Expert: Long Island Gardener - 2/23/2009

Question
Hi,
Are petunias and surfinias the same plant? I thought all of the petunias hang. However, last year I bought petunias and they did grow up high but not hang from the basket. So, is there any way to know which ones hang or climb by looking at their leaves or flowers?

Answer
'Surfinia' is a trademark owne by Japan's Suntory Limited (most famous here for its delicious, melon-flavored alcoholic beverage, 'Midori').  Suntory brings hybridization to a whole new level, using the highest technology available to invent flowers so gorgeous you'd think they were a new species.  Last month, for instance, a new Suntory Mandevilla won top prize -- 'Favorite New Flowering Plant' -- at the international Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition in Florida.  It's beautiful:

www.suntory.com/about/news/2009/10328.html

Trust me when I say these people will re-invent the wheel.

They've basically done that with your vegetatively propagated Petunia, 'Surfinia':

www.surfinia.com/html/surfinia.html

Jackson & Perkins bought U.S. rights to market these.  Its biggest competition: the seed-propagated 'Wave' series (developed by another Japanese outfit, Kirin, best known for its Beer) and 'Supertunia', the trademark of Proven Winners.   Trailing Petunias are the best-selling B&B -- that's 'Bed-and-Basket' -- Petunia in this country.

The rest of the U.S. market is non-trialing Petunias, which, as you correctly observed, grow upright instead of trailing.  These Petunias completely different hybrids.  Although they don't work so well as groundcovers or in hanging baskets, they do grow UP -- reaching 18 to 21 inches in height, which makes them perfect for pots.

To maximize bloom on Petunias, you have to know what you're doing.  Most people over-fertilize and over-water Petunias, so the advice I usually give is to leave them alone.  These new, perfect Petunias don't even need pinching anymore.  If you can feed them a fertilizer LOW in Phosphorus (the middle number on the N-P-K breakdown), which in Petunias has the negative effect of actually blocking off Iron, Calcium and Magnesium, you will get an even bigger Petunia bang for your buck.

Let's recap.

If you want spreading, trailing Petunias for hanging off the porch in baskets or filling in flowerbeds, SEEK OUT Wave, Supertunia, or Suntory Petunias.

If, however, you want a more upright flowering plant, AVOID those 3 hybrids.  Sounds like you're in the market for one of those best selling, Japanese gems!

Keep me posted.

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER