Wikimedia Commons
Violaceae
Pansy
Viola × wittrockiana
Thoughtfulness, remembrance (from French 'pensée').
- Family
- Violaceae
- Genus
- Viola
- Native to
- Hybrid developed in Europe
- Bloom season
- Spring, Fall, Winter (Mild Climates)
- Type
- herbaceous (grown as annual or biennial)
- Height
- 15–25 cm
- Sunlight
- Full sun to partial shade
- Soil
- Rich, moist, well-drained
- Water
- Regular
- Hardiness
- 6–10
- Lifespan
- Short-lived
Did you know
- The pansy is a hybrid developed in the 1800s by Lady Mary Elizabeth Bennet from wild violas.
- Their distinctive 'faces' are created by dark blotches that guide pollinators to the nectar.
- Pansies are cold-hardy and can survive light snow — making them popular winter bedding plants.
- Pansy petals are edible and commonly used to decorate cakes, salads, and desserts.
- Shakespeare mentions pansies in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and 'Hamlet' as symbols of love-thoughts and remembrance.