The purple wave petunia is a perennial plant or an annual spreading herb that forms masses of magenta-purple flowers from late spring to past frost. It is a fast-spreading plant that uses its flexible flowered stem to climb on walls forming wave-like patterns giving homes a natural purple beauty.
The wave petunia is dense and full making it perfect to quickly cover large areas in the garden or home fencing walls cascading from containers and baskets. The big advantage of the wave petunia it’s an all-weather plant that can tolerate high temperatures and also can survive bad frost. Its beautiful flowers attract hummingbirds and it’s amazing for creating a dazzling display through the summer when it fully blooms.
Here are some tips for growing wave petunias successfully:
Wave petunias need full sun, at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. They will become leggy and bloom poorly in shady areas. Use a well-draining potting mix or garden soil amended with compost or other organic matter. Petunias like soil that is fertile but not overly rich.
Space wave petunia plants 12-18 inches apart in the ground or use a 6-12 inch hanging basket or container with drainage holes. Pinch back tips when planting to encourage bushier growth. Keep soil moist but not soaked. Allow the top inch or two to dry slightly between waterings once established. Petunias hate wet feet.
Feed every 2-4 weeks during bloom time with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half-strength. Remove spent flowers regularly to encourage more blooms. Wave petunias are self-cleaning to a degree but deadheading does help.
In cold climates, wave petunias are grown as annuals. In mild areas, they may survive winter but often get leggy. Consistent moisture, full sun, and deadheading are keys to getting full, trailing blooms all season from wave petunias. They make great spilling plants for containers.
Wave Petunia Seeds
The wave petunias are warm weather annuals. They can be started indoors 8-10 weeks before the last expected frost date in your area. They can also be directly seeded into the ground after the danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed to around 70°F.
Starting Seeds Indoors
When starting seeds indoors use a sterile seed starting mix. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in trays or containers. Keep soil moist and provide bright light once seedlings emerge. Harden off seedlings for 7-10 days before transplanting outside after danger of frost
Direct Sowing
Before you start sowing your wave petunia seeds. Always prepare the soil bed by mixing in compost or aged manure. Sow seeds ½ inch deep and 12 inches apart. Keep soil lightly moist until germination in 7-14 days. Thin seedlings to 12-18 inches apart once a few inches tall
Care For Wave Petunia
The wave petunias bloom best in full sun. Water whenever the top inch of soil becomes dry. Feed every 2 weeks with a balanced liquid fertilizer. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowering. Space or pinch stems to allow good air circulation. Have always given my wave petunia proper care and it bloomed heavily all summer and fall until frost.
FAQs
1. Do we have petunias that come with purple?
Yes, the wave petunia mostly forms purple flowers.
2. What is special about wave petunias?
The best thing about wave petunias is that it’s easy to grow and they blow other petunias right out of water easily. They can thrive in the sun and only require watering when fully dry. They need no attention or monitoring when growing. The unique thing about this plant is that it can tolerate both hot and cold weather.
3. Which wave petunia is best?
Easy Wave – is the best choice for landscapes, baskets, containers, and gardens. It has a better spreading habit than low-growing wave variety. It needs minimal maintenance and care.
4. What does the Purple petunia mean?
The color purple is associated with royalty and wealth, it also symbolizes prestige, creativity, harmony, and strength. The purple petunia can portray a wide range of concepts including fantasy, grace, respect, and administration.
5. Do purple petunia smell?
The plant has a sweet lavender-like fragrance.
6. What is petunia purple called?
The petunia intergrifolia(petunia violacea), the violet petunia, or violet flower petunia is a species of wild petunia with violet-colored blooms.
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