A red pansy is a rich splash against the greens of a winter bed. Most pansies sold as red are scarlet, crimson or wine, often with a black or darker blotch in the centre of the flower.
What to expect
True fire-engine red is uncommon in pansies. The most reliable reds are deep crimson and burgundy. Some have a yellow edge or a pale halo around the face. Seed catalogues sometimes use names such as scarlet or ruby. If you need a particular tone, buy the plants in flower rather than as unflowered seedlings.
Matching reds
- Red with yellow pansies for a bright winter bed.
- Red with white for a Christmas-style pot, noting that Christmas in Australia falls in high summer when pansies are long finished.
- Red with silver foliage such as dusty miller for contrast.
Climate and timing
Pansies like cool roots and warm days, and they hate heat. Plant out in autumn, from March in Melbourne and Hobart and as late as May in Brisbane. Expect flowers from winter through to spring. Once temperatures climb in November, the plants stretch and flower less.
Keeping them blooming
- Give them six hours of sun in cooler areas, or morning sun and afternoon shade where it is warmer.
- Pick off spent blooms regularly.
- Feed every two weeks with a liquid fertiliser.
- Water at the base to keep the foliage dry.
Dark red petals can scorch faster than pale ones when a hot northerly blows.
