Pansy
One of the few flowers that will bloom right through a cold, grey winter, tolerating both sun and shade; watch for mildew in damp, poorly ventilated spots and keep deadheading to prolong flowering.
- Sun
- partial sun
- Water
- moderate
- Spacing
- 20cm
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
- Mature height
- 15cm
- Flowering season
- Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
- Common diseases
- Powdery mildew
- Common pests
- Slugs and snails
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: March-April.
Growing stages
Germination & planting
- Plant out in autumn for winter and spring colour; tolerates both full and partial sun
- Protect young seedlings from slugs and snails
Establishment
- Space plants around 20cm apart with reasonable airflow between them to help prevent mildew
- Water moderately while roots settle in
Vegetative growth
- Low, compact growth to about 15cm; watch for powdery mildew in damp, poorly ventilated spots
- Slugs and snails remain a risk to low-growing foliage
Flowering
- One of the few flowers that blooms right through a cold, grey winter
- Keep deadheading to prolong flowering through winter and into spring
- Watch for mildew developing on foliage in damp conditions