Bedding and hanging basket favourite
Chosen by the Flower Council of Holland, the Garden Plant of the Month for April is the petunia (remember not to plant them out until after the last frosts).
With their large trumpets, petunias have many uses – in hanging baskets, pots and troughs. When they are planted in a bed, petunias shine among the ground cover. If looked after properly, plants will flower until the first frosts.
Flowers come in an almost overwhelming array – plain, spotted, striped, single or double, in all the colours of the rainbow through to almost black.
Watch out for different names – Surfinia, Crazytunia or Cascadia are all varietiesbut hint at their specialism – long stems, unusual flower shapes or a cloud of hanging flowers. Read more about stunning annuals. There’s more about Super Petuniae.
Petunias trivia
- The plant is related to Nicotiana, the tobacco plant.
- It was named in 1789 by French botanist Antoine Laurent de Jussieu.
- Artist Georgia O’Keeffe made her breakthrough in 1925 with a petunia painting.
- Bees love the nectar so the plant brings lots of activity to the garden.
- The petunia originates from Brazil and Argentina. There are hundreds of hybrids available.
What to look for when buying petunias
- Generally speaking, the larger the plant, the greater the chance that it will be a successful bloomer.
- Check that the plant is rooted and shows signs of growth if in very small pots. Small plants are usually grown from seed, the larger ones from cuttings.
- Remove yellowed leaves and wilted flowers from plants and ensure sufficient light in order to avoid stretching.
Caring for petunias
- Plants like to be out of the wind in the full sun.
- Keep the soil moist, water it every day on sunny days, and ensure drainage in pots and hanging baskets so that the roots don’t get too wet.
- Be sparing with plant food: it particularly encourages the production of leaves and not necessarily of flowers.
- Cut off wilted flowers, stem and all.
- If the petunia is past its peak, prune it back, and the flowers will return.
Read more about trailing petunias.
