Fact Sheet for Texas A&M Floriculture Program Common Name Pansy and Viola or Johnny-Jump-Up Botanical Name Viola X wittrockiana (pansy); Viola tricolor (viola) Origin Hybrid (pansy); European naturalized in North America (viola) Product sizes Bedding plant, sold in autumn, survive winter, commence flowering late winter and early spring, wither in hot summer; cut flower Cultivars Hundreds for pansy organized into 3 flower sizes: 1.5-2.5, 2.5-3.5, 3.5-4.5-inch; violas come in various color combinations of yellow, purple-red, violet-blue, or white, 0.75-inch flowers Propagation Seed, germinate in dark, 60-64% germination at 65-750F; use primed seed in hot weather; violas like night temperature =600F Cost/propagule $0.02 – 0.20 seed or seedling plug Flowering control Long day decreases days to flower, increases flower number and internode length; night interruption increases height; short day produces short, sturdy stems Temperature High summer temperatures limit flowering by causing a decline in vigor; 40-550F after root establishment; >600F growth is weak and internodes elongate Light Supplemental HID decrease days to flower and increases flower number; use full light unless shade is needed to reduce temperature Water Never allow to be water stressed Nutrition (know Moderate feeder; 100 ppm N is sufficient, use symptoms and only nitrate N; B and Ca deficiency cause treatment for ones cupping & distortion of new foliage underlined below) N P K Ca Mg S Fe Mn Zn Cu B Mo Cl Ni E.C. ? pH 5.5-6.0 if too high or too much Ca = B deficiency; <5.5 = Ca deficiency or Fe & Mn toxicity = rusty mottling on foliage Height reduction Not needed if cool temperatures and high light prevail; Bonzi 2-15 ppm; Sumagic 3-6 ppm; Bnine 2500 ppm; DIF; water stress Spacing In garden beds 8 to 9-inches apart (pansy); 6 to 8-inch apart (viola); in flats space flat to flat Pinching/disbud None Support NA Insects (be able to Aphids; thrips identify those listed) Diseases (know Damping off (Pythium and Rhizoctonia); leaf symptoms and spot; Botrytis; Root and crown rot treatments for those listed) Physiol. Disorders Insufficient flower size due to high production (know symptoms temperature and/or late application of growth and treatments for retardants; Mottled Pansy Syndrome = those listed) elongated, twisted, streaked leaves, cause unknown When to harvest Cut flowers, when flower is almost fully open, (plant development store in water at 34-410F, up to 7 days stage) Improving Plugs can be stored 16 weeks at 410F with 5 postharvest quality fc and at 32-360F in the dark; moderately and longevity sensitive to ethylene Shipping requirements Expected NA postharvest longevity Market period Fall sales for fall planting and late winter and spring flowering in the south; spring sales in the north Market price ? .