How to Grow and Care for Pansy Flowers in Containers
Intro: Pansies are hybrid flowers that were developed in England in the early 1800s. Because pansies have been selectively bred by humans, they are hardy and bloom quickly. Flower colors include yellow, gold, orange, purple, red and white, and pansy flowers often have “faces” (think of the singing flowers in Alice in Wonderland). Pansy flowers are easy to care for and do well in container gardens.
Scientific Name: Viola × wittrockiana
Plant Type: Annual/biennial hybrid flower
Light: Sun to partial sun
Water: If they are kept in well-drained potting soil, make sure to water your pansy flowers about once a week. Do not overwater or let the water sit in the container.
Propagation: Grow pansy flowers from seeds.
Misc. Info: Pansies survive better in cooler weather (they can tolerate light freezes and frosts), but they do not do well in heat. Give pansy flowers fertilizer, perhaps once a week, to keep them strong, and remove blooms that are past their time to promote new blooms (this is called "deadheading"). Deadheading the pansy flowers will inhibit the development of seeds, though, if you’d like to collect the seeds. As with most plants, the pansy plant benefits from mulch, which helps keep moisture in and weeds out of their plant container.
