Helen Mount Johnny Jump Up Seeds Tricolor
Johnny Jump-Up, scientifically known as Viola tricolor, is a charming wildflower native to Europe. It is often referred to as wild pansy, heartsease, or ladies' delight. This plant is known for its vibrant, tricolor flowers that typically bloom in shades of purple, yellow, and white.
With its cheerful purple, yellow, and white blooms, this delightful wildflower resembles a tiny pansy. This little gem often reseeds itself and pops up on its own year after year.
This bright flower used to grow wild all over Europe and was called "hearts-ease." It also went by other names like Love in Idleness, the Trinity Herb, and Three Faces in a Hood. While we don't know who "Johnny" is, that name seems to have come from 18th century America. Thomas Jefferson's garden notes reveal that he planted this flower on April 1, 1767.
Common Names: Horned Pansy, Horned Violet, Tufted Violet
Latin Name: Viola tricolor
Species Origin: Introduced US Wildflower
Type: Garden Flowers
Life Cycle: Annual, Perennial
USDA Zones: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
US Regions: California, Mountain, Arid/Desert, Plains/Texas, Midwest, Northern, Northeast, Southeast
Seeds per Ounce: 25,000
Stratification: No Stratification
Germination Ease: No Stratification
Sunlight: Full Sun, Part Sun
Plant Height: 6"-12"
Plant Spacing: 6"-9"
Color: Yellow, Blue, Purple
Bloom Season: Blooms Late Spring, Blooms Early Summer, Blooms Late Summer, Blooms Early Fall
Attracts bees, birds, & butterflies
Sowing: Plant directly in the spring, just beneath the soil's surface. Keep the soil lightly moist until germination, which typically happens in 1-2 weeks. You can also start this Viola Tricolor indoors 6-8 weeks before the last spring frost.
Growing: Water the seedlings from time to time until they’re established. Keep an eye on weeds, as this plant struggles with competition. Once mature, they handle drought pretty well, but they also thrive in well-drained, moist soil. These plants are great at resisting both heat and cold, and they do well in rocky or sandy soil. Plus, they easily reseed themselves.
Harvesting: These flowers don’t do well as cut flowers, so it’s best to enjoy them outdoors.
Seed Saving: After the flowers fade, oval pods will start to form. When they’re ripe, each pod will split into three sections that contain the seeds. Collect the Johnny Jump-Up flower seeds. They lose their viability quickly, so planting them right away will give you the best germination. If you need to store them, keep the Viola Tricolor seeds in the fridge until you’re ready to plant.
