Scientific Name
Viola tricolor L.
Common Name(s)
Heartsease, Heart's Ease, Heart's Delight, Tickle-My-Fancy, Jack-Jump-Up-and-Kiss-Me, Come-and-Cuddle-Me, Three Faces in a Hood, Love-in-Idleness, Johnny Jump Up, Pansy, Wild Pansy, European Wild Pansy, Field Pansy, Miniature Pansy
Synonym(s)
Viola macedonica, Jacea tricolor, Mnemion tricolor, Viola luteola, Viola nemausensis
Scientific Classification
Family: Violaceae
Subfamily: Violoideae
Tribe: Violeae
Genus: Viola
Flower
Color: Purple, blue, yellow, or white
Bloom Time: April to September
Description
Viola tricolor is a small annual or short-lived perennial plant with a creeping and ramping habit. It grows up to 6 inches (15 cm) tall. Stems are light green to purplish-green, glabrous, and angular. Leaves are simple, lobed, or unlobed but not separated into leaflets and are medium green in color. The flowers are up to 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) in diameter and different in color: purple, blue, yellow, or white. The plant blooms from April to September.
How to Grow and Care
Viola plants prefer cool to warm climates and wilt a bit in mid-summer heat. In warmer areas, we recommend partial shade. They tolerate a variety of soils. Add a general-purpose fertilizer when planting them, then once a month after that. Once your Viola plants are established, they should grow well, even if left unattended. Soil should be moist but not wet. Water them during dry periods, once or twice per week. Keep them well weeded. Remove spent blooms to promote additional blooms and extend the blooming period. This will also keep the appearance neat and beautiful.
Violas are grown from seeds. They like full to partial sun. Viola can be directly seeded into your flower garden or seeded indoors for transplanting later. For spring blooms, you need to start your Viola in pots and containers indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Violas.
Origin
This species is native to Europe.
Links
- Back to genus Viola
- Plantpedia: Browse flowering plants by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, or Origin
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