I don't know of any pansies that don't produce seed, although the seed might not look like the original flower due to cross-pollination.

When the flower is done and dries up, you will see a little green lump like three bumps stuck together with a spike sticking out the middle. Leave this alone, it is developing seeds. When it is totally dried out and not green anymore, pick the pod and you should find some small brown seeds inside. If you don't see the green pod when the flower is done, it might not have set seed for whatever reason. Have fun with your new garden.

Spruce, *when* do you get those pods? I try to keep an eye on my pansies and get the seedpods when they're set, but 90% of the time they're already open...and, as you know, they don't "drop" seed, they PTUI! them out like a Sunflower Seed Spittin' Champion! They make my Petunia seedpods look downright lazy.

Oh, well...at least I'll get another chance this year, when the little pansy-babies come up again.

Hmmm I guess they do burst open - I know I have harvested seeds from Pansies and Violas before. Must have got there just in time. Even if they have burst, you could still look to see if there's anything left inside... otherwise you could wait until the scattered seeds sprout next year and transplant as necessary.

The pods of seeds will burst open when they have turned brown and dried. When they burst open, it will look like three little petals full of seeds - that's if the seeds haven't dropped.

One thing you can try is to take the pods as they start to turn brown, place them in a closed paper bag in a warm dry place. The top of a fridge is great, or even on a window sill. After a few days, have a look and the pods will have burst open and the seeds will be there.

You can do this with other flowers which like to 'pop' their seeds when you are not looking. Some of these include Siberian Wallflower, Dame's Rocket, and Phlox Paniculata.

In my gardens I've discovered that the slugs like the pods as do the squirrels. But I always get my share!!

So are the seed pods in the center of the flower? I have saved seed pods from a few impatiens last year, are the pods on the pansies about the same size?

Joanne,

When the flower drops it's petals, it starts developing the pod. When in flower, the pod is not apparent. The pod is slightly smaller than two chocolate chips put together. (Sorry, it's the only thing I could think of!)

I'm not familiar with impatient seeds...

I think the best way to describe the pod is it looks like a very small onion bulb attached where the flower used to be, and the outside has three noticable bumps, usually symmetric. When the pod is ready (usually the green colour turns very pale, sometimes even brown, but usually that happens after they open, I've noticed), it will open into three "petals", each having a few rows of upside-down teardrop-shaped seeds. Very shortly (within a day) after the opening, the "petals" will begin to dry, and as they dry, they will shrink, and while they shrink, they squeeze the seeds from the pointy end, forcing them to shoot away. You really have to keep an eye on the pods, and you need to catch them just after they do, or you'll start missing the seeds.

I go out and check them every day once they have started, and collect the ones that look really brown, like they might burst tomorrow. And, yes, it's really cool - they will burst in a bag or a teacup a day or two later. I've never been able to catch them at it :-( That would be fun to see.