Petunia x hybrida
Pink dwarf petunia: its name comes from the Tupi-Guarani petun, which referred to tobacco—the botanists immediately recognized the relationship between these two South American nightshades. The dwarf form offers the advantage of a compact habit that does not become bare, ideal for window boxes and windowsills.
Characteristics:
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Very long flowering: from spring until the first frosts, without interruption.
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Compact habit: the dwarf form remains dense and full, without bare stems.
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Highly versatile: window boxes, hanging baskets, flower beds or balconies—it adapts anywhere there is sun.
Sowing advice:
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Exposure: sunny or partial shade, sheltered from wind that tears its fragile corollas.
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Soil: light, well-drained and rich. It is a hungry plant, particularly in pots: quality potting soil is essential. Keep the soil moist but never waterlogged, especially in summer.
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Method: sow from February to March in a seed tray, in a warm place (20–22 °C). Important point: its seeds are extremely fine and need light to germinate—sow them on the surface without covering them, and mist rather than water. See how to sow your seeds.
Planting advice:
- Transplant after the last frosts into a window box, hanging basket or flower bed, spacing plants 25 cm apart.
Care advice:
- Water regularly at the base, without wetting the flowers, which become marked by water.
- Remove faded flowers by pinching off the entire flower stalk, not just the corolla: this prevents exhaustion and encourages renewed flowering.
Beneficial combinations:
Benefits for biodiversity:
- Its funnel-shaped corollas are suited to long-tongued pollinators: butterflies and crepuscular hawkmoths visit them, especially on varieties that are fragrant in the evening.
- On a balcony, it is often one of the few floral resources available to urban foragers.
Uses:
- Window boxes, hanging baskets, pots, windowsills and flower beds. A reliable choice for summer flowering.
Harvesting your own seeds:
Let a few flowers develop their conical capsules, then harvest them when brown and dry, before they open, over a sheet of paper: the seeds are tiny, almost dust-like. See how to store your seeds.
Commitment to Quality: at SemiSauvage - Permaculture, we grow and select our seeds with respect for all living things as our guiding principle. Located near the Auvergne Volcanoes, we choose varieties tested for their germination rate, carefully sorted and packaged, with no chemical treatment. Our belief: to give gardeners back the pleasure of sowing and watching plants grow.
Bring color to your balcony from spring until the frosts.
