The pansies and violas we grow today have been greatly improved over the past decade. Now there are dozens of colors, color combinations, sizes of blooms and even some distinctive plant habits. Color choices have now expanded beyond yellow, orange, red, blue and white into some gorgeous delicate shades of pink, maroon, gold, primrose yellow and lavender. Pansies and violas both are in the same genus, Viola . In our climate, pansies are grown as annuals.
Violas can be either perennial or annual, depending on the hardiness of the specific variety.
If you looking for perennial violas, often referred to as violets, be sure to read the tags and do a little research to make sure that variety is hardy. Some of the commonly available hardy violets are listed at the end of this information sheet. It is prized for its abundance of small flowers that are tricolored with a combination of rich purple, creamy white and clear yellow petals. Try adding a few blossoms to your fruit plate. You may even see candied violet flowers on a wedding cake or another fancy dessert.