Pansy versus Viola… what’s the difference anyway?
What is a pansy?
Pansies are the most commonly planted fall and winter annual in our area and for very good reason! Pansies bloom from fall into next spring, all the way through time to plant warm season annuals. They offer a large variety of color choices and many have huge blooms! Deadheading will help promote further blooming but isn’t completely necessary. You will need to feed them though; we suggest using Ferti-Lome Premium Bedding Plant Food at planting as well as Good Earth brand Jump Start to promote rooting. Additional feedings with water soluble BR-61 (which is like steroids for flowers!) is also recommended. This can be done during warm spells for best utilization by the plants. For more information on planting, including soil prep, visit this blog post.
As mentioned above, pansies offer a wide variety of color choices. Blotch pansies, which are also referred to as ‘with face’ are pansies that feature a dark area near the middle of the plant. The blotch color varies depending on variety and may be a darker tone of the same color, or as on light colored pansies, it can be a dark maroon or brown color as shown in the first image. Blotch or no blotch, which to go with? It’s all a matter of personal choice, both are beautiful! Keep in mind that all these varieties we mention move fast, and there is a different selection each week. Don’t wait to plant or you could miss out on your favorite colors!
Pansy
Viola
Pansies typically have large blooms, which are very showy! However, sometimes the large blooms get weighed down with rain and winter weather. Depending on how long they are wet, they don’t always stand back up. Violas on the other hand have much smaller blooms that don’t get weighed down during rain, the result being flowers that stay upright. Violas are also known for more heat and cold tolerance, which can mean a better spring display. Although there are less color options in violas, there are some stunning ones out there.
Viola
Panola
One more great option to mention is Panola! Panolas have the best of both worlds, durability of the viola and the larger bloom size of a pansy. Plus there are more color options available in panola than there are with violas.
Panola
We can’t finish this conversation without mentioning one of our favorites; the Cool Wave trailing pansy. The bloom size is smaller but the trailing/ spreading growth habit of these plants makes it perfect for pots. Our staff knows from personal experience how awesome these are; we are talking gorgeous color, trailing out of containers with a length as long as eighteen inches! These also create mounds of color in landscape beds; the spreading habit means you can plant them much further apart.
Cool Wave Pansy
Don’t forget to add accents such as Dusty Miller and ornamental cabbage and kale.
Dusty Miller
And here is the last tip from us (for this post anyway!). Use quality potting soil in pots and prepare the planting area in landscape beds. You can get the best plant, plant them correctly and in the best spot, fertilize, water and mulch them, and STILL not have a great looking if the proper soil isn’t chosen or the bed areas haven’t been prepped. Take a minute to read the blog post referenced in the first paragraph and pick up some Good Earth brand Professional Growing Mix. It’s what we use for a reason… it’s the best. We look forward to seeing you this fall! Keep in mind that all these varieties we mentioned move fast, and there is a different selection each week. Don’t wait to plant or you could miss out on your favorite colors!
