Pansy and Viola

The growers are getting ready for a busy fall season. So what should you plant? In my opinion… pansies and violas. Matrix pansies have quickly become one of the Southeast’s leading cool season bedding plants. There is a wide range of colors available. Many have the traditional blotch, sometimes known as being faced. This is the dark coloration of the lower flower petals. A really attractive group of Matrix flowers have the clear colors. These flowers don’t have a blotch, and really flash pure color. In my opinion, Matrix pansies are the best for gardeners in Mississippi. These pansies have freely branching growth habits and will about eight inches tall and wide. When massed together, as pansies were meant to be planted, they create an impressive colorful landscape carpet. My other favorite fall bedding plant is the viola, but most gardeners I know call them by their common name… Johnny Jump-up. Violas are good choices for both landscape and containers. The Penny Citrus mix is a prolific flower producer. Flower colors include cream, orange, primrose, yellow and yellow frost. I really like the Penny Azure, which is a gorgeous white and bright blue flower with purple streaks. Sorbet violas look great mass planted like these sunny sorbet yellow or colorful sorbet orange or blinding bright Sorbet white. There are really nice multi-colors like Sorbet Jump Up Mix as well. The viola can easily thrive from Thanksgiving all of the way through Easter. Pansy or viola…..whichever you choose, I know you won’t be disappointed. I’m horticulturist Gary Bachman, and I’ll see you next time on Southern Gardening.