11 Top Petunia Varieties
Your great grandma grew beloved heirloom petunias, but she wouldn’t believe the diversity breeders have achieved in this annual garden favorite. From their discovery in South America in the late 1700’s to modern F1 hybrids and Supertunias of today, this flower has captivated flower gardeners for centuries. Even if you haven’t sorted out your grandifloras from your floribundas, you will find a favorite on this list to work in your borders or container garden.
Some dark flowers seem to fade into the background, but the creamy margin of ‘Cascadias Magenta Rim’ makes the flower pop in mixed containers and hanging baskets. Like others in the ‘Cascadias’ series, this Danziger introduction is a vigorous plant with a trailing growth habit.
Bright yellowish green flowers like ‘Prism Sunshine’ petunia will always be in demand, due to their versatility in garden design. The neutral hue works with any garden color scheme, including pinks, reds, blues, and white. Best of all, this grandiflora is available as seed, so you can grow a few flats to fill in blanks in all of your containers and flower beds.
If you asked me, “What’s not to like about the ‘Purple Pirouette’ petunia?” My reply would be, “tobacco budworms.” The abundance of lush petals seems to lure the caterpillar pest from miles around. Nevertheless, if you occasionally have a problem with these pests, you should include this stunning annual in your garden. If you include only one or two plants in a mixed container garden, you might just escape the notice of the budworm. A dusting of Bt can also keep the horde in check.
This petunia has all of the attributes that hummingbirds desire, including a large trumpet shape and a delicious bright red color that never fades. Like other petunias in the ‘Potunia’ series, this variety requires less water than most petunias, helping it to survive and thrive in hot, dry flower gardens.
While the rest of the world waits for the development of a perfect true blue rose, I’ll be content to grow easy blue flowers like the petunia ‘Wave Blue.’ Let two or three plants take over your sunny window box, and discover why this variety won the 2003 AAS award and a Fleuroselect gold medal.
White petunias are de rigueur in the moon garden, where their nocturnal fragrance and glowing petals attract hummingbird moths. The delicate chartreuse throats of this variety also provide interest in the daylight, and keep the blooms from looking washed out in bright light.
1. Cascadias Rim Magenta
Some dark flowers seem to fade into the background, but the creamy margin of ‘Cascadias Magenta Rim’ makes the flower pop in mixed containers and hanging baskets. Like others in the ‘Cascadias’ series, this Danziger introduction is a vigorous plant with a trailing growth habit.
2. Limelight
Like the zinnia variety of the same name, ‘Limelight’ petunias show that gardeners are hungry for the trendy magenta and lime green color combo in the garden. A 2013 introduction, the tidy, compact growth habit of this petunia works well at the front of the border.3. Fortunia Early Blue Vein
The ‘Fortunia’ series of petunias was developed as a day neutral breed, which means that gardeners can expect an earlier blooming time. ‘Fortunia Early Blue Vein’ has an almost silvery appearance, which pairs well with other silver plants like dusty miller. For an alternative silver petunia variety, you can try ‘Tidal Wave Silver,’ a 2002 All-America Selections (AAS) winner.4. Mini Rose Blast Pink
Gardeners are usually divided in their opinions about bicolored flowers like the petunia ‘Mini Rose Blast Pink.’ If you find the tie-dye like pattern gorgeous rather than garish, you will appreciate the highly branched, compact growth habit of these plants. Try pairing them with a petunia in a complementary solid color to match the dark or pale pink tones of ‘Mini Rose Blast.’5. Prism Sunshine
Bright yellowish green flowers like ‘Prism Sunshine’ petunia will always be in demand, due to their versatility in garden design. The neutral hue works with any garden color scheme, including pinks, reds, blues, and white. Best of all, this grandiflora is available as seed, so you can grow a few flats to fill in blanks in all of your containers and flower beds.
6. Purple Pirouette
If you asked me, “What’s not to like about the ‘Purple Pirouette’ petunia?” My reply would be, “tobacco budworms.” The abundance of lush petals seems to lure the caterpillar pest from miles around. Nevertheless, if you occasionally have a problem with these pests, you should include this stunning annual in your garden. If you include only one or two plants in a mixed container garden, you might just escape the notice of the budworm. A dusting of Bt can also keep the horde in check.
7. Potunia Plus Red
This petunia has all of the attributes that hummingbirds desire, including a large trumpet shape and a delicious bright red color that never fades. Like other petunias in the ‘Potunia’ series, this variety requires less water than most petunias, helping it to survive and thrive in hot, dry flower gardens.
8. Wave Blue
While the rest of the world waits for the development of a perfect true blue rose, I’ll be content to grow easy blue flowers like the petunia ‘Wave Blue.’ Let two or three plants take over your sunny window box, and discover why this variety won the 2003 AAS award and a Fleuroselect gold medal.
9. Surprise Lime
White petunias are de rigueur in the moon garden, where their nocturnal fragrance and glowing petals attract hummingbird moths. The delicate chartreuse throats of this variety also provide interest in the daylight, and keep the blooms from looking washed out in bright light.
