Petunia Dreamstar

Petunia Dreamstar is a brand new variety, previously reserved for urban flower displays and now available to amateur gardeners on the lookout for resilient and floriferous, easy to grow plants. 'Dreamstar' is a sturdy petunia with a unique colouring. On its small, creamy-white flowers, there is a large irregular, purple star surrounding a very pale yellow throat with a small black centre. The plant has a slightly trailing, ball-shaped habit and blooms until October, unaffected by bad weather. This annual with its contrasting flowering brings dynamism to flower beds, containers, and hanging baskets. Easy to grow in the sun, in fertile, light, and moist soil.

Hybrid petunias all come from several plants native to the warm regions of South America. The 'Dreamstar' petunia belongs to the solanaceae family, closely related to ornamental tobacco, and its foliage also contains alkaloids. This variety quickly forms a rounded and dense clump, 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16in) tall and 30 to 50 cm (12 to 20in) in diameter, with a very sturdy appearance. The plant blooms from May to October, as long as it is well-watered and regularly fed. Its funnel-shaped, medium-sized flowers with wavy edges are clear and vibrant, purple and white, tightly packed on dense foliage. The centre of the corolla is marked with yellow and a very dark heart. The hairy, dark green leaves have entire edges and are vigorous and healthy.

No other annual flowering plant has undergone such intense selection by breeders for such a long period. The results are impressive and petunias compete with geraniums in terms of splendour and length of flowering, as evidenced by this 'Dreamstar' variety. Plant it in large containers or hanging baskets for a stunning result. You can create a perfect contrast with black-flowered petunias, the Blue Star variety, or a very pastel ensemble with a soft pink, mauve, or white petunia. You can also plant it in flower beds to edge borders of plants with grey foliage, such as ceraistes, sea cineraria, or artemisias. If you want it to stand out, plant several to create an original ground cover at the base of plants with grey foliage, such as faassen's catmint or annual poppies.

Note: Please be aware that plug plants are products intended for experienced gardeners: upon receipt, repot and store them under cover (veranda, greenhouse, cold frame...) at a temperature above 14°C (57.2°F) for a few weeks before planting them outdoors once all risk of frost has passed.