The pansy and the viola are very similar and belong to the same family (Violaceae). Pansies are used mainly for summer bedding, although they can be treated as perennials and increased utilizing cuttings. This is what is done to perpetuate outstanding varieties for show purposes. In most gardens, however, pansies are treated as biennial plants and discarded after flowering. Various colorful strains have been produced by crossing the Viola tricolor with selected varieties ‘Monarch Strain,’ ‘Engelman’s,’ ‘Roggli’ of Swiss origin, and ‘Morel’s’ or by hybridizing different strains.
The work continues, and there is no telling what splendid flowers will appear· in the years to come. What is known as the Fancy Pansy is grown for exhibition purposes and has superseded the Show Pansy. For show work, the flower should be large, circular in outline, and have smooth, thick, velvety petals without serrations. The middle of the flower should be slightly convex, with the petals gently reflexed. The colors should be harmonious, with a margin of uniform width, and the yellow eye should be large, bright, and clearly defined. The flower should be not less than 2 inches in diameter.
Growing Pansies
Pansies thrive in well-drained, deeply dug soil enriched with bonemeal or well-rotted horse manure. Choose an open position, preferably with some shade from the midday sun. Where the soil is heavy, forks in gritty material, old, weathered ashes, sharp sand, brick dust or compost, and a lime dressing may help break up the soil. The bed should be raised about 6 inches above the surrounding level with such soil. Dig in cow manure and garden compost on light soil some weeks before planting.
Planting may be either in the autumn or in the spring, but this depends upon local conditions. Plants put out in the autumn usually start to flower earlier than those bedded out in spring; however, on heavy soil, it is wise to defer planting until the spring. Where plants are put out in the autumn, top-dress the bed or border with equal parts of loam, sedge peat or leafmould, and sharp sand a week or two after planting. This will provide proper protection to the roots during the winter. The plants are reasonably hardy but will not withstand excessive winter wet. When planting is done in the spring, this should be during the second half of March as long as there are no bitter east winds. Set out the plants about 10-12 inches apart, and during dry weather, water them freely in the evenings.
Propagation is by seed sown in light soil in boxes or pans in July or August and placed in a cold, shady frame. Transplant the seedlings into flowering positions in September or early October, or prick out and overwinter in a cold frame. Outstanding plants may be increased by cuttings taken in August or September and inserted in sandy soil in a cold, shady frame or by division in September or October. For exhibition purposes, allow one bloom only to grow on each shoot, removing other buds at an early stage. Plants grown for exhibition should be fed with weak liquid fertilizer once a week throughout the growing season (see also Viola).
Strains and cultivars include
- ‘Cardinal Giant’, brilliant red.
- ‘Chantreyland ‘, apricot.
- ‘Coronation Gold ‘, yellow flushed orange.
- ‘Early Flowering Giant ‘, sky blue.
- ‘Engelmann’s Giant,’ mixed colors.
- ‘Felix’ strain, large flowers, various colors, yellow centers.
- ‘Feltham Triumph,’ various colors.
- ‘Indigo Blue’, blue with dark blotches.
- ‘King of the Blacks·.
- ‘Masquerade·. vanous light color combinations.
- ‘Pacific Toyland F2Hybrids·, mixed colors.
- ‘Paper White’.
- ‘Roggli’, mixed colors, huge flowers.
- ‘St Knud ‘, lower petals orange, upper apricot.
- ‘Westland Giants’, mixed colors, huge flowers.
Winter-flowering kinds (flowering from February onwards).
These include
- ‘Ce lestial Queen’, sky-blue.
- ‘Helios’, golden yellow.
- ‘Ice King’, white with dark spots.
- ‘Jupiter’, sky-blue with a purple blotch.
- ‘March Beauty’, velvety purple.
- ‘Moon light’, primrose-yellow.
- ‘Orion ‘, golden yellow.
- ‘Winter Sun’, golden-yellow with dark spots.
Pansy stem rot
This disease is called pansy sickness, in which the stem base and roots rot, and the plant turns yellow. It is now common among pansies and violas, and it is necessary to plant on fresh ground and to sprinkle a tiny 4 percent calomel dust in the planting holes. Do not plant too deeply. The fungus responsible for the stem rot is called Myrothecium roridum.