Calibrachoa
Calibrachoa
Calibrachoa blooms from May through October.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Calibrachoa
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 9–11. Expect it to reach about 8 in tall and 1.3 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year.
When to plant Calibrachoa
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Calibrachoa into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from May to October.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 9 in February.
Comes in 11 varieties across 7 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Calibrachoa
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
New leaves that yellow between the veins have two causes: it is iron-inefficient, so high pH starves it of iron, and a heavy feeder, so underfeeding yellows it too. per Minnesota and Michigan State
Full sun or afternoon shade
Full sun gives the heaviest bloom, but Clemson says in hot-summer regions light afternoon shade eases heat stress with little flower loss. In cool regions, give it maximum sun. per NC State and Clemson
Treat it as an annual
NC State lists it hardy in zones 7a to 11b as a tender perennial, but it reliably returns only in nearly frost-free zones 9 to 11. Elsewhere, replant each spring. per NC State and Clemson
No deadheading needed
It is self-cleaning: it drops its own spent blooms and keeps flowering without deadheading, a real low-maintenance edge over petunias. per NC State and Clemson
Overwatering is the main killer
Overwatering and poor drainage cause root and stem rot, the main way the plant is lost. Use fast-draining mix and let the surface dry slightly between waterings. per NC State and Minnesota
Draws hummingbirds
Its long season of small nectar bells draws hummingbirds, but no source documented meaningful bee or butterfly visits, so its pollinator value is modest. per NC State
Built for containers
A low, trailing plant smothered all season in small bell flowers; it shines as a container and hanging-basket spiller. Skip heavy garden beds and clay. per Minnesota and Clemson
What pairs well with Calibrachoa
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Sneezeweed
Shares full sun and moderate water; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Globe Thistle
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Perennial Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; stands well above at 4.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Rosemary
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; opens in early spring and overlaps into this one's season; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Witch Hazel
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; stands well above at 9.8 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Viburnum
Shares full sun and moderate water; opens in mid spring and overlaps into this one's season; stands well above at 6.6 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; its white flowers settle the orange.
Lilac
Shares full sun and moderate water; opens in mid spring and overlaps into this one's season; stands well above at 9.8 ft, a canopy to plant beneath.
Asiatic Lily
Shares full sun and moderate water; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it; pink sits close to orange on the wheel.
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