The pansy or pansy violet is a cultivated garden flower. It is derived from the wildflower called the Heartsease or Johnny Jump Up (Viola tricolor), and is sometimes given the subspecies name Viola tricolor hortensis. However, many garden varieties are hybrids and are referred to as Viola × wittrockiana. The name "pansy" also appears as part of the common name of a number of wildflowers belonging, like the cultivated pansy, to the violet genus Viola. One or two unrelated flowers such as the Pansy Monkeyflower also have "pansy" in their name. Wikipedia

Pansy flowers

Pansy plants are quite a hardy one, growing well in sunny or partially sunny positions. Pansies are technically biennials that normally have two-year life cycles. The first year they only produce greenery; they bear flowers and seeds in their second year of growth, and afterwards die like annuals. More about gardening pansies here.

Pansy flowers can survive light freezes or a little snow, but not for very long. In warmer climates, pansies can bloom over the winter, and are often planted in the fall. In these climates, pansies have been known to re-seed themselves and come back the next year. Pansy flowers should be watered thoroughly about once a week, depending on climate and recent rainfall. For maximum bloom, use plant food about every other week, according to the plant food directions.

A raised bed in full sun is the best place to grow pansies. They need six hours or more of sunlight, then pansy flowers will perform admirably. There are two main types of pansies: clear-faced and monkey-faced. The monkey-faced variety has a dark blotch in the middle of the face. Pansies are available in a wide assortment of colors, such as, yellow, brown, blue, red, white, maroon, and orange, among others. The pictures in this site are just an example of some of the many styles and colors you could find pansies.

Pansy picture

There are more than 250 cultivars of pansies. Most of the cultivars are part of a series. A series consists of several cultivars that vary in color but share qualities such as hardiness, form, markings and so on. Some of them are Majestic Giant, Medallion, Imperial, Jolly Joker, Crystal Bowl, Maxim, Padparadja, Universal, and Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Blue pansies can be found on Crystal Bowl, Delta, Maxim and Imperial series of pansy flowers, while red pansies are very common on Bingo, Delta, Karma, Fama and Majestic Giants. Jolly Joker pansies are velvety purple with an orange face. Antique Shades is a mix of unique colors from apricot to rose.