Colossus White Pansy (Viola x wittrockiana 'Colossus White')
vy-OH-lah ex wit-rok-ee-AY-nah 'Colossus White'

Deciduous Perennial (usually grown as an annual near you) in the Violaceae Family

Colossus White is a Viola x wittrockiana pansy selection bred for white flowers over compact, mounded foliage. Like other F1 pansy hybrids, it is a short-lived, cool-growing perennial grown here as a cool-season bedding plant: it thrives in cool spring weather, can rebloom into fall, and typically fades out once summer heat arrives.

Pros

  • Edible flowers, popular in salads and as cake/dessert garnish (nursery-bought plants may carry pesticide residue — confirm before eating)
  • Reliable, long-blooming cool-season color for beds, borders and containers
  • Attracts pollinators; tolerates light frost

Cons

  • Short-lived in the Chicago area — fades in summer heat and is typically replanted each cool season rather than relied on as a true perennial here
  • Deer-resistance reports conflict across sources (some list pansies as deer-resistant, others note deer readily browse them); plant with that uncertainty in mind rather than assuming protection
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 6 - 9 inches tall. 9 - 12 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 5a - 9b (Usually hardy to -20° F)
Tags Annual in Chicago, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Container, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Edibles, Fall Annuals, Filler, Formal Garden, Fragrant Flowers, Full Sun, Good for Bedding, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Spring Containers, Good for Spring Containers, Grown as Annuals, Low Maintenance, Medium, Medium, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Tolerant of Frost, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Well-Drained Soil
Bloom Period April - June
Flower Color White
 

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 08/10 - 10/04
2024 : 08/15 - 09/21
2023 : 08/16 - 09/10

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Estimated Recipe Cost

The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!