In literature and folklore, the pansy finds multiple mentions, most notably in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, where Ophelia refers to it as the flower of thought. The name “pansy” derives from the French word pensée, meaning “thought”, which aligns with Ophelia’s association of the flower with contemplation and remembrance.

While it is not mentioned directly in A Midsummer’s Night Dream, it is believed to be the flower that Shakespeare called “love-in-idleness”, which was milk-white in colour, but turned to “purple with love’s wound” after being hit by Cupid’s arrow. In the play, this flower’s juice is used to induce irrational, sudden love in those it touches, embodying the unpredictable, transformative nature of love.

It is understandable, then, that later literary and mythical interpretations projected the juice drops of the pansy flower as love potions and portrayed pansy as a magical, love-inducing flower.

Like many other seasonal flowers, pansies also have a wide range of brightly coloured combinations. In favourable conditions, the colour of the flowers is dark and bright. In increased temperature or other unfavourable conditions, the colour tone diminishes proportionately, depending upon the severity scale of the changes.

Known for its colour and beauty, the pansy has a rich history that is not limited to horticulture, with the flower featuring in lore and literature…

While one may find this five-petal flower in a solid single colour, the commercially available flowers, seeds and potted plants offer polychromatic flowers, with more than two to three colours in the same flower. The shape of the flower is unique as well. Two pairs of matching petals along with a slightly different fifth one outline the shape of a pansy flower.

Regardless of its attractive colours, pansies seldom carry any fragrance. There’s another folktale, from Germany, about it. According to this tale, pansies once emitted a strong, sweet scent that attracted people from afar. In their eagerness to gather the flowers, they trampled the surrounding grasslands, depriving cattle of their essential grazing areas. Concerned for the well-being of the cattle, the pansy prayed to God to diminish its enticing aroma. In response, God removed the pansy’s fragrance, allowing the grass to regrow and ensuring that the cattle had ample food. This act of selflessness by the pansy restored balance to the fields and the health of the livestock.

It is a very small flowering plant, attaining a height of five to eight inches and matching width of around three to five inches. Due to the smaller size of the plant, the pansy is a perfect flowering option for those growing plants in hangings in their balconies or preparing borders in the garden, or even using it as a colourful filler around other plants and empty stretches of land.

In those areas which have a limited winter exposure and longer summer time, the seeds of the pansy plant tend to take longer to germinate and not all would do it successfully. In such areas, it is better to go for purchasing seedlings (locally known as paneeri) from plant shops and nurseries.

In optimal and favourable germination conditions, the seeds are likely to sprout and germinate in around one week to 18 days. If the seeds are not germinating, then one likely cause can be excessive watering, which may induce rotting of the sown seeds.

During the germination and seedling stages, it is important that the soil surface remains wet enough throughout but not waterlogged, as the latter can be detrimental to the seedling and plant growth.

Post-germination, the seedling stage usually extends to a month. The root growth at this juncture is significant, as it sets the pace of steady and strong plant growth in the future. The growth of a stronger seedling needs daily exposure of mild sunlight of at least four to six hours. This is not the harsh, direct exposure of summer’s sunlight, but somewhat equivalent to sunlight in the evening or during winter.

After 15-20 days, or when the true leaves begin to grow on the seedling, the stage is set for the application of the first fertiliser meal, which has to be sprinkled lightly so as not to damage the delicate seedlings beneath. A balanced fertiliser — containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium — can be used to boost the plant’s growth and strength.

Finally, the germinating seeds and growing seedlings attract hungry and thirsty birds. It is important to cover the seedling tray or pot with a green net at this stage, to protect them from their predators. Once the seedling stage is over, the danger of the pansy plant succumbing to a bird’s chomping reduces significantly.

The seedlings are likely to grow two to three true leaves soon enough. At this time, the seedlings should be carefully segregated from each other. The same is also true for a cluster of seedlings or paneeri purchased from a nursery. These seedlings can now be transplanted to either individual bigger containers, flower beds or simply to make a flower border in one’s garden.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, April 13th, 2025