

Improving On Petunias In The Summer Garden This creates an especially dense display of flowers. Petchoa Is Compact And Why That Is ImportantĬompact, means that the leaf internodes are close together. This is nice protection, however, if you make a mistake! Here is a link to NOAA’s map showing the last spring frost history. Always plant the spring/summer flowering annuals after the date of the last recorded frost. The Petchoa has a reasonable ability to withstand the surprise spring frost. The Petunia closes up and is more easily damaged in the rain. When a rainstorm is not extreme, the Petchoa flower remains open. Petchoa Withstands Rain And Some Surprise Freezing Look for some beautiful offerings with colored veins. The calibrachoa parent contributed the larger color choices.
#Supercal petunia series#
The SuperCal series is the trade name for the petchoa developed by the breeder Sakata. New colors include, Bordeaux, Caramel Yellow, Premium Cinnamon, Premium French Vanilla, Premium Pink. It survives late spring frosts, rain, and heat.

SuperCal series-Large vibrant flowers, from spring to first hard frost.Calitunia is the trade name for the first petchoa, developed by the breeder, Danzinger. Calitunia series-Calitunia Purple, Fuschia trumpet-shaped flowers with deep purple centers, also in pink.My lists are designed to help you know what you should reasonably expect at the garden center.
#Supercal petunia update#
I have a brief list here, I will continue to update it, but you should not consider it perfect. New cultivars are produced by breeders each year. So that is about how long it has been with us. I found early testing of this plant in public botanical gardens in 2010, with branded varieties about 2013. In Petunias, Color Is Important-What Colors Can Petchoa Give Us?Īs a new hybrid, the Petchoa has two series of cultivars, each with color choices. As a popular new plant, you will find it in season in the big box stores and in local garden centers too. Say it as if it is spelled PetKOAa, and they will know what you want in the garden center. PETunia (the natural parent) and calibraCHOA-second parent. The name comes from the plant’s two parents. Petchoa is the genus and you will find about 20 cultivars. Therefore, the blooms will remain open in light rain and withstand bad weather the best. In addition, petchoa tolerates rain better than other petunia plants. (The Petchoa tolerates high pH levels the best.) So, because it accepts both cooler spring and fall temperatures and late summer heat and humidity, it should outperform either parent! In addition, it can minimize disease as well as pH issues better than either parent. It is well branching (means no pinching), and the foliage is not sticky (less deadheading). It withstands heat, wind, and rain better than either of its parents. Petchoa (pet-KOA-uh) has l arge flowers, as wide as t he Petunia and almost as long. So why do we need another very similar plant, a recently bred hybrid? It is a cross between a Petunia and a Calibrachoa. It is called “million bells” for the very large number of small, but petunia-like blooms. Use calibrachoa for its ability to last longer than petunias into the heat of summer and the unique colors. Later we discovered its unique and valuable ability to be bred in extraordinary colors and the rest is history, However unlike the petunia which was universally loved, almost immediately, the calibrachoa was for many years ignored as hard to grow. So it has a place in our gardens.Ĭalibrachoa was actually discovered in South America in the 19th century.

The flower is similar to Petunia, and the plant has better resistance to hot, humid summers than the Petunia.

We, gardeners, love Petunias we are happy with the much newer Calibrachoa, which looks like loads of small petunias on a colorful mounding and trailing plant. Do You Wish Petunias Would Last Longer In The Summer?
