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How to Grow Pansies: The Complete Pansy Flower Guide

yellow and purple pansies in terracotta pots
Photo Credit
Pixabay
Botanical Name
Viola x wittrockiana
Plant Type
Flower
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Part Sun
Soil pH
Slightly Acidic to Neutral
Bloom Time
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Flower Color
Blue
Multicolor
Orange
Pink
Purple
Red
White
Yellow
Hardiness Zone
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
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Planting, Growing, and Caring for Pansies

Catherine Boeckmann

Pansies are the cheerful flowers with upturned 鈥渇aces.鈥 They love cool weather and are popular for growing in spring and fall. They鈥檙e also edible, adding color to salads, drinks, and cakes. Here鈥檚 how to plant pansies and keep them growing and blooming for bright, happy gardens and containers.

About Pansies

Pansies are a type of Viola (Viola 脳 wittrockiana) with large heart-shaped, overlapping petals and one of the widest ranges of bright, pretty colors and patterns.

Suitable for containers and borders and as ground cover, they are a go-to flower for reliable color almost year-round in some places. Pansies look pretty in a monochrome scheme or mixed colors; they also look pretty when planted with other cool-season flowers such as primroses, trailing lobelia, and sweet alyssum.

Are Pansies Annual or Perennial Flowers? 

Most gardeners treat pansies (and all violas) as an annual, but they鈥檙e actually hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8. They tend to get too leggy in the heat of summer. There hasn鈥檛 been much success in producing heat-tolerant pansies that can adequately survive hot weather.

Pansies are surprisingly hearty in cold weather, though. They鈥檒l survive a frost, bouncing back from even single-digit temperatures. If the blooms wither in the cold, the plants will often stay alive to bloom again, which makes them a great flowering plant for fall and early winter color.

Pansies in a field

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Planting

Plant in moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil. See our articles on soil amendments and preparing soil for planting for more information. 

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 about 6 to 9 inches tall.

鈥淎 technique gaining in popularity is to plant spring blooming bulbs in fall in the usual fashion, and then install pansies in the same bed, right over the bulbs,鈥 explains . 鈥淭he bulbs will emerge and bloom, providing additional color while the bulb foliage ripens.  This is a great way to get more color from your beds until it鈥檚 time to plant summer annuals.鈥

When to Plant Pansies

  • Pansies can be planted in the early spring or in the fall. 
  • Pansies can be finicky to start from seed; buying established plants from a local nursery is a lot easier. Plus, you’ll get blooms a lot sooner.
  • But if you want to start from seed, start pansy seeds indoors in late winter, 8 to 10 weeks before the last spring frost, for early spring and summer flowering. Or, start seeds in late summer for fall and winter flowering. Pansy seeds may be slow to germinate (typically emerging in anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks, depending on soil temperature).
  • Set pansy plants in the ground when it becomes workable in the spring. They grow best when soil temperatures are between 45掳F and 65掳F (7掳C and 18掳C).
  • Pansies can tolerate a light frost just after planting, but try to hold off on putting them in the ground if temperatures are still regularly reaching well below freezing.

Growing Pansies in Pots

  • Pansies are great for containers. Just use standard potting soil designed for containers.
  • Plant in portable containers (12 inches or less in diameter) so the plants can be moved to a cooler area when the sun starts to get stronger. Early in the spring season or in the fall, a south-facing patio might be the perfect spot. During the summer, move pansies to the east side of your home for morning sun and afternoon shade.

Growing

How to Care for Pansies

  • Remember to water pansies regularly. One of the most common reasons pansies fail is that they are not watered enough, so if they are not doing well, try watering them more.
  • You can use a general, all-purpose fertilizer around your pansies to help them grow. Be wary of using a nitrogen-heavy fertilizer, as this can result in more foliage than flowers.
  • Remove faded/dead flowers to encourage the plants to produce more blooms and prolong the blooming season. You can either pinch off the flower bud or cut it off just below the faded bud.
pansies purple and yellow pansy flowers
Beautiful pansies are a wonderful addition to any garden!

Types

  • 鈥楯olly Joker鈥 blooms in spring and summer and has orange flowers with deep purple upper petals and a purple outline.
  • Princess Series, which offers a variety of colors such as blue, purple, and yellow.
  • Fama Series, which flowers in winter and spring and offers a wide variety of single- and mixed-colored flowers.

See 10 pansy varieties and pretty pictures!

Gardening Products

Wit and Wisdom

  • Pansies symbolize 鈥渢hinking鈥 or 鈥渢houghts.鈥 The word 鈥減ansy鈥 itself comes from French 辫别苍蝉茅别, meaning 鈥渢hought.鈥 Find out more flower meanings here.
  • Pansies are one of several edible garden flowers! They have a mild minty flavor and make for a lovely edible flourish on a salad or dessert.

Pests/Diseases

How Do You Keep Rabbits From Eating Pansies? 

Place dried sulfur, available at farm and garden supply stores, around the edge of your garden. You could also sprinkle bloodmeal around your pansies after each rainfall; it will also benefit the soil by adding nitrogen. However, don’t try it if you have dogs that roam the garden. They may be attracted to the scent and start digging.

Flowers
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it鈥檚 not surprising that she and The Old Farmer鈥檚 蜜桃恋人 found each other. She leads digital content for the 蜜桃恋人 website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
 

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Comments

Tammy Love (not verified)

5 years 3 months ago

My plants are all but dead but some flowers still persist. Do I cut them back, pull them, or leave them alone; they are now quite ugly compared to my petunias.

Celeste Pacifico (not verified)

5 years 7 months ago

I put my pansies in large containers. In the winter, can they remain outside or should I put them inside the house. If inside the house, do they need a sunny room or darkened room. Thanks

If they are well-established by winter, they can remain in their container outdoors or be taken inside to a dark, unheated area such as a garage, shed, or unfinished basement. If left outside, move the container to a place that’s protected from wind. You’ll also want to make sure that they don’t get too wet when the snow (if there is snow) melts and spring arrives; pansies can make it through winter without issue, but then be killed by excessive moisture in spring.

Alicia Ezekiel (not verified)

5 years 10 months ago

My favorite flower is the pansy. I just want to make sure that I take care of them the correct way. I bought some that are already bloomed so even though it is January. Will they still survive if its in 30degree weather? Thank you.

Pansies are very cold tolerant; in spring, they can survive a cold snap and bounce back without issue. However, if temperatures are still regularly below freezing and the ground is still quite cold, it’s best to hold off on planting.

Jacquie Lautermilch (not verified)

6 years 6 months ago

Hi,

Your article states pansies can be annual or perennials; they are actually biennials. They are great in early spring as they can handle a couple of degrees of frost.

shannonmartin (not verified)

7 years 1 month ago

Thank you. This is a good pansies page. It has tons of helpful information.

Maha (not verified)

7 years 5 months ago

Hi, I got Swiss mix pansy seeds and I just sowed them last week (late May) I live in Saudi Arabia - hot weather, but I have them indoor, how much water do they need in this weather and how can I let them germinate and then protect them to stay happy and beautiful all the time in such weather ?? Thank you.

Javeria (not verified)

7 years 5 months ago

Hi maha i am in saudia too and i planted my pansies today outdoor but in shade. Keep updating abt your progress.

Amy (not verified)

7 years 6 months ago

Hi there,
I am having the most terrible luck with my little pansies. I live in a little north facing apartment and have so far encountered all sorts of problems with growing pansies in pots, in doors. I have a whole of one successful plant!
A couple of few of them came with slugs from the nursery and I have one that is currently battling aphids.
My apartment faces due North and the outside wall is one long window, so there is plenty of sun. I leave my windows open and a fan on during the day to dissipate heat. I water my pansies everyday and I have the situated them and arranged my curtains such that they get sun in the morning and are in what constitutes shade there after.
Do you have any tips for growing these pretty little things indoors?