A Petunia By Any Other Name: Supertunias - by Evelyn Fielding of Beier's Greenhouse

Some people say the geranium is the most popular flowering plant but at Beier's, we believe petunias could rival the old standby any day and the Supertunia tops it all off. Supertunias are bred to blossom furiously all summer in a dizzying array of colors. They're happy in containers and even happier in hanging baskets, low maintenance, and attract pollinators and hummingbirds.

Remember, all petunias need full sun (8 hours a day). They like even moisture without being soggy or excessively dry; water when the top inch of soil is dry. Fertilize every two weeks during May, weekly in June, twice a week in July, then back to weekly in August. Give trailing petunias a haircut if they start to straggle by trimming about 20 percent of the branch length and removing stray branches.

Here is a little info about the Supertunia selection at Beier's Greenhouse. Some are new this year and some have been available for several seasons. Plant these with each other or combine with other accents for container gardens that inspire delight and envy.

Supertunia Bermuda Beach

The lovely trailing Supertunia Bermuda Beach blooms in the pink category and the color could be described as salmon or coral. It stays smaller than other Supertunias at around 6-10 inches high and trails up to 24 inches. Combine with white bacopa and lavender verbena for a pastel hanging basket, or with scarlet verbena for a vibrant mix. Create a stunning large container by bringing red grass, yellow calibrachoa, and dark blue verbena to the party.

Supertunia Bordeaux

Supertunia Bordeaux flowers in deep pink with plum-burgundy veins, giving you two colors in one trailing plant. Stays low in the pot at 6-10 inches but will trail up to 4 feet if given half a chance. Wow! Create a monochromatic container by interplanting with Supertunia Royal Velvet or Lavender Skies along with lavender verbena. A fun color explosion combines lemon osteospermum, coral or red verbena, and the dainty Supertunia Bordeaux.

Supertunia Cotton Candy

Supertunia Cotton Candy is simply delicious! It blooms exactly the shade of pink cotton candy, evoking summertime fun all season. Will trail up to 4 feet, so be prepared to hang it from the eaves or in a sunny, protected outdoor porch or gazebo. Combination plants are endless with this pure pink petunia: Try white and purple verbena, or create a container worthy of a fairy garden by putting white euphorbia and pink nemesia with it. Add a splash of contrast with coral or red verbena and white nemesia.

Supertunia Double Dark Blue

The Supertunia Double Dark Blue blooms in royal purple and its velvety ruffled blossoms are simply gorgeous. Keeps low in the container at 6-10 inches and will trail up to 2 feet, so this petunia is a little more orderly than some of its cousins. A spectacular monochromatic combination brings dark blue verbena and Supertunia Royal Velvet to the party. The Double Dark Blue is especially complimented by feathery grasses, delicate euphorbia or vines such as the sweet potato vine, creating airiness and contrast.

Supertunia Double Peppermint

Can you say FUN? The Supertunia Double Peppermint blooms bi-colored rose and white with ruffled semi-double flowers. Choose this Supertunia only if you need a little more joy in your life. Trails up to 2 feet. Tip: removing spent blossoms keeps your plant looking cleaner, but this Supertunia is self-cleaning for the most part. Combinations? Definitely try pink and white verbena. Go bold by interplanting red-blooming flowers such as verbena along with yellow calibrachoa.

Supertunia Lavender Skies

Supertunia Lavender Skies blooms a perfect shade of lavender-blue and their open faces shimmer as butterflies and hummingbirds flock to your hanging baskets. The Lavender Skies petunia spills up to 4 feet so hang it in a protected place. Really lovely just by itself with two or three plants in the container, or combine with white nemesia, pink verbena, and Supertunia White for a pastel container. Lavender Skies would also look great with Supertunia Double Dark Blue.

Supertunia Pretty Much Picasso

The Pretty Much Picasso Supertunia blooms purple-blue but each happy blossom is edged in lime green for a unique look. Flowers profusely and trails up to 3 feet if you hang it in a wind-protected place. This Supertunia is worthy of standing alone in its container, but if you want to bring out the purple and lime green, accent it with yellow nemesia and white bacopa. Definitely bring green and yellow grasses into the mix!

Supertunia Raspberry Blast

Boy, is it hard to describe the color of the Supertunia Raspberry Blast. Is it baby-pink? Is that deep rose along the edges, or more of a violet? Could that be a vein of white in the background? It's all those colors in one high-impact flower, making it a spectacular individual specimen or the center of attention in combination plantings. Trails up to 4 feet, so plant it with verbena or calibrachoa in any shade, lemon oenothera, and blue scaevola. Create a really impressive display by combining Supertunia Raspberry Blast with Supertunia Double Peppermint.

Supertunia Vista Silverberry

The Vista Silverberry Supertunia blooms the softest shade of pink—you'll think it's white until you get up close. The flowers are a bit smaller than other Supertunia varieties and it blooms vigorously, covering the branches with color. This is an ideal filler plant for beds because it mounds 16-24 inches high and trails up to 5 feet. Keep it trimmed and it fills containers and intermingles with other plants nicely. Combine with literally any other flowers you can imagine: red, purple/blue, or a stronger pink.

Supertunia Yellow Patio

With all the pink and blue petunias around, the Supertunia Yellow Patio is refreshing and sunny. Deep yellow throats are edged with pale yellow around the ruffled edges of the flowers. This patio variety stays tiny compared with its long-trailing cousins, making it ideal for containers and lovely in hanging baskets. The Yellow Patio adds a fun accent to a combination of juncus grass, pink verbena, and sky blue verbena. Create a fun combo by interplanting the Yellow Patio with golden bidens and lilac rose phlox