Petunia
Petunia × atkinsiana
Family Solanaceae
Petunias are the engine of the American porch basket — trailing types spilling three feet of trumpet blooms that can run spring through fall, in nearly any color a porch could want. Hummingbirds work the flowers while the baskets do the decorating.
Fast, sun-loving, and endlessly massable, they fill window boxes, baskets, and bare beds with equal ease, from six-inch mounds to three-foot cascades depending on type. Cheap color that performs like a luxury — load up the containers this spring and let them pour.
Full Sun
Moderate water
Fast growth
Attracts hummingbirds
Juglone-sensitive
From the print shop
Growing petunia? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries petunia — Petunia atkinsiana, print Nº 364, “Petunia.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what petunia actually needs.
Life cycleTender perennial, grown as an annualPetunia · Common problems
Common petunia problems
Pests
3 problems on file
- Aphids
- Budworms (holes in buds = caterpillar)
- Cyclamen & Broad Mites
Diseases
3 problems on file
- Botrytis in wet spells
- Late Blight
- Damping Off
Petunia · Growing & propagation
Growing petunia
- Light
- Full Sun
- Water
- Moderate
Containers daily in July heat
Soil- Well-drained, average · pH 5.5 - 6.5
Fertilizer- Every 2 weeks in containers
They're hungry bloomers
Pruning- None
Old types need deadheading; modern Wave/Supertunia types self-clean — just shear by a third in late July when leggy.
Spacing- 10-12 in
Petunia · Seasonal care & spray guidance
The petunia growing playbook
When to spray petunia
Growing season. Bt for budworms if buds vanish.
Petunia · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Petunia · Yearly calendar
The petunia year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomBloomMay
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Petunia · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Petunia × atkinsiana
Petunia in the garden system
Attracts- Hummingbirds
- Moisture
- Facultative / average
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
Origin- Introduced
- Juglone
- Petunia is sensitive to juglone
The toxin exuded by black walnut, butternut, and their relatives. Keep it 50+ ft from any walnut or hickory, or its leaves will yellow, wilt, and die back for no obvious reason.
What petunia is grown for
✓ Not known to be toxic
Use- Baskets
- Use
- Window boxes
- Use
- Massing
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Petunia · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a petunia variety
'Wave' series (spreading); 'Supertunia Vista' (monster baskets); 'Night Sky' (speckled)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Petunia
Petunia × atkinsiana
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Petunia × atkinsiana
- Plant family
- Solanaceae
- Growth habit
- Annual · Tender Perennial
- Origin
- Introduced
- USDA plant symbol
- PEAT7
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Questions
Petunia questions, answered straight.
Is petunia safe for kids and pets?
Petunia is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
Elsewhere
Where petunia sits in the library.
Sunflower
Zinnia
Peony
Daylily