Petunia

Family: Solanaceae. Description: A genus of perennial and annual herbaceous plants of the Solanaceae family, usually grown as annuals, with showy bright colorful flowers. Plants are bushy, branching and grow fairly quickly. Diameter – 30 cm, height – 15-30 cm, leaves 5-12 cm long, oval in shape, dark green or green.

Petunia varieties are divided into 2 types: multiflora (Multiflora) and grandiflora (Grandiflora). Compared with grandiflora, multiflora petunias are denser and bushier, have smaller flowers about 5 cm in diameter that form in greater numbers. They are excellent for edging and summer beds and are considerably less damaged after rain. Grandiflora petunias have very large flowers, 8-10 cm in diameter. Such plants are recommended to be grown in hanging baskets, under a roof and in containers, as their leaves are damaged by rain.

How to grow petunia (propagation): mainly petunias are grown from seed. For sowing at home you need a large number of seeds, because insufficient light somewhat complicates the growing process. The earlier the seeds are sown, the earlier the beautiful petunia will bloom. Propagation can also be started in February if it is possible to provide supplementary lighting to the seedlings. Under normal conditions it is optimal to sow petunia in the second half of March. The second difficulty is the soil for sowing seeds and the constant maintenance of the required moisture level. Sowing petunia seeds is done in fertile, light, loose soil. A day before sowing, on well-watered soil, the prepared seeds mixed with dry sand are scattered (the soil is sifted well beforehand). After that the soil is sprayed and covered with glass; the temperature should be around 20 - 23 °C. Tiny seedlings will appear on the 5th-7th day. They will require careful care: turn the glass at least twice a day (preferably morning and evening) and spray daily. At this stage the seedlings need high humidity, but not an excess of it, as that can cause plant death from "blackleg". The glass can be removed when the first leaf appears and the seedlings have grown. Seedlings that begin to perish should be sprinkled with dry sand, pricked out more quickly and watered less. In mid-spring, in April, petunia seedlings should be moved to a cold frame. Transplant outdoors after spring frosts, at a distance of 30-40 cm. At home a spacing of 15-20 cm is sufficient. These plants tolerate transplanting well.

Small-flowered petunias bloom on the 70th-75th day after sowing, while large-flowered ones bloom 10-15 days later. Double-flowered cultivars are more often propagated by cuttings because when grown from seed they produce only 40-50% double plants. Cuttings taken from stock plants are placed in well-lit greenhouses during the winter period, with moderate humidity, a temperature of 10-12°C and intensive ventilation. After root formation, cuttings are transplanted into a 9 cm high pot.

Diseases:

Plants suffer from viral diseases, including tomato bronzing and cucumber mosaic.

Species and cultivars:

Petunia, cultivar mix 'Primetime'

A moderately fast-growing perennial grown as an annual. In summer and autumn it forms flowers of various colors, including white, blue, pink or red, sometimes with darker veins, a star in the center or a contrasting rim on the edge of the corolla.

H. up to 35 cm, D. 30-90 cm.

Petunia, cultivar mix 'Picotee'

A fast-growing, bushy perennial with oval leaves, grown as an annual. In summer and autumn funnel-shaped, widely flared flowers open, red with a white edge.

H. 15-30 cm, D. 30 cm.

Petunia, cultivar mix 'Resisto'

A branching, bushy perennial grown as an annual. Leaves are oval. Funnel-shaped dark-blue flowers with a wide flare, appearing from summer to autumn, are not afraid of rain.

H. 15-30 cm, D. 30 cm.

Petunia, cultivar mix 'Aladdin'

A fairly fast-growing, branching, bushy perennial grown as an annual. Leaves are oval. In summer and autumn it forms flowers of various colors, including bright shades of red and salmon-pink.

H. up to 30 cm, D. 30-90 cm.

Petunia 'Mirage Velvet'

A branching, bushy perennial grown as an annual, with oval dark-green leaves. In summer and autumn large, funnel-shaped flowers with a wide flare appear, bright red with an almost black center.

H. 25 cm, D. 30 cm.

Petunia, cultivar mix 'Carpet'

A moderately fast-growing, compact, creeping perennial with oval leaves, grown as an annual. In summer and autumn it forms flowers of various colors, including bright red and orange.

H. 20-25 cm, D. 30-90 cm.

Petunia, cultivar mix 'Recoverer'

A fast-growing, bushy perennial grown as an annual. Leaves are oval. In summer and autumn large, funnel-shaped white flowers with a wide flare appear.

H. 15-30 cm, D. 30 cm.

P.'Cascade', cultivar mix - multiflora petunias. H. 20-30 cm, D. 30-90 cm. Stems are trailing, flowers of various colors.

P.Cherry Tart' - multiflora petunia. H. 15-30 cm, D. 30-60 cm.

Flowers double, dark pink with white.

P.'Colour Parade' - grandiflora petunia. H. 20-30 cm, D. 30-90 cm. Flowers of various colors with ruffled petals.

P.'Daddy', cultivar mix - grandiflora petunias. H. up to 35 cm, D. 30-90 cm. Flowers large, with a dense network of veins - from pastel tones to dark pink, salmon-pink, purple or blue-lilac.

P.'Flash', cultivar mix - compact grandiflora petunias. H. 23-40 cm, D. 30-90 cm. Flowers of various bright colors, including bicolors.

P.'Gypsy' - multiflora petunia. H. 15-30 cm, D. 30-60 cm. Flowers salmon-red.

P.'Jamboree', cultivar mix - multiflora petunias. H. 15-30 cm, D. 30-90 cm. Stems pendulous, flowers of various colors.

P.'Magic Cherry' - compact grandiflora petunia. H. 20-30 cm, D. 30-60 cm. Flowers cherry-red.

P.'Pearl', cultivar mix - dwarf multiflora petunias. H. 15-20 cm, D. 20-50 cm. Flowers small, of various colors.

P.'Picotee Ruffled', cultivar mix - multiflora petunias. H. 15-30 cm, D. 30-90 cm. Forms ruffled flowers with a white or other rim.

P.'Plum Crazy', cultivar mix - multiflora petunias. H. 15-20 cm, D. 30-90 cm. Forms flowers with veins or a throat of contrasting color. Flowers can be white with a yellow throat and veins, as well as various shades of lilac, pink and raspberry, all with a darker throat and veins.

P.'Razzle Dazzle' - grandiflora petunia. H. 20-30 cm, D. 30-90 cm, flowers of various colors, with white stripes.

'Red Satin' - multiflora petunia. H. 15-30 cm, D. 30-60 cm. flowers bright scarlet, glossy

Uses: Petunias are traditionally used for beds, borders and edging, and are planted on balconies. Modern hybrids, thanks to a strong root system, grow well in containers with limited volume (containers, pots, hanging baskets and vases). Double cultivars and hybrids are better planted in places protected from wind and heavy rain: on balconies, open verandas, loggias, in containers and near the house. Fast-growing trailing petunias allow you to fill empty spaces in a mixed border or after lifting bulbs.