Flowers have five petals, with the lowest petal having a cup-like projection extending to the back of the flower. Leaf shape varies, with the lowest leaves being rounded, and upper leaves being narrower at the base than at the tip of the leaf. At the base of each leaf smaller, highly divided sets of leaf-like stipules are found. Field pansy plants are four to ten inches tall. They generally grow in groups, right in and among strawberry plants.
Field pansy is a winter annual weed.
This means that it is one of a class of plants which germinates in the late summer or fall, overwinters as a seedling or small plant, then continues growth in the spring. Winter annuals cannot withstand hot weather, and generally set seed and die as summer weather begins. Winter annuals are problem weeds for strawberry growers for several reasons. First, the lack of fall or spring tillage in strawberries means that the growth of winter annuals is not disturbed. Second, winter mulch provides protection for these weeds, and increases winter survival.