Description and characteristics of petunia varieties, classification of species and colors

Petunia has become a favorite of flower growers due to its unpretentiousness and the variety of colors of its delicate petals. Due to the fact that there are many varieties of petunias, you can choose the appropriate option for decorating your garden plot or local area. Just a few plants in a flowerpot will become a bright decoration of the garden, home, and will bring a good mood for the entire summer season.

Petunia: briefly about the flower

The genus of petunias belongs to the Solanaceae family. The name of the flower is translated from Brazilian as “tobacco”. When the plant was discovered in the 18th century, its leaves were confused with tobacco. Petunia is native to the forests of South America. Weak stems of the plant branch well. Tap-type roots lie close to the surface of the earth. The peculiarity of the flower is its creeping, erect, low-growing stems. There are also varieties with tall shoots. The shape of the light green petunia leaves depends on the type of plant. They sit tightly or on petioles on stems covered with delicate hairs.

The ornamental crop is valued for its funnel-shaped flowers with a bell of petals expanding upward. The edges of the fused petals are wavy, smooth, and corrugated. The colors of the flowers are amazing. The predominant color scheme is white, red, and blue, which may have stripes of contrasting colors.

Petunia blooms all summer, delighting with its splendor and luxurious shades. In autumn, a fruit is formed in the form of a capsule with small seeds.

Classification of petunia varieties

Known for more than 200 years, petunia is classified according to the shape of the bush. Varieties of the plant are found:

• bush;
• ampelous;
• cascade;
• calibrachoa;
• floribunda

And the flower structure of each species can be simple, with double or corrugated petals. Petunias with large and small buds have been bred. There are varieties with flower colors of one color or two-color petals, fancy.

Bush varieties

The main feature of the common subgroup of petunias is their colorfulness and variety of varieties. Bush petunia is suitable for decorating flower beds and flower beds. It is used for planting in flowerpots, boxes, hanging pots.

Milliflora

The miniature flowers of the petunias of this group are striking. They have a diameter of 2 to 4 centimeters. But there are so many of them on the stems that they create a bright carpet in flower beds and serve as an excellent frame for paths and flower beds. The advantages of the species are unpretentiousness, abundance and duration of flowering.

Multiflora

The low-growing stems of petunias are covered with a large number of flowers. The diameter of the inflorescences reaches 5 centimeters. They are grown so that compact bushes decorate the site from May to October. Plants are not afraid of cold weather with rain, as well as dry and hot.

Grandiflora

The petunia species was bred to amaze with the beauty of its flowers. The group includes short ones with a stem height of 25-30 centimeters, tall ones - 50-70 centimeters. There are few flowers on branched stems, the sizes of which range from 8 to 13 centimeters. Terry and simple petals will decorate balconies, loggias, verandas, and terraces. Delicate flowers are afraid of heavy rains and cold winds, so they need shelter during the growing season.

Ampelous hybrids

In ampelous petunias, the shoots go down, leaving the middle open. Therefore, they are planted in hanging flower pots and used to decorate gazebos. You can create a living wall using the bright colors of this group. Combining options with different colors, you get amazing floral forms.

If hybrids are planted in a flower bed, they grow so much that they cover all the bald spots in the flower garden. Ampelous petunias look interesting on alpine hills and green lawns.

Semi-ampel varieties

The difference between this group and ampelous varieties lies in the growth characteristics of petunia. The plant first stretches upward, and then the stems begin to bend. Therefore, there are many flowering shoots in the center, but they do not go down the walls of the pot. The semi-ampelic version is used in flowerpots standing on the ground or floor. Small hanging pots and baskets are chosen for them.

Surfinia varieties

This subspecies of ampelous flowers is the most attractive. The beauty of decorative culture is diverse. The buds are shaped like a gramophone, their diameter is within 8-9 centimeters. The petals have a clear color, but the throat is darker in tone. The hybrids bred by breeders differ:

• vitality;
• growth force when the stems reach a length of 2 meters;
• powerful root system;
• ability to withstand weather disasters.

The peculiarity of surfinia is that it cannot be propagated by seeds, only vegetatively.

Light wave

Easy to grow, petunia is exceptionally compact in its bushes. The stems form a dome-shaped crown during the flowering period. They look beautiful in floor vases, small flowerpots suspended at eye level. Bushes grow in flower beds, forming a flowering carpet of 1 square meter in area.

It develops well in containers when there are up to 7-8 liters of soil per plant. It blooms more intensely when the ampelous variety is fed and the wilted buds are removed in time. Compositions of monochromatic or contrasting shades are created from flowers. They grow so densely that the green stems and leaves are not visible.

Pearl Surf

The hanging ampelous annual is completely covered with delicate flowers. The shoots descend like a waterfall, reaching a length of 1 meter. An elegant flow of flowers will decorate balconies and loggias.

Waterfall

Petunia of this variety blooms until early frosts. The stems of the hybrid are highly branched. Therefore, it is chosen for hanging gardening. Densely double inflorescences with a diameter of 10 centimeters are preserved for a long time. The variety gets along well in flower beds with verbena and marigolds. Petunia begins to bloom early if planted after frost. Nutritious soil, light and well-drained, is important for it. The plant prefers a sunny location, protected from the wind.

Multi-flowered varieties

The group of multi-flowered petunias is famous for its rich scattering of inflorescences. The stems of plants are strewn with small buds so that the green leaves are not visible. This plant variety blooms earlier than other species.

To create compact bushes, they are pruned to give the desired shape. The color range of petunias is varied. There are solid and variegated specimens. Multi-flowered varieties do not tolerate spring frosts.

Charm

An annual with flowers 5 centimeters in diameter, it is used for planting in flower beds and in flowerpots for decorating balconies. The bush branches well, reaching a height of 25-35 centimeters. The plant actively develops at a temperature of 16-18 degrees. It is better to grow through seedlings, sowing petunia in April. The variety blooms from July to September, preferring light, well-drained soils and sunny open places.

Mirage

The variety of multi-flowered petunia is represented by a variety of petal colors. Forming several inflorescences at once, the bush looks like a luxurious bright bouquet. The advantage of choosing a hybrid is its resistance to any weather. The plant withstands cold weather and blooms until frost.

Prime Time

The flowers have a diameter of within 6 centimeters, and the height of the compact bush is 30. The plant is multi-flowered. It blooms profusely and luxuriantly, starting in June.The colors of the buds are blue, light blue, dark purple, pink and burgundy. Mixed colors available. The flowers are decorated with white rays running from the center to the edges of the petals.

Duo Summer

Compact in shape petunia has many large terry colors. Stems up to 35 centimeters long. The color scheme is pink with red veins. The hybrid plant is used to decorate flower beds, flower beds, loggias, and verandas. The proximity of the variety to verbena, pelargonium, and marigolds is favorable. It begins to bloom from June until September frosts. Choose an open place for the plant, protected from cold winds.

Tarte Bonanza

Terry multicolor is ideal for decorating garden beds and balcony boxes. The decorative crop blooms in June, continuing to delight with an abundance of buds until September. The features of the hybrid are:

• love of light;
• drought resistance;
• low demands on soil;
• resistance to low temperatures.

Despite all the advantages, the plant does not tolerate frost. It is necessary to cover the plantings during returning spring frosts.

Plum Crystals

The hybrid, originally from the Netherlands, is distinguished by its compact bush with stems 30 centimeters long. Large flower petals change color from bright lilac to pale, decorated with a network of purple veins. The variety begins to bloom in June, ending in October in the absence of frost.

Dwarf or low-growing varieties

The petunias group includes hybrids with a stem height of up to 25 centimeters. It is best to use flowering bushes for planting as borders. They look good in hanging compositions, flower pots, and boxes on the balcony. Of the best varieties of the group of low-growing plants, it is better to choose Pirouette, Sonata, and Advisor.

Cascade

Improved ampelous hybrids will become the decoration of a waterfall of flowers and leaves. Their dense stems are long, hanging along the wall of the terrace, veranda from top to bottom. Annuals are unpretentious in care, are valued by designers for the brightness of their colors.

Niagara

The flower is classified as a super cascade flower. With its half-meter-long stems, it forms a real waterfall of bright green leaves and large flowers of blue, dark blue, and lilac colors. Large-flowered petunia is necessary for decorating the veranda and home. It is used in the decoration of recreation areas, creating living flowering walls.

Double Cascade Plum Vane

An early-flowering hybrid produces buds with a diameter of 13 centimeters on shoots up to half a meter long. Externally, double flowers resemble garden carnations. The plant is demanding of mineral fertilizers and watering. With well-organized care, flowering will be more abundant and longer.

Terry

The double petunia group is most popular due to the beauty of its ruffled petals. Their exquisite ruggedness and splendor enchants. The luxury of flowers is combined with the unpretentiousness of the type of decorative culture. Breeders have developed many varieties of terry-type petunias.

Angora

Abundantly flowering petunia with stems of 40 centimeters and gramophone buds with a diameter of 7 centimeters is a true queen among garden crops. Soft pink shades of flowers look beautiful in flower beds and flowerpots. The advantages of choosing a variety are its unpretentiousness, resistance to winds and rain, and the duration of flowering.

Artist

The hybrid is represented by a mixture of double flowers of various colors. Flowers on compact bushes of medium size are large with an abundance of petals. The plant develops well in illuminated areas, protected from wind and drafts.For better flowering of the hybrid, nutritious light soil is needed, then the first buds will appear in June.

Duo F1

Terry flower balls on dense branched stems are grown in flower beds. Exotic flowers in contrasting shades from burgundy to white generously bestow their beauty throughout the summer. The hybrid is easy to care for; it can quickly recover after heavy rains and cold nights.

Sonata

Hybrid with lush branched stems. The flowers are snow-white, luxurious, with wavy petals. The buds are up to 8-9 centimeters in diameter. The hybrid blooms for a long time, throughout the season. The advantages of the variety include disease resistance and good drought tolerance.

Double Cascade

The wavy flowers, similar to carnation buds, have bright colors. There are varieties of dark blue, pink, lavender tones with dark veins. The stems of the variety are 35-38 centimeters long and strongly branched. Petunia begins to bloom earlier than other varieties by 2-3 weeks.

Pirouette

In this series of terry varieties, the petals are heavily cut and collected into fluffy balls with a diameter of 10 to 15 centimeters. Dark pink petals are edged with a white stripe. Thanks to its unusual coloring, the hybrid looks elegant in flower beds and lawns. Powerful bushes branch strongly, creating a spectacular carpet in flower beds.

Color variety of flowers

Petunia is one of the ornamental crops that delights with its variety of petal colors. You can create snow-white and blue flower beds from flowers. And how luxurious are the domes of terry petals in dark tones from burgundy to purple, almost black.

Greens

Varieties of light green shades will fit perfectly into any flower bed. You can use them to create a single-color border. Interesting varieties:

1. Sophistry Lime Green has a delicate petal color. The flowers are simple in shape, but delicate and unusual.
2. Green Age Lime is a representative of the double type of petunias with flowers with a diameter of 6-7 centimeters.

Green petunias are rare, as they do not retain their qualities when propagated.

Reds

The color is suitable for creating strict flower beds or joyful carnival ones. The ampelous hybrid Ramblin Red with scarlet flowers will decorate the site in the summer, creating a good mood. Falling stems with flower buds can be used to decorate the veranda or the entrance to the house.

The Duo Baroque variety with a noble dark red tone on wavy large petals suits the strict classical architecture of the site.

Petunia Cinderella will delight you with small flowers collected in a large ball. It is designed for growing in flowerpots.

Pink

This shade is characteristic of wild plant species. The range of colors ranges from soft pinks to rich purples. The large-flowered hybrid Pirouette Rose with uneven coloring is interesting for its appearance. In the middle the petals are dark pink, becoming paler towards the edges.

Picobella Pink star is as bright as candy. The petals are decorated with a white stripe in the middle. The Pink Sky variety is a delicate petunia with a simple flower shape. I am pleased with the uniformity of the color of the hybrid.

Orange

Unusual color of flowers:

• Gioconda of an ampel type;
• Amore mio is orange with a dark center and jasmine aroma.

Hybrids are planted on balconies, at the entrance to the house, on the veranda.

Blue

Solid-colored plants with sky-colored buds look beautiful in a flower bed. The Aladdin variety is famous for its sky-blue double flowers. Daddy Blue has large, ash-colored flowers with blue veins extending from the dark center.Hybrid Blue Sky resembles bells with its miniature flowers.

Blue

Limbo Blue hybrids with dark blue buds combine perfectly with white and soft pink petunias. Hula Hoop Blue has an unusually bright, clean color. The flowers are large, and therefore in the flowerbed, together with other petunias, they create a dancing flavor of the southern night. Ampelous Belinda has many lush blue balls, similar to a blooming ball of even pure color.

Yellow

Light shades are combined harmoniously with dark varieties of petunias. Among the soft yellows, you can choose Avalanche Yellow Star. The sides of the petals are light in color, towards the middle it becomes darker.

Dolce Limoncello has large flowers of light lemon color. The petals of the Sunny Summer hybrid are covered with an even yellow color.

Purple

You can highlight the petunia with purple petals Bravo Lavender. The variety has large flowers of even color. Cascade Plum Vane is lilac in color. And Violet Dream is famous for its inky purple petals.

Hybrid

Dark-colored varieties are rarely obtained, so such experiments are highly valued by breeders. Variety Black cherry has unusual flowers of a dark tone. Black velvet is valued for the texture of its petals and unusual color.

Pure white hybrids are represented by petunia of the ampelous type Explorer. And Surfinia Double White attracts with its fragrant double flowers of soft white color.