Petunia Surfinia Blue Picotee

Petunia Surfinia Blue Picotee is a brand new variety of early and vigorous petunia, whose large funnel-shaped flowers astonish with their stable and remarkably contrasting colouration, deep blue, regularly edged in white and darkened with an elegant black throat. They bloom until the first frosts, on a plant of excellent durability covered in flowers throughout the season. A reliable, easy, and spectacular plant in flower pots, flower beds, and hanging baskets!

Petunia belongs to the solanaceae family. It is closely related to ornamental tobacco and its foliage also contains alkaloids. These annual, biennial, or tender perennial plants are most often grown as annuals and are all native to the warm regions of South America.

Petunia Surfinia Blue Picotee is a very recent cultivar with large flowers, introduced in 2018. It forms a dense, rounded, semi-trailing clump with firm and velvety stems that rise without collapsing to 30-40cm (12-16in) and spread gracefully up to 60 cm (24in). The plant is continuously in bloom from May to October, provided it is regularly supplied with water and fertiliser. Its cup-shaped flowers are large, approximately 7 cm (3in) in diameter, a very deep blue colour with a dark throat, bordered by a regular white margin. They open on dense, vigorous, relatively disease-resistant foliage composed of oval and pointed, dark green leaves that have entire edges. This variety requires very little maintenance: simply remove faded flowers regularly.

No other flowering annual plant has been subjected to such intense selection by breeders for such a long period. The results are impressive and petunias rival geraniums in terms of the splendour and duration of their flowering, as demonstrated by this reliable, very elegant, and unusual Blue Picotee variety. Plant it in large, dark-coloured, black or grey designer flower pots or in hanging baskets to creare a perfect contrast with white petunia varieties. You can also plant it in flower beds, to edge borders of plants with grey or white foliage, such as dusty miller, sea cineraria, or wormwood. If you want it to stand out, plant several plants to create an original ground cover at the base of plants with grey foliage, such as Faassen's nepeta or annual poppies in pastel colours. Use its flowers to decorate a floral centrepiece, sprinkled with silver glitter, for example, to surprise your guests!

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