Before the early 19th century the name pansy referred only to the plant that we call Johnny jump up, not the large flowered hybrid that we know by that name now. The exact nature of the connection between V. tricolor and Mary is uncertain but seems to have arisen from the use of the plant in herbal medicine as well as folklore. The three petals of the flowers immediately linked it to the Trinity. Its low growing nature may have suggested humility while the “face” on its flowers and its heart-shaped leaves may have suggested its use for physical and emotional well-being. By the 15th century V. tricolor was associated with remembrance and contemplation and given its common name, pansy, derived from the French word “pensée” meaning thought. Any of these virtues, could be part of Mary’s delight. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Also known as heartease, love-in-idleness, heart’s delight, tickle-my-fancy, Jack-jump-up-and-kiss-me, come-and-cuddle-me, and three faces in a hood, the wild pansy (Viola tricolor) is native to Europe and Asia and was a parent of the large flowered pansies. Wild pansies are perennials or annuals growing up to six inches tall and have a creeping habit with stems that can become lanky. The leaves are oval to heart-shaped and have a wavy margin. The half inch wide flowers have five petals that are purple, blue, yellow or white and bloom singly from early spring to summer. Plants tend to reseed themselves especially in moist, well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade. They are hardy in USDA zones 4-9 but languish in summer heat.
The genus name, Viola, was the Latin name for various sweet-scented flowers such as violets, stocks, and wallflowers. The specific epithet, tricolor, is from the Latin words tres, meaning three, and color meaning color or hue and refers to the three colors present in the flowers.
Karen