Pansies don't deserve the name.
They are tough little plants that go into the ground just when their fragile sisters are coming out.
Pansies bloom in the cold of winter, putting out new buds even as the other flowers freeze. They will sleep under the snow, and be ready to go again in the spring. Only the heat of summer defeats pansies.
Pansies have been planted in the South for generations. "But they have crept further north every year," said Cort Smith, a member of the family that owns Walnut Creek Nursery, a wholesaler in Howard County.
"We started trialing them here in about 1994 to see if they would overwinter," he said. "Maryland turned out to be pretty decent for pansies."
Landscapers were the first to use pansies in commercial properties, planting them when the last of the mums gave out. They were also ideal for very early spring.
Smith says home gardeners jumped on board in the late 1990s, and growers have accommodated them with new colors and larger faces.
It is the miracle of the pansy's resurrection in March or April that is so appealing, I think. It can appear quite dead in winter. But suddenly, before even the daffodils are blooming, it can raise its pretty face to the sky again.
"If you are patient, they will always come back," Smith said.
Though larger pansies have that splashy appeal, it is the smaller-faced pansies and the violas, with their dime-sized flowers, that are coming into vogue.
Smith said they appear to overwinter better. And when the larger blooms fade, they are not only unsightly, they can cover the plant and inhibit its growth, Smith said.
Pansies are inexpensive and come in colors from white to almost black, including deep roses and oranges. They are wonderful dotting a barren landscape during winter, mounded in a container or planted along a walk or driveway. The more, the merrier.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when planting pansies.
* You can start pansies from seed, but it is too late to do that this year.
* Plant in full sun before the first frost so the roots have time to get established. Wet the roots and water the pansies. And don't forget to water if the winter is dry.
* Pansies are heavy feeders, so fertilize every three or four weeks with a fertilizer with a high middle number, such as 0-10-0 or 0-10-10. Don't forget to deadhead to encourage new blooms.
* Pansies like daytime temperatures of about 60 degrees and nighttime temperatures in the 40s. But they can survive snow and freezing temperatures.
* Pansies are edible. Not only will they not harm pets or children, the blossoms add color and flavor to a winter salad. Candied and sprinkled with sugar, pansies can be used to decorate a cake, too.
