Pansies, Violas Make Ideal Winter Flower Gardens
October 27, 2016 | 1 min to read
Pansies and violas are popular cool-season bedding plants used to beautify gardens in Louisiana during fall, winter and spring. Pansies and violas thrive in the chilly nights and cool to mild days of the cool season from November to April. The cold weather of winter, even if temperatures should reach the teens, will not bother these plants in the least.
What does viola mean?
The term “viola” can be confusing. Viola is the Latin genus name for a group of related plants that are commonly called pansy, viola or violet.
In gardening, the term “violet” is typically the common name used for perennial Viola species that may be native wildflowers or garden ornamentals. The common name “viola” is used for hybrid plants developed mainly by crossing Viola cornuta with other species. They produce relatively small flowers on compact plants in a wide variety of colors. Finally, the term “pansy” is the common name used for Viola x wittrockiana. Pansies produce large flowers in many colors, often with “faces.”
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