A Passion for Pansies.

Every year with the coming of autumn, I fall in love again. I swear I won't, but it always happens. I am helplessly overcome by the power a smiling face that wears every color of the rainbow and cheers me endlessly. As I stand in the nursery, it is the pansy that always steals my heart. I remember the first time I met a distant cousin Johnny Jump-Up in northern California. He and his friends were packed into a large graceful garden bed, standing so close together that all I saw was a dazzle of delicate purple and yellow blooms that mimicked miniature butterflies. I had to have them all. After that first encounter my winters would never be dull and colorless again.

Even to the most unseasoned gardener, the pansy is as familiar as petunia. This cool season flower could be considered a biennial or perennial but is used primarily by Southern gardeners as an annual that is planted with the departure of summer and the advent of cooler weather. The pansy (Viola x wittrockiana) is an extremely adaptable plant. It can be planted in beds, containers, and rock gardens, and is both edible and fragrant. The pansy flower resembles a face framed with petals of equal size, creating a soft circle. The appeal of pansies lies in their bold vivid colors that are especially appealing showstoppers when planted in mass. The truly remarkable aspect of this delicate flower, however, is its ability to withstand freezing temperatures, providing gardeners with that highly sought after off-season planting choice. Peak bloom time is usually March and April.

Sorting out the history of the pansy with regard to the viola can be a challenge because of so man conflicting opinions. After a few conversations with growers and more than a few page turns in some reference books, it is clear that they are related. One of the clearer explanations provided is by Jack Kramer in The New Gardener's Handbook and Dictionary in which he states that the pansy, as well as violets and violas, are part of the genus Viola, which contains hundreds of species. For anyone familiar with the springtime woods, the small white or purple flowers of wild violets are vaguely reminiscent of the pansy.

The pansy is the perfect choice for gardeners wishing to bring some color into the landscape during the off season. Mississippi wholesale growers begin thinking about pansies around August when most of us are hiding indoors from the oppressive summer heat. Pansies can be sown from seed or grown from plugs. Most Mississippi growers choose to grow their pansies from plugs that are grown from seed in cooler parts of the country such as Colorado or Michigan. Varieties are classified by color, bloom size, height, and other specific characteristics such as heat and cold tolerance. Some varieties are also affected by day length. Pansies are usually identified by series. For instance, Baby Bingo is a series that contains many varieties. Pansy colors are referred to as solid colors or "clear" blooms and as those with blotch faces of multiple colors.

Mississippians will find there are knowledgeable growers in all parts of the state that can describe specific varieties and help with selection. Jamie Holland of Dutch Brothers Greenhouse located in Lucedale can provide a unique mixture of hands-on growing experience combined with a broader view of developments with the pansy. Holland served as chairman for the Mississippi Medallion's herbaceous committee during the time that the hybrid, the Panola Panache, was being promoted as a Mississippi Medallion plant. Holland explained that the Panola Panache, chosen as a 2000 Mississippi Medallion winner, is a hybrid between a pansy and a viola with a bloom that is larger than a viola's but smaller than a pansy's. The plants have growth habits more like a viola. The plant was grown throughout the state for a year and evaluated against certain trial standards for exceptional performance. The panolas are available in both solid colors and blotch faced flowers. Norman Winter of Mississippi State University reported tha t the panolas performed well this past year through the cold winter and that new colors are to be introduced soon. Holland stated that the only downside to this new pansy was its limited availability due to the new release. Holland's personal recommendations for buyers are the Bingo and Majestic Giant series for the blotched flowers with larger blooms. For clear colors with a medium bloom, Holland recommends pansies from the Crown or Dynamite series. Winter suggests trying the new Colossus series.

For northern Mississippi growers, Sabrina Childs of Tippah County Growers located near Walnut is a wealth of pansy knowledge, and surprisingly enough, echoes some of the same information for northern gardeners as Holland does for those in the south. Childs believes that the Bingo series is a good choice because the plants are more compact. Color include clear yellow, clear white, an blue blotch. She has successfully grown Bingo clear yellow from October to June in partial shade.

She recommends Autumn Blaze and a newer variety Bailey Bingo Fire, which is a mixture of red and yellow. For a trailing pansy to use in baskets or planters, Winter and Childs say an often overlooked but good choice is the Purple Rain which has a purple bloom with a yellow eye. For those hoping to stay ahead of the game the All-American selection winner for 2002, Ultima Morpho, has yellow and blue blooms. Childs reports that some colors such as yellow, purple, and blue tend to be hardier plants.

Planting pansies is as easy as enjoying them. Both Holland and Childs stated that gardeners will have the most success if they plant after the first of October. Pansies will tolerate full sun to partial shade and are most effective when grown in soil that is well drained. Winter believes that soil preparation is essential. He recommends adding organic matter at least 5 to 6 inches deep to help develop a strong root system. Another hint is to mulch pansies to keep the plants protected from the heat and cold.

Pansies make wonderful companion plants. Plant pansies with any type of spring flowering bulb, dusty miller, ornamental cabbages, or kale. Childs suggested the Bright Lights variety of Swiss chard as a taller companion plant that adds height to a bed. For variety, Winter suggests the new Mississippi 2001 Medallion winner Bouquet Purple dianthus.

If your heart is set only on pansies, I have to agree with Winter that any mass planting of a single color is incredibly striking. No matter the pansy chosen, a Mississippi winter will never be gray again.

PANSY SUGAR COOKIES (as shown on page 33)

2 cups butter (softened)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter. Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, beat well. Gradually add flour to beaten mixture. Divide dough into thirds. Shape each third into a roll about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut dough into 1/8-inch thick slices. For each cookie, arrange 5 slices on an ungreased cookie sheet to resemble a pansy. The first 2 slices should overlap slightly. The second 2 should be side by side and overlapping the first 2 slices. The last slice should be centered between the third and fourth slices. Press lightly in the center of the flower, making an indention. Press in the edge of each slice to make flower petal appearance. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove cookies to wire rack to paint.

EDIBLE DECORATOR PAINT

1 egg yolk 

1/2 teaspoon water

Assorted colors of paste food coloring

(yellow, pink, blue, and lavender)

Small, soft paint brush

Mix egg yolk with water. Divide mixture into several small cups. Add paste food coloring as desired. If needed, add additional water, 1 drop at a time, to make paint the consistency of ink.

TO PAINT PANSIES:

Use a light coat of watered-down paint for the base color, taking care not to get cookie too wet. When dry, paint on shading and details if desired. When painting the cookies it is helpful to have real pansies or pictures of pansies to refer to. Return cookies to cookie sheet and bake for 2 minutes more to set the paint. Remove to wire rack and cool.