Pansies or Violets?

Pansies love spring weather. It seems other than the typical Easter flowers, pansies are the first plants to become available in early spring. They thrive in the cooler temperatures and I love having them in my garden.

The pansy is a group of large-flowered hybrid plants cultivated as garden flowers. Pansies are derived from viola species Viola tricolor hybridized with other viola species. The common words "pansy" and "violet" are often used interchangeably.  
When a distinction is made, plants considered to be pansies have four petals pointing upwards, and only one pointing down. Violets have three petals pointing up and two pointing down.

However, modern horticulturalists tend to use the term "pansy" for those multi-coloured large-flowered hybrids that are grown for bedding purposes every year, while "viola" is usually reserved for smaller, more delicate annuals and perennials. 

The pansy flower is two to three inches in diameter and has two slightly overlapping upper petals, two side petals, and a single bottom petal with a slight beard emanating from the flower's center.

They come in many colors, from single colors to varigated varites.

 Here we can see the beginning bud of the pansy.

 Hope you have enjoyed seeing these images of my pansies. Spring is such a wonderful time, even here in Florida. Many may not think that we have a spring, but we do. Flowers begin to bloom and birds are migrating.


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