Will Pansies Bloom in the Heat?
Pansies are a classic cool weather flower, used in most places as an annual. In some warmer and moderate climates, like parts of California, gardeners can grow them year round. In areas where the climate is more extreme with the seasons, it is more typical to grow them during the cooler parts of the year. These flowers generally do not want to bloom in the heat. For instance, if your garden is in the Midwest, you will probably put annual pansies in beds or containers in early spring. They will bloom well until the heat of summer, at which time the plants will wilt and sag and stop producing flowers. But keep them going and you will get blooms again in the fall as temperatures cool off again.
Are Summertime Pansies Possible?
Whether or not you can get summertime pansies in your garden depends on where you live, your climate, and the variety you choose. There are some varieties that have been developed for pansy heat tolerance, although they still aren’t crazy about high temperatures. Look for Majestic Giant, Springtime, Maxim, Padparadja, and Matrix, Dynamite, and Universal varieties. Even with these more heat tolerant pansies, if you have temperatures that regularly go over 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 Celsius) in the summer, they may struggle and wilt a little. Give them partial shade, fertilize lightly, and deadhead throughout the hot months to maximize blooms. If you live in colder climates, with the warmest temperatures of the year at and below 70 degrees, summer will be the best time to grow pansies and get them to bloom. And if you live in hotter climates, it is best to grow pansies in the winter.
