This Mexico-native evergreen perennial is not a petunia, despite its name. However, it is known for its petunia-like purple flowers that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Its leaves are dark green and lance-shaped.
Do Mexican petunias need full sun?
Mexican petunias love sunshine and will thrive in full sun. They also grow quite well in partially shaded areas, but shade reduces flower production. Plants grown in full sun will have purple stems while those grown in the shade will have green stems.
Are Mexican petunias poisonous to animals?
The ASPCA makes it very clear that petunias aren’t poisonous to canine, cats or different animals, however their web site comprises a really prolonged listing of different, equally fairly vegetation which can be mildly or lethally poisonous. Hereof, are Mexican petunias edible?
Should I cut back dwarf Mexican petunias?
To encourage more flowers, remove the spent blossoms from dwarf Mexican petunias. Do this by hand -- deadheading -- or cut them back with garden shears. Sterilize your shears with household disinfectant before and after trimming each plant to prevent the spread of disease.
Where to buy Mexican petunias?
Buy Mexican Petunia Plants for Sale Online Mexican Petunia is most commonly known as a herbaceous perennial, but it has quickly become a popular houseplant. This plant is known for its vibrant violet-blue blooms and dark-green, slender foliage. Native to Mexico and western South Africa, this plant loves warm locations outside and inside.
What colors do dwarf Mexican petunias come in?
Dwarf Petunias are a perfect plant for both garden beds and containers indoors or out, as long as it has a bright sunny spot. They flower in white, purple, and pink and look beautiful clustered together in a variety of colors.
Do Mexican petunias like sun or shade?
Mexican petunia grows and blooms best in full sun or partial shade. It will grow in shade, but doesn't bloom as much and looks leggy and lanky. This sun-loving perennial likes rich, slightly moist soil so mulch the plants to maintain consistent soil conditions, especially during hot, dry weather.
Is there a pink Mexican petunia?
Pink Mexican Petunia has an upright growth and is a herbaceous evergreen perennial. It has a medium texture and blends nicely in the garden. It can always be balanced by finer or coarser plants for an intriguing contrast!
Do Mexican petunias come in red?
Ragin' Cajun Red Ruellia produces a non-stop display of deep red flowers held above the medium green foliage from late spring to fall or practically year round in frost free climates.
Should Mexican petunias be cut back?
In general, the only pruning a Mexican petunia requires is an annual pruning in late winter or early spring to remove damaged, weak or otherwise undesirable stems back to the base of the plant. Cutting back spent flower stalks during the blooming period helps maintain a neat appearance.
Do Mexican petunias multiply?
Propagation. Mexican petunia spreads naturally by both seeds – it can spew the small brown discs as far as ten feet – and rhizomes. Photo by Gretchen Heber. You can also propagate this plant via purchased seeds, cuttings, or division.
Is Mexican petunia invasive?
The wild, invasive form of this plant is so aggressive, it's banned in some states, and it's on a watch list of invasive plants in others. The state of Florida lists Mexican petunias as “highly invasive.” Native to Mexico and western South America, Ruellia simplex, also known as R.
How do you get rid of Mexican petunias?
Mowing, tillage or weed-eating the tops off Mexican-petunia will not remove the plants entirely. Instead, plants can be dug up with a shovel, with the aim to remove the entire root mass. There are no known biological control agents for Mexican-petunia.
How long do Mexican petunias last?
Each flower lasts for just one day. The blooming period can last from early spring through the heat of late summer in warmer climates. The fast-growing plants reach up to 3-feet to 6-feet tall. They are typically as wide as they are tall.
Can Mexican petunia survive winter?
Overwintering Mexican petunia is very easy, though they are perennial plants they do not produce flowers in the winter and like to go dormant. If you have planted it in the pot, you can simply winterize them by Snipping off its leaves and cutting branches.
Does Mexican petunia need full sun?
Light. Mexican petunias love sunshine and will thrive in full sun. They also grow quite well in partially shaded areas, but shade reduces flower production. Plants grown in full sun will have purple stems while those grown in the shade will have green stems.
What is a petunia?
Petunias, known for their clear, rich colors, are a bright and sometimes fragrant addition to any flower garden. Easy to grow and care for, petunias bloom all summer long. Petunias are annuals. Hundreds of varieties exist in nearly every color, size and flower form. Purple petunia and white petunia varieties are often sweetly aromatic.
Who is the author of Colors of Petunias?
Colors of Petunias. By Audrey Lynn. ABOUT THE AUTHOR. Audrey Lynn. Audrey Lynn has been a journalist and writer since 1974. She edited a weekly home-and-garden tabloid for her hometown newspaper and has regularly contributed to weekly and daily newspapers, as well as "Law and Order" magazine. A Hambidge Fellow, Lynn studied English ...
How should I plant petunias?
Petunia seedlings need to be "hardened off" before you plant them in the garden. Place the seedlings in their nursery containers outside in a shady spot and gradually , over the course of a few days, move them into direct sunlight. Plant the seedlings in full sun to light shade in well-drained, fertile soil. Amend the soil, if needed, with organic matter before planting. Plant spreading petunias 1 to 2 feet apart; space other types of petunias about a foot apart. Pinch the tips of grandiflora and multiflora seedlings to encourage branching.
What are petunias used for?
Uses. Petunias are versatile enough for dozens of uses. Plant them in containers, hanging baskets or window boxes. Use milliflora petunias as border or bedding plants and larger varieties as background plants for smaller flowering plants.
How big are Grandiflora petunias?
The flowers, which are less abundant on grandifloras than other types of petunias, are as large as 5 inches across.
How far do petunias spread out?
Spreading petunias, as the name implies, sprawl outward as much as 2 to 4 feet from the base of the plant.
How tall does a wave petunia grow?
Tidal Wave grows up to 22 inches tall, but other Wave petunias only grow about 6 inches tall. Advertisement.
What are the colors of petunias?
Shades of blue and purple offer an attractive contrast to traditional pinks and reds. Blue petunia cultivars include “Moonlight Eclipse,” which blooms with deep blue flowers that are tipped with white; “Supercascade Blue,” which blooms with dark purplish-blue flowers; and “Shock Wave Denim,” a miniature-flowering petunia that blooms in multiple shades of blue and bluish-lavender. "Sky Blue" petunias bloom with azure-colored, 3-inch flowers. Purple varieties include "Purple Wave” and "Purple Delight,” each with vivid purple flowers. "Supertunia Bordeaux" blooms with flowers that sport pinkish-purple petals and dark purple veins.
When do petunias bloom?
They typically bloom from May until the first frost, with flowers in nearly every color. Seed producers and scientists have been able to expand the natural flower colors of petunias by manipulating the color-producing pigments in the plants, giving gardeners a rainbow of petunia colors from which to choose.
How tall do petunias grow?
These colorful flowers are grown as annuals in cooler climates. The plants grow in full to partial sun, generally growing 8 to 12 inches tall. They typically bloom from May until the first frost, with flowers in nearly every color. Seed producers and scientists have been able to expand the natural flower colors of petunias by manipulating the color-producing pigments in the plants, giving gardeners a rainbow of petunia colors from which to choose.
