Petunia
Petunia
Petunia 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 Petunia
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. Expect it to reach about 12 in tall and 1.3 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year.
When to plant Petunia
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Petunia 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.
Comes in 13 varieties across 6 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Petunia
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
Despite belonging to the nightshade family, petunia is non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, with no toxic principle. Heavy nibbling may still cause mild, passing stomach upset. per ASPCA and NC State
Deadheading depends on type
Big-flowered grandifloras and doubles need regular deadheading to keep blooming; modern spreading, Wave and milliflora types are self-cleaning and need little or none. per Clemson
Watch for tobacco budworm
Round holes in buds that then fail to open point to tobacco budworm caterpillars; handpick them in the evening in small plantings. per Colorado State
Revive leggy summer plants
When plants stretch and go leggy by midsummer, cut the stems back by about half, then feed and water for a fresh flush of bloom. per Clemson
Sticky leaves are normal
The sticky, hairy feel of petunia stems and leaves is a normal glandular trait, not a pest or disease sign; it just catches dust. per NC State
Mixed pollinator ancestry
It descends from a night-scented, moth-pollinated white species and a bee-pollinated purple one, so it draws moths, bees, hummingbirds and butterflies, varying by cultivar. per PubMed Central and NC State
What pairs well with Petunia
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.
Joe Pye Weed
Shares full sun and moderate to high water; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage; taller at 5.9 ft, for the layer behind it.
Sneezeweed
Shares full sun and moderate water; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it.
Perennial Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage; taller at 4.9 ft, for the layer behind it.
Rosemary
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; opens in early spring and overlaps into this one's season; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; both offer pollinator forage.
Hyacinth
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; lower at 10 in, for the front of the border; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
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; echoes the purple.
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 purple.
Grape Hyacinth
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
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