Matrix Pansy

Host: Gary Bachman, Ornamental Horticulture Specialist

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Matrix Pansies are a must have landscape plant for the cool winter season today on Southern Gardening.

Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

I think matrix pansies, despite their name, are some of the toughest annual cool season color plants that should be planted in everyone’s garden and landscape. For the past several years, I think the matrix group of pansies are the best for gardeners in Mississippi. There is a huge range of colors and styles.

Flowers with dark blotches are thought of as a more traditional pansy. But for pure color, that are selections called clear without the blotch. There is a nice feature of flowers is that the throat of each flower has a small yellow eye. Matrix pansies are also available in color coordinated mixes instead of the traditional random color mixes.

Matrix pansies have freely branching growth habits and will be about eight inches tall and wide. When massed together—as pansies were meant to be planted—they create an impressive landscape carpet.

Pansies may be one of the perfect winter flowering annuals as the plants can freeze solid and thaw with little damage. Of course, the flowers will be nipped back; but once it gets a little warmer, the flowering will get revved up again. The short and sturdy stems will resist stretching which means the plants will look good long after the days begin warming up in the spring season. Buying your Matrix Pansies now will give you the best selection.

Until next time, I’m horticulturist Gary Bachman enjoying our Southern Gardening.

Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.