Pansy

Pansy is the common name for a large group of garden flowers that can be found in a variety of colors. They are hybrids obtained by crossing the common violet known as Johnny jumpup (Viola tricolor) with other viola species. It is known scientifically by either the hybrid name Viola × wittrockiana or the subspecies name Viola tricolor hortensis.

Anatomy
The most pansies generally have 2 upper petals usually overlapping a little, 2 side petals, beards where the 3 under petals connect the flower in the central, and an indentation in a single bottom petal. Many pansies have a various color range including red, purple, black, white, orange, etc… Some pansies have a sweet scent. Early morning and dusk, they are most aromatic. Many pansies can be single, clear and various colors with no makings. Often, common pansies have a dark center, it’s called a face. Small pansy flowers usually look like Johnny jumpup flowers, often with slim black lines radiating from the central.

Reproduction
In urban environments, pansies usually reproduced (bred) in the north. They are a hardy plant that growing in sunny or partly sunny position. Often, the flowers grew by these individuals vary from gold though to purple and a deep blue so deep as to be black. Pansies commonly have about 2-year life cycles that called biennials. They generally produce green plants in the first year; in their second year of growth, they produced seeds and flowers, and afterwards die such as annuals. 

Ecology
Pansies grow for long under diverse like conditions with striking variations color and arrange that their origin is uncertain. Annuals, pansies usually have heart-shaped leaves at the bottom (base) and they usually grow 6 to 12 inches tall. Often, the garden pansy is a developed form of European grain field weeds. Wild pansy usually has purple or violet color and it’s also known as heartsease, and Johnny-jump-up.  In the South and Midwest, several pansies are generally used as an annual. Every year, several places in North America, many pansies grow outsides (outdoor). Several regions in California grow pansies outsides (outdoor) every year. It’s like called “plant for all seasons.”

History of Pansy
The name, “pansy”, is generally come from the pensée which is French word. It is usually named that because the flower petals look like a human face and nod forward as if thinking thoroughly. Its usually comparative, Viola, was named by the 4th century B.C.E in Greeks and for medicinal properties, it was cultivated. The most wild pansies lived on rocky ledges and in alpine fields, and had rounder flowers than the viola.

In the 1800s, William Thompson and his employer, Lord Gambier, started crossing Viola species, color combinations, strange colors, and selecting their plants for large flowers. In 1839, fortunately, Thompson discovered a bloom which had color blocks on the lower petals and named it “Medora”. The variety was popular in Europe. In America, the most pansies were respected.

A 1999 mail-order magazine explains the pansy as “The most popular of all flowers from seed.” Today, they still remain a popular garden flower. 

Related References

 * Introduction of Pansy By multiple authors, wikipedia
 * Pansy Plant answers
 * Ecology of pansy Answers
 * Pansy Clemson extension