Flowering time April to November
• Height at maturity 20 cm

See the product sheet

Viola Sorbet XP Raspberry - Horned Pansy

This variety produces superb deep purple flowers, with dark central spots that radiate outward in fine striations, highlighted by a white halo surrounding them. It is admired for its delicate and elegant flowering.

• Height at maturity 15 cm

See the product sheet

Planting pansies

Where to plant?

Plant pansies in full sun or partial shade. It’s best to avoid scorching sun. If you live in the south of France, position pansies in light shade as they don’t tolerate summer heat well, which may interrupt flowering. They prefer relatively cool, mild temperatures.

Pansies are ideal for containers, balconies or window boxes. They add a lovely splash of colour! You can even grow them in hanging baskets, especially as some pansies have a trailing habit. But they also work well planted in borders or mixed beds. The small-flowered varieties create a naturalistic effect. Planted in large groups, pansies can form a beautiful carpet of flowers, which you can intersperse with spring bulbs. Pansies also thrive in rockeries and even on walls if you create small planting pockets with compost!

They prefer soil that stays cool in summer yet remains well-drained. Pansies dislike waterlogged conditions which may cause rotting. If your soil tends to retain water, add gravel or coarse sand to improve drainage.

Pansies thrive in fertile, humus-rich compost. When planting, enrich the soil with well-rotted compost or manure. They prefer light, loose soil and neutral to acidic conditions rather than chalky substrates.

When to plant pansies?

We sell pansies as plug plants: for best results, plant them in September so they establish before winter; this is particularly important for trailing varieties like the ‘Cool Wave’ series.

If you missed autumn planting, you can also plant pansies in early spring, around April.

How to plant?

For planting in the ground:

We recommend planting pansies in groups rather than isolation. You could create floral carpets, for example. Space plants about 20cm apart (adjust according to variety size).

1. First, soak the rootball in a bowl of water to rehydrate it and ensure better establishment.
2. Prepare the ground: remove weeds, break up large clods and add compost.
3. Dig a planting hole.
4. Plant ensuring the collar sits level with the soil surface.
5. Backfill and firm gently with your hands.
6. Water thoroughly.

Water regularly for the first few weeks until established.

We also recommend mulching around plants to prevent the soil drying out too quickly.

For container planting:

1. Choose a wide container – a large pot or hanging basket.
2. Add drainage material (crocks, gravel etc) to the base.
3. Fill with compost.
4. Position the plant, backfill and firm.
5. Water well.

You can grow pansies from seed, but buying young plants is simpler and quicker.

Also see our advice sheet – Planting biennials as plug plants

You can plant pansies in borders to create floral carpets with spring-flowering bulbs, or grow them in pots and hanging baskets

Maintenance

Pansies require relatively little maintenance. Water in summer if the weather is dry, once or twice a week. Provide regular watering if grown in pots or containers, as the substrate dries out quickly. However, avoid overwatering, which could cause the plant to rot and lead to disease. For the same reasons, direct the water flow towards the soil without wetting the foliage, and preferably water in the morning.

We recommend, especially for winter-flowering varieties, applying a layer of mulch (dead leaves, wood chips, linseed flakes…) around them to protect them from the cold.

Although often grown as annuals or biennials, you can keep your pansies for several years, but their flowering is generally more impressive in the first year than in subsequent ones.

It’s best to remove faded flowers, as this encourages the plant to produce new ones, potentially extending the flowering period! It also prevents the plant from expending energy on seed production.

Pansies can be attacked by slugs and snails. You can use slug pellets, such as Ferramol, or create a slug trap. Occasionally, aphids may also target pansies. These insects pierce the plant’s tissues to extract sap, weakening it. We recommend spraying the foliage with black soap.

Regarding diseases, pansies are particularly susceptible to rust and mildew. Rust is a fungal disease, encouraged by humidity and poor air circulation. When affected, the plant’s foliage develops rust-coloured spots. While unsightly and weakening, the plant’s survival is rarely threatened. Remove and burn affected leaves, then spray with horsetail decoction. Mildew is another fungal disease, recognisable in pansies by yellow spots on the upper leaf surface and a greyish coating underneath. It thrives in mild temperatures combined with high humidity. You can use a sulphur-based solution or horsetail decoction. Also, consider spacing out watering sessions.

Propagation

Pansies can be propagated mainly by sowing, but they can also be divided or propagated by cuttings. Vegetative propagation techniques (division, propagation by cuttings) have the advantage, compared to sowing, of ensuring new young plants identical to the original variety.

Sowing

You can stagger the sowing to ensure your plants flower at different times. Sow preferably in summer, between June and August, to obtain flowers in autumn and winter. You can also sow in late winter, around February, under a cold frame, for flowering in spring and summer.

1. Prepare a seed tray or shallow container by filling it with special sowing compost. Lightly firm and level the substrate.
2. Scatter the seeds on the surface.
3. Cover them very lightly (a few millimetres is sufficient), with sieved compost, then gently firm.
4. Water with a fine spray. You can optionally use a spray bottle.
5. Place the tray in a bright spot, out of direct sunlight. If you have sown in late winter, place it under a cold frame.

We recommend watering regularly, at least once a week, or even twice.

You can transplant the pansies into individual pots about a month later; then plant them out in early autumn (in the case of summer sowing).

If you leave the faded flowers in place, the pansy may self-seed. Over time and generations, it will tend to revert to its wild form (smaller flowers, without black maculate, etc.).

Division of clumps

You can divide your pansies to obtain new young plants. We recommend doing this in autumn, although it can also be done in spring. This helps rejuvenate the plants, which otherwise tend to become exhausted and stop flowering much.

1. Choose a well-developed clump. Dig it up carefully, making sure to dig wide enough to avoid damaging the root system.
2. Separate the clump into several parts, ensuring each has roots.
3. Replant each fragment immediately in a new location, after preparing the soil.
4. Water generously.

→ Learn more in our tutorial: How to divide pansies?

Propagation by cuttings

Although this technique is not commonly used, it is possible to propagate pansies by cuttings. In summer, take a stem segment, about 5 cm long. It should not bear any flower. Remove the leaves from the base, leaving only those at the top. Plant the stem in a pot filled with compost, and firm around it. Keep the substrate slightly moist while the cutting takes root.

Pairing Pansies in the Garden

Pansies are ideal plants for containers, adding colour to balconies or window ledges. Choose varieties with bright hues and pair them with other colourful flowering plants: Bellis, primroses, forget-me-nots, wallflowers… You can add heucheras for their highly decorative foliage. Pansies are perfect for creating compositions in large pots or containers, for example with spring bulbs: tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, grape hyacinths…

You can also achieve a more natural-looking container by adding ornamental grasses such as Carex or Pennisetum. In this case, opt for pansies with soft tones and plant them with Muehlenbeckia, spring starflowers, grape hyacinths, Cyclamen coum…

With an extensive range of horticultural varieties available in diverse colours, pansies allow for stunning colour combinations! Play with colours – you’ll easily find plants that complement pansies, and depending on your choices, you can create very different atmospheres.

For example, you could create a beautiful warm-toned composition by combining orange pansies with the flowering of ‘Orange Princess’ tulips, enhanced by the dark foliage of ‘Amethyst Myst’ heuchera. For a blue-toned composition, place deep blue pansies alongside the small flowers of grape hyacinths and forget-me-nots, and the intense deep flowering of ‘Queen of The Night’ tulips.

Pansies allow for beautiful flowering compositions! ‘Orange Princess’ tulip, ‘Amethyst Myst’ heuchera and orange pansy with black blotch / ‘Queen of the night’ tulip, grape hyacinths and pansies (Photos: Friedrich Strauss- Biosphoto)

Don’t think pansies are only suitable for pots or containers! You can also plant them in borders or flower beds, particularly with bulbs. Create a stunning spring scene by combining pansies with early bulbs like tulips, daffodils, glory-of-the-snow, crocuses, hyacinths… You can dress the base of deciduous trees with a carpet of pansies interspersed with spring bulbs. Don’t hesitate to pair pansies with small ornamental grasses like Carex morrowii or Hakonechloa macra. Also take advantage of primrose flowering! At the front of a flower bed, you can create a very bright scene by combining white-flowered pansies like ‘Matrix White’ with the elegant flowering of ‘Hibernia’ tulips and the variegated foliage of ‘Silver Crown’ hostas.

Small-flowered Violas and pansies can find their place in more naturalistic flower beds! Combine them with decorative foliage and delicate flowering plants: hostas, ferns, forget-me-nots, grape hyacinths…

Finally, remember you can combine different pansy varieties to extend their flowering period! This way, they’ll bloom in succession. Similarly, you can plant varieties with different colours together, for example orange-flowered pansies with red or yellow ones, for a warm-toned flower bed.

Pansies also allow for beautiful garden compositions. ‘Hibernia’ tulip, ‘Matrix White’ pansy and ‘Silver Crown’ hosta (Photo: Clive Nichols – MAP) / Carex morrowii ‘Variegata’ / Viola wittrockiana ‘Alpha F1 Moonlight’ / Dryopteris cycadina

Did you know?

• An edible flower

Pansy flowers are edible and perfect for decorating salads or desserts! The Viola ‘Tasty F1’ pansy was specifically selected for its flavour. The flowers can also be crystallised. Simply pick the petals, brush them with beaten egg white, then dip them in caster sugar and leave to dry. The wild pansy (Viola tricolor) is also a medicinal plant, particularly effective for skin problems.

• Symbolism

The pansy got its name in the 15^th century from the similar French word, evoking memory and reflection. It was named so because the flower can resemble a face, and when tilted towards the ground, suggests a person deep in thought. This flower became a symbol of free thought, liberated from religious or social dogma (it was the emblem of the Free Thinkers Society). The pansy flower also symbolises love and consideration for someone. In the language of flowers, its meaning varies depending on its colour.

• Pansies or violets?

These plants are very closely related, all belonging to the genus Viola. Those we call “violets” bear small flowers, typically with three petals pointing downwards and two upwards. The flowers are usually blue-violet in colour, with a relatively uniform hue. Pansies have larger, more colourful and striking flowers, which can take on very varied shades. They tend to have a single large, well-developed lower petal, often with a dark maculate, and four upper petals.

Pansies are generally large-flowered horticultural hybrids, grown as annuals or biennials, while violets are closer to botanical species (wild plants) and are perennials.