The Breathtaking New Pansy Flowers Called Botanical "Unicorns"

You may have a hard time getting your hands on these new pansy varieties from Japan, but we're guessing you'll be thrilled when you do. Japanese plant breeder Isao Sato, who interned years ago at Tagawa gardens in Colorado, partnered with his former employer for over two decades to develop new pansies that are so unusual that Seattle Times contributor Lorene Edwards Forkner called them "unicorns." These dazzling Sato pansies, introduced in the United States in 2025, are not only double-flowered, but their petals are ruffled. Two cultivar mixes are included in the Elegance pansy series (Viola × wittrockiana): The Antoinette collection and the Twilight mix.

Pastel colors in soft shades of pink, yellow, white, and purple distinguish the Antoinette pansies, and they even feature an ombre effect. The Twilight mix features passionate deep blue, purple, and red mixed with cream and gold at the edges. Both mixes offer far more depth and dimension than standard pansies.

The Elegance pansy series grow to 6 to 8 inches high and look spectacular in the garden and along borders. They're also suited to containers and window boxes. You can even use them as cut flowers by training their trailing stems. Attracting hummingbirds to your yard is easy when you plant this colorful flower; they'll attract other pollinators, too.

Nurseries give the same care instructions for Elegance pansies as for more common varieties, so everything you need to know before planting pansies applies fully to these flowers. Technically, pansies are perennials because they are cold hardy in Zones 6 to 11. But, they are often grown as annuals because they prefer cooler temperatures and may die back in summer heat. In fact, cooler temps will deepen the colors of Elegance pansies. You can buy and transplant nursery plants — if you can find them — in late summer or fall, six weeks before the first frost.

Place young plants in a sunny or lightly shaded spot in soil rich with organic matter, and amend with compost if your soil lacks organic richness. Fertilize with slow release or water-soluble nitrate fertilizer. Water regularly to keep your pansies evenly moist, but avoid overwatering. Keep in mind that pansies are delicate flowers you should never water with a hose. New blooms should emerge if you deadhead regularly.

A limited number of U.S. growers are producing Elegance pansies, and they tend to sell out. It's a good idea to identify a nursery that ships to your area. If they are sold out, ask to be placed on the nursery's waiting list to be notified of their availability. Since they are cool-weather plants, these fluffy, frilly wonders may have greater availability toward the fall.