Garden Petunia
Petunia x hybrida
A popular ornamental flowering plant featuring trumpet-shaped pink flowers and soft, slightly sticky green foliage arranged in a trailing or mounding growth habit.
- Light
- Full sun, requiring at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal flowering.
- Water
- Moderate watering needs. Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings, and water thoroughly at the base of the plant.
- Growth
- Often grown as an annual; forms a spreading or mounding habit reaching heights of 6 to 18 inches with a spread of 18 to 30 inches.
Care instructions
Provide full sun to partial shade with regular watering when the top inch of soil becomes dry. Use well-draining potting mix and apply a balanced liquid fertilizer every two weeks during the growing season to encourage continuous flowering.
Growing details
Sunlight
Full sun, requiring at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal flowering.
Watering
Moderate watering needs. Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings, and water thoroughly at the base of the plant.
Soil
Rich, well-draining loamy soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
Hardiness zone
USDA zones 9 through 11 as a tender perennial, frequently grown as an annual in cooler climates.
Growth habit
Often grown as an annual; forms a spreading or mounding habit reaching heights of 6 to 18 inches with a spread of 18 to 30 inches.
Bloom season
Blooms from spring through the first autumn frosts, producing trumpet-shaped pink flowers.
Propagation
Propagated easily from stem cuttings taken in spring or summer, or grown from seeds sown indoors 10 to 12 weeks before the last spring frost.
Common pests & issues
Susceptible to aphids, slugs, and fungal diseases such as botrytis and powdery mildew, especially in humid conditions with poor air circulation.
Similar species
Calibrachoa (Million Bells), which features smaller flowers that closely resemble miniature petunias but with woody stems and smaller leaves.