How to Grow and Use Viola, Pansy, and Violet Flowers - Garden Therapy (2024)

FAQs

How to Grow and Use Viola, Pansy, and Violet Flowers - Garden Therapy? ›

There is no wrong color palette when it comes to planting Pansies and Violas, in my book anyway. Of course, some colors compliment each other better than others, but they all look amazing and you can definitely mix several types together.

There is no wrong color palette when it comes to planting Pansies and Violas, in my book anyway. Of course, some colors compliment each other better than others, but they all look amazing and you can definitely mix several types together.

Both the leaves and flowers can be added to salads for pops of color and flavor, or used as delicate garnishes on almost any type of dish. They're often used to decorate cakes and other baked goods due to their manageable size and wide range of colors and patterns.

Ideally, pansies and violas like lots of sun in the spring and early summer, but they tend to struggle with too much summer heat. A great setting would be one that gets full sun before the trees are fully leafed out and dappled shade during the summer.

Pansies always have four petals pointing upwards and only one pointing downwards, whereas violas have two petals pointing up and three petals pointing down.

when to plant violas. Sow viola seed undercover in the spring in March and April or in the autumn in September and October. Plant out seedlings in the spring. If growing winter-flowering varieties, these can be planted out in the winter months.

Are pansies annuals or perennials? Pansies are typically classified as biennials, or short-lived perennials, because they will sometimes return for a second season of bloom, especially in areas with cool summers and moderate winters, such as the Pacific Northwest.

Medicinal Uses of Wild Violets

They are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and a blood cleanser. They are good for coughs and colds, and can be made into a violet leaf and honey cough syrup. Violets can also be used topically for skin conditions like eczema, dry skin, bug bites, and varicose veins.

Maintenance Tips. In order to keep pansies and violas looking their best, they need to be deadheaded pretty frequently, at least once a week for best results. If they are in a pot by your front door, you may be able to quickly remove the spent flowers and seedpods everyday.

With proper care, violas can bloom all summer and most will bloom again in the fall. Or, particularly in hot, southern climates, they can be removed and replaced with another flower during the summer, then planted again when cooler weather returns in the fall.

How long do pansies and violas last? ›

That means if you plant them in the autumn, pansies can last up to eight months, from September to April or May, providing colorful blooms for much of that time. They usually aren't very pretty in the dead of winter, but their spring blooms can be even more robust when the plants have been in the ground since fall.

Violas bloom easily and for a fairly long time—most of the spring and summer, save for the hottest weeks. To keep yours blooming, deadhead spent flowers, lightly fertilize once a month during the growing season, and cut back your plants in late summer to prepare for autumn blooms.

Viola, Perennial (Viola spp.)

Perennial violas look a lot like their cousins, pansies. But, perennial violas offer the benefit of coming back year after year, adding early-season color to the garden, as well as lots of curb appeal first thing in the season when relatively few other plants bloom.

Allow violas to reseed each year. At the end of the season, allow flowers to drop seed after blooming. Many varieties (including Johnny jump-up) will reseed easily each year.

Violas make great border plants in your garden and are often recommended for ground cover, according to Learning With Experts. They will spread and make flowering clumps, particularly under shrubs such as roses, with which they combine very well.

Pansies: These beauties add so much color and interest to our cool weather garden in the gulf coast area. There are so many to choose from, but good news is, the hummers love all varieties the same!

Planting Violas in the Garden:

Select a location in full sun to part shade with well-drained soil. Prepare the bed by turning the soil under to a depth of 6-12, inches removing any debris, and lightly raking as level as possible.

Light: Violas are tolerant of most conditions, yet will thrive in full sun or part shade especially during the spring, yet will easily fade in full sun during summer heat, and best to transplant into dappled shade. Soil: Moist, nutrient-rich soil that is well drained and supplemented with compost.

For pansies, be sure to deadhead (remove spent blooms) regularly to encourage lots of flower production and to minimize disease spread during periods of wet weather.

Pansies grown in pots can be left outdoors through the winter – just give them a deep watering before a hard freeze, and consider covering them during any extremely frigid weather.

Are violas toxic to dogs? ›

Pansies (Viola tricolor var. hortensis) are also considered non-toxic to pets and can even love through a little frost!

The ancient Romans were said to use the violet fragrance to make wine, and other cultures valued violet for its aphrodisiacs and love potions, perfumes.. Violets were said to be valuable in healing matters of the heart, both physical and in terms of love relationships.

Violet flowers can be used to garnish salads or flavor vinegar and syrup. Pick them fresh for salads or freeze them while you continue to collect enough of the desired quantity for an infused vinegar or syrup recipe.

Violet contains salicylic acid, which is similar to the pain-relieving component in aspirin, and both the leaves and flower are used to ease headaches. It can help support restful sleep and is a nice addition to a gentle sleep blend.

Growing violas from cuttings

It is possible to propagate most violas from stem cuttings taken in summer from the current year's non-flowering shoots. Take cuttings around 5-7.5cm (2-3in) long, cutting just below a leaf joint, or node.

Do not overwater, particular when you plant them containers – water once week at most. And when temps dip below 20 degrees, relocate moveable containers into an unheated garage if possible. (Don't worry if yours are planted in the ground – they will bounce back, as pansies always do!)

If you don't deadhead pansies you will end up with fewer blooms and a greater chance of disease.

In the language of flowers, Viola is a symbol of innocence, modesty, and decency by the allusion of its little corolla, which seems to hesitate to leave its casket of leaves. Blue, its main color, shows fidelity. The white of the flower evokes happiness and expresses a first love or an emerging love.

Store Your Viola in a Cool Area

However, avoid keeping your viola at temperatures greater than 80 degrees. If your viola is kept in extreme temperatures (greater than 100 degrees) give it some time to acclimate to a lower temperature when you reach your destination.

Violas are small, edible flowers that are a part of a line of specialty blossoms grown by Fresh Origins Farm in San Diego, California. The delicate blooms can be used whole as a garnish and provide dishes with a subtle, sweet and vegetal flavor.

Do you water pansies every day? ›

Watering: Consistent moisture keeps pansy blossoms soft and supple, but roots won't tolerate soggy soil. Water pansies regularly through the growing season, but allow soil to dry slightly between waterings. The drier soil conditions also help pansies harden off and tolerate cold.

Viola tricolor (Johnny Jump up) is listed in the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States. According to the U.S Forest Service, Invasive species have contributed to the decline of 42% of U.S. endangered and threatened species, and for 18% of U.S. endangered or threatened species.

The standard fertility program used on summer annuals — 200 ppm 20-20-20 or a slow release/granular fertilizer — should work well for pansies during the remainder of the growing season. Removing frost-damaged flowers and old, faded flowers should be a top priority with pansies.

Common Reasons Why Pansies Aren't Blooming

Pansies prefer cool temperatures, and flower production slows down as the temperature climbs. The plant may not bloom during a heat wave. Continue to water the plant; buds may emerge when the temperature breaks.

The good news is that a wide variety of the plants are offered as easy to grow seeds and, in some areas, they will naturally reseed themselves. That means the flowers may reappear the next year but just as second generation volunteers.

Use one-half pound of ammonium sulfate per 100 square feet of bed area. Repeat the application every 4 to 6 weeks, depending on rainfall. Dried blood meal or cottonseed meal are also excellent sources of fertilizer for pansies and violas. Be sure to water well after applying fertilizers.

Companions: Plant violas with low-growing grasses like blue fescue and some Carex varieties, fairy primroses, Iceland poppies, ferns, helichrysum, artemisia, heuchera, alyssum. In warm climates, they're a good over-planting for spring-blooming bulbs like daffodils and tulips.

Give your pansies or violas a long, deep watering about once a week. Water again whenever you notice that the top inch of soil has dried out. To make sure you don't deprive your plants of water, check the soil with your finger every two or three days.

Most violas are either short-lived perennials, usually lasting a maximum of two years, or annuals which will die every year, after their growth cycle is over. However, most violas “self-seed”. After they die, their seeds will be mixed into the soil – and they'll regrow next year, without you having to do a thing!

They attract pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, which are essential for a healthy ecosystem. Many viola species also have edible flowers and leaves, which can be used in salads, desserts, teas, or as decorative garnishes.

Can you plant violas in the fall? ›

An important step in keeping year-round color in the garden and landscape is planting and transitioning the annual color plants.

Pansies and Violas are hardy plants and will survive a frost—and even a hard freeze—for a period of time. Depending on how hard the frost was, flowers that were blooming may wither, but the plants will stay alive.

While violets can mean the whole family of Violaceae, violets often refer to a much smaller flower native to the area used in woodland gardens. Is a Viola a Violet? Violas are part of the violet family, Violaceae. The genus Viola consists of more than 600 plants in the violet family.

A container of just about any size is suitable for your violas, so long as it's a minimum of four inches deep. The flowers like to have some elbow room, so planting one for every six to eight inches of container space is a good rule of thumb. Alternatively, plant one on its own in a small, four-inch pot.

Ideally, pansies and violas like lots of sun in the spring and early summer, but they tend to struggle with too much summer heat. A great setting would be one that gets full sun before the trees are fully leafed out and dappled shade during the summer.

Companions. Combine petite pansies with other hardy annuals such as dusty miller or dianthus. Pansies also combine well with chrysanthemums, marigolds and other popular autumn flowers.

Companions. Combine petite violas with other hardy annuals such as cineraria or dianthus. Violas also combine well with chrysanthemums, marigolds and other popular autumn flowers.

Companions: Plant violas with low-growing grasses like blue fescue and some Carex varieties, fairy primroses, Iceland poppies, ferns, helichrysum, artemisia, heuchera, alyssum. In warm climates, they're a good over-planting for spring-blooming bulbs like daffodils and tulips.

Plant Rainbows of Color

In landscape beds, give pansies plenty of space, arranging plants 8 or 10 inches apart. It may look sparse at first, but plants will fill out. Wider spacing provides good air circulation around plants, lowering the chances of disease or pest outbreaks.

Pansies like full or partial sun, but need cooler temperatures to thrive. The ideal planting site will get morning sun but avoid the late afternoon heat. Space the plants about 7 to 12 inches apart. They will spread about 9 to 12 inches and grow to be about 6 to 9 inches tall.