🌸 When to Plant Pansies

🌸 Flower
Cool Season

Cold-hardy; edible flowers; bloom in cool weather; replant in fall for winter blooms

📅 Planting Calendar by USDA Zone

Select your zone to highlight your exact planting dates. Dates are calculated from each zone's average frost dates.

Find my zone
Zone Last Frost Start Indoors Transplant Direct Sow
Zone 2A May 30 Mar 21 May 2 Apr 18
Zone 3B May 15 Mar 6 Apr 17 Apr 3
Zone 4A May 8 Feb 27 Apr 10 Mar 27
Zone 4B May 1 Feb 20 Apr 3 Mar 20
Zone 5A Apr 25 Feb 14 Mar 28 Mar 14
Zone 5B Apr 18 Feb 7 Mar 21 Mar 7
Zone 6A Apr 21 Feb 10 Mar 24 Mar 10
Zone 6B Apr 10 Jan 30 Mar 13 Feb 27
Zone 7A Apr 5 Jan 25 Mar 8 Feb 22
Zone 7B Mar 28 Jan 17 Feb 28 Feb 14
Zone 8A Mar 20 Jan 9 Feb 20 Feb 6
Zone 8B Mar 12 Jan 1 Feb 12 Jan 29
Zone 9A Feb 28 Dec 20 Jan 31 Jan 17
Zone 9B Feb 15 Dec 7 Jan 18 Jan 4
Zone 10A Feb 1 Nov 23 Jan 4 Dec 21
Zone 10B Jan 15 Nov 6 Dec 18 Dec 4
Zone 11A Jan 1 Oct 23 Dec 4 Nov 20

Pansies are cool-season flowers that thrive in conditions that would kill most annuals — they can even survive a light freeze and keep blooming.

Top Growing Tips

  • Plant in fall for winter and early spring blooms in zones 6+
  • Flowers are edible and make beautiful cake decorations or salad garnishes
  • Will go dormant in summer heat; replace with heat-tolerant annuals
  • Deadhead consistently for maximum bloom production
  • Sow directly in fall for spring wildflower effect in mild climates

Companion Planting

Good companions: spring bulbs, ornamental cabbage, herbs

Avoid planting near: Summer heat — plant in semi-shade in warmer climates

Harvest Timeline

Ornamental and edible flowers; harvest blooms regularly to encourage more