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.

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 pansy now has one of the widest color ranges of any bedding plant and includes red, purple, blue, navy, bronze, pink, black, yellow, white, lavender, orange, apricot and mahogany. The five-petaled flowers generally have a round shape and may be of a single clear color or have two or three colors with a face.

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