Pansies and Johnny Jump Ups—at first glance, it’s super easy to mix these two up! But if you take a closer look, you’ll start to spot the differences. Both of these spring favorites are staples for front yards and patio containers, bringing that much-needed pop of color after a long winter.
Similarities and Differences Between the Two
Pansies and Johnny Jump Ups (also known as Horned Violets) are close cousins. They both belong to the *Viola* genus, but they definitely have their own unique personalities and needs. The garden pansy we know today is actually a cross between wild pansies and other species, while the Johnny Jump Up originally hails from the high-altitude alpine regions of the Pyrenees. Even though they started out in very different climates, they’re so closely related that they can be crossbred easily. The result of that pairing is the “Mini Pansy”—a hybrid with slightly smaller blooms that loves to spread out and can even keep blooming through a mild winter.
Why We Love Pansies
Pansies are absolute workhorses, blooming non-stop from March all the way through November. When you compare them to Johnny Jump Ups, a few things stand out:
- They have much larger, showier flowers.
- They grow taller, reaching up to 12 inches.
- They’re a bit delicate in heavy rain, so they prefer a spot that’s somewhat protected.
- They are biennials (meaning they have a two-year life cycle).
- They’re happy in both full sun and partial shade.
- While they aren’t fully “hardy” in extreme cold, pansies planted in the fall can often survive the winter to bloom again in spring.
How did the Pansy get its German name, “Little Stepmother”?
In Germany, the pansy is called *Stiefmütterchen*, and the reason is actually pretty charming (if a bit complicated!). It’s all about the petal arrangement. The large bottom petal is the “stepmother,” and she sits on top of the two side petals, the “daughters.” Those daughters, in turn, sit on top of the two uppermost petals, the “stepdaughters.” This quirky botanical layering actually stumped botanists for a long time. It took over a hundred years before someone finally settled on the name!
The Perks of Johnny Jump Ups (Horned Violets)
Since Johnny Jump Ups come from the rugged Pyrenees mountains, they are used to a much tougher climate. Their flowers might be smaller than a standard pansy, but their blooming season actually lasts longer. Even though they’re related to pansies, these little guys bring some impressive advantages to your garden:
- They self-seed easily, meaning they’ll pop up again next year on their own.
- They’re great for “naturalizing” an area; they grow rhizomes over the winter that help them spread out.
- They are very cold-hardy.
- They are biennials.
- They are incredibly low-maintenance and tough.
- Because the flowers are smaller, they don’t get “mushed” by heavy rain like big pansies do.
- They have a massive blooming window (almost year-round in the right spots!).
- They produce way more individual flowers per plant than a standard pansy.
