The Most Overlooked Fall Bedding Plant

The petunia is one of the most popular annual flowering plants. It can be used in a variety of ways including: as mass plantings, in beds and as container plants for porches, patios and decks.

In most cases we are mistreating this plant by planting it in the spring. The petunia is best used as a cool season bedding plant in the coastal south. If planted in the fall we can enjoy its color from November through mid to late spring during mild winters. On the other hand, if spring planting, we are fortunate to get a couple of months of blooms before high temperatures shut it down.

There are several classes of petunias, with varieties within each class. Knowing what to expect from each class will help in selecting the right petunia varieties for your conditions.

Varieties within the multiflora class are probably best adapted to our local conditions. They tolerate hot, wet periods and continue to flower freely. Both single and double types are available, but the single flowering varieties are the heaviest flowering and most dependable, in general. Popular varieties are found in the “Celebrity” and “Madness” series.

The grandifloras, as the class name implies, produce large flowers. Some blooms are 3 to 4 inches in diameter, and are available in a wide range of colors. These petunias do best in cool temperatures because high heat causes the stems to stretch. Some of the newer cultivars are more heat and rain tolerant than the older ones.

The class known as the spreaders, include the popular “Wave” petunias. Flowers form along the entire length of stems and continue to bloom all season without being pruned back. Spreading petunias tolerate high temperatures a little better than other petunia classes but generally don’t last all summer long in our area.

Floribundas are essentially multifloras, with somewhat larger flowers. The plants flower earlier, like grandifloras, but are more tolerant of weather extremes. Floribundas are good choices for mass plantings and as container plants.

Milliflora is a new class of petunias named “Fantasy.” The flowers are smaller, but they are produced in abundance. They bloom early and are well suited to containers and hanging baskets. “Fantasy Pink Morn” is an All-America selection.

Hedgiflora is the newest class of petunias on the market. The only varieties that are currently available within this group are the “Tidal Wave” petunias. They are available in pink and cherry colors and are large growers, reaching a height of 2 to 3 feet with a 3 to 4 foot spread. These have been excellent performers in LSU trials.

Try some petunias this fall. Look for stocky, dark green plants at nurseries and garden centers. Plant them in well prepared beds or planters by mid-October. You will be pleasantly surprised.

Question of the Week: My Japanese magnolias always flower well in the spring and grow well until late summer. Beginning in August the leaves begin to turn brown. What could be causing this?

Answer: The Japanese magnolias, also known as Oriental magnolias or saucer magnolias are good early flowering plants, but the foliage generally starts to decline during mid-summer. The cause is believed to be excessive heat.

Saucer magnolias are adapted to the temperate zone, so summer conditions along the northern Gulf Coast are stressful. They usually flower and sprout new growth each spring even though they appeared sickly during the previous summer and fall.

Summer heat stress can be moderated by maintaining a 2 to 3 inch mulch on the soil surface beneath plants and by providing supplemental waterings during dry periods.