Enduring Panolas
sweep Ohio trials
By
Norman Winter
MSU
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension
Center
The
name Panola says it all: this rugged fall- and
winter-bloomer combines the best characteristics of pansies
and violas.
|
|
The
Panola clear features flowers without blotches and
new colors including rose, scarlet and sky blue,
which are not yet available in single
colors.
|
A 2000
Mississippi Medallion award winner, the Panola swept the
awards from other pansy-type crops in recent Ohio trials.
When
the Panola was designated the Mississippi Medallion award
winner, there were only six colors and a mix. Today the
series boasts 18 hot colors and six mixes.
New in our market is the Panola Fire. It is mahogany red and
has a yellow flame appearance that will start off small and
enlarge as we head toward next spring. That's right --
spring. Panolas offer exceptional winter hardiness and
amazing heat durability for a pansy-type plant.
Also look for the Autumn Blaze mix and Panola Clear mix. The
Panola Clear features flowers without blotches and new
colors including rose, scarlet and sky blue, which are not
yet available in single colors.
The Panola has inherited the best features of its parents.
The flowers are not as large as a pansy's but are larger
than a viola's. Plants will grow 6 to 8 inches tall. They
are prolific bloomers that may have dozens of quarter-sized
flowers at one time. For this reason, they deserve a place
in the landscape and in containers on the patio or deck. The
sheer number of flowers produced makes them every bit as
showy -- even from a distance -- as the pansy.
Choose a site in full sun to partial shade and set plants
out in October and November for the prettiest displays.
Before planting Panolas, prepare the bed by tilling in 3 to
4 inches of organic matter to a depth of 8 to 10 inches.
While tilling, incorporate 2 pounds per 100 square feet of a
slow-release, 12-6-6 or similar fertilizer.
Plant the Panola at the same depth it is growing in the
container. Planting too deeply will most likely prove
fatal.
Preparing the soil and adding organic matter is the key to
successful growing. One of the easiest ways to prepare beds
for any flower is to buy the specially prepared landscape
mixes from the local garden center. You've most likely seen
public buildings, apartments and malls with some of the
prettiest displays in what was a horrendous summer.
Landscape specialists buy these special blends by the cubic
yard, and you can, too.
Organic matter helps loosen tight clay soils for better
water penetration, aeration and root development. Organic
matter is important on the Coast and in other locales that
have sandy soil. Sand is made up of large particles that
cause quick drainage and leaching of nutrients. Organic
matter improves the water-holding capacity and helps retain
vital nutrients.
Temperatures may still be warm when planting, so make sure
to keep the Panolas watered and apply a layer of protective
mulch. Panolas are also heavy feeders. Feed monthly with a
light application of slow-release fertilizer. Feed those
grown in containers every other week with a diluted
water-soluble fertilizer. Periodic deadheading will keep the
flowers coming.
Panolas combine well with flowering kale, cabbage and
snapdragons. Interplant smaller-flowered spring daffodils
like Tazettas or Jonquils as you plant the Panolas. By the
time the foliage of the daffodils emerges, the Panolas will
have grown much larger.
For a show-stopping display, plant a large group of
single-colored, 24-inch-tall snapdragons, such as yellow
Sonnets or Crowns, to the back of the bed with a mass of the
blue Panolas in front.
I remember well the debate over whether or not the Panola
should be a Mississippi Medallion award winner. It really
wasn't a debate. The concern was that these delightful
flowers would still be looking good when it was time to
dress up the landscape for spring, and gardeners would be
reluctant to pull them.
Get some Panolas this weekend and you may enjoy six or seven
months of great bloom.
-30-
Released:
October 17, 2003
Contact: Norman
Winter,
(601) 857-2284
Editor's
Note: Ideal publication dates of Southern Gardening columns
are within one month of their release. Editors should
examine older columns carefully for any information that
could be time sensitive.
Publications
may download
photograph
at 200 d.p.i.
|
