Scientific: Viola cornuta
Common: horned pansy, horned violet, tufted violet, Johnny jump-up
Family: Violaceae
Origin: Mountain regions above 3,500 feet across southern Europe from the Pyrenees and Cordillera Cantábrica of northern Spain to the Rila mountains in Bulgaria.
Pronounciation: Vi-O-la core-NEW-ta
Hardiness zones
Sunset All (in Phoenix used exclusively as a cool season annual)
USDA All
Landscape Use: Exclusively a winter cool season bedding plant in Phoenix, an edging plant for mixed color borders and flower gardens, contianers, front entries, hanging baskets.
Form & Character: Low, prostrate and clumping, formal, gay, delicate, bright, festive, petite, cheerful.
Growth Habit: Evergreen, herbaceous, short-lived perennial that in Phoenix is grown strictly as a cool season annual, short, basally clumping to 4 inches in height with similar spread.
Foliage/Texture: Basal clumps of small, medium dark green, ovate shape with scalloped to crenate margins; medium fine texture.
Flowers & Fruits: Single to multiple-colored, open-faced flowers to 2 inches or less in diameter, 5 strap-shaped petals with a slender spur, 2 petals facing upwards and 3 facing downwards, nearly every color combination imaginable (even black or black purple); fruits insignificant.
Seasonal Color: Horned pansy is outstanding as a winter bedding plant for floral accent color in Phoenix. The are so many color options!
Temperature: Ideal growing condition are from 40 to 65oF. Cold hardy to 5oF, but above 90oF horned panies will die (this starts every year in April in Phoenix).
Light: Full winter early spring sun for best flowering. Partial shade prolongs plant viability into late spring, but reduces flower numbers.
Soil: A well-drained garden soil with copious amounts of organic matter is best for peak flower performance. Pansies are highly salt sensitive.
Watering: Frequent and regular to keep soil evenly moist.
Pruning: None
Propagation: Seed, although for landscape use purchase young plants in small containers, often called nursery "six packs".
Disease and Pests: Soil fungal diseases and California brown snails.
Additional comments: Horned pansy is a delicate and cheerful addition to any winter garden in Phoenix. There are SO many cultivated selections, many of which are hybrids with Viola × wittrockiana, designated as Viola × williamsii. The young leaves and flower buds are edible, both raw or cooked.
Taxonomic tidbits: The common name 'horned pansy' refers to the long, thin, upward pointing nectar spur on each flower. The specific epithet cornuta means horned......am I'm sensing a theme emerging here?
