Viola cornuta ‘King Henry’ Seeds | Horned Pansy
LATIN NAME: Viola cornuta ‘King henry’
COMMON NAME: Horned Pansy
Plant Profile
Horned Pansy (Viola cornuta ‘King henry’) is a distinctive species. Pollinating insects take to the flowers at once, adding a little wildlife interest to its garden value. It is the sort of plant that quietly justifies the space it occupies.
Science & Biotechnology
As part of the Viola group, Viola cornuta ‘King henry’ contributes to research on plant classification and adaptation, while nurseries and gardeners continue to trial it for cultivation. Viola cornuta is useful in studies of flower development, pigmentation, pollination, cultivar variation and ornamental breeding. Species like this one find a second career as research material, especially in propagation and breeding work.
Uses & Benefits
In the garden, Horned Pansy earns its place in borders, containers and mixed plantings, and it also rewards growers who raise plants for cutting, drying or kitchen use. It is used for borders, containers, bedding, edging and educational gardens. Its compact form and colorful flowers make it useful where a relatively small ornamental plant is required. After the first season it asks for very little beyond a place that suits it.
Violets and pansies are edible-flower staples and a gentle folk remedy: violet leaf and flower syrups are traditional European comforts for coughs and children’s skin; the heartsease, San Se Jin, also enters Chinese herbals.
Growing from Seed
Seed is the natural starting point for Horned Pansy, and the process is uncomplicated. Sow seed in a fine medium and cover lightly. Maintain even moisture and good light. A simple routine works well: sow evenly over the surface and cover lightly in a loose, well-drained seed compost, maintain even moisture, and provide bright light. Prick the seedlings out once they are large enough to handle, grow them on in bright light, and plant out when conditions allow.
Our Take
Once established, Horned Pansy largely looks after itself. Once the young plants are away, there is little left to do but watch them grow.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Horned Pansy often pair it with these related subjects: