Surfinia is a special variety of hanging petunia. It bears hundreds of small bell-shaped flowers. It is often used as a cascading flower to hang from balconies and decorate deck fences.
| Name | Petunia x surfinia |
|---|---|
| Family | Solanaceae or nightshade |
| Type | Annual |
| Height | 6 to 20 inches (50 cm) |
| Exposure | Full sun or part sun |
| Soil | Rather rich, not too chalky |
| Flowering | Late spring to mid-autumn |
Even though it is a perennial in warmer latitudes, in temperate climates it is grown as an annual. In both cases, the blooming lasts a very long time.
It is recommended to plant this petunia in spring, after any risk of freezing is over, because it doesn’t survive freezing well.
Surfinia plants may produce seeds, though less than regular petunia. These seeds might also be sterile, since the plant is a hybrid (see the surfinia origin story below). However, experience shows that surviving seeds will also be very beautiful! Simply, they’re a new kind of petunia and not the actual “Surfinia Petunia ®” anymore.
Whether in a container or in the ground, select a sun-filled spot for maximum blooming.
To enhance flower-bearing, you can remove wilted flowers regularly.
During spells of high temperatures, feel free to water in the evening to avoid having your petunia dry out.
Pinch the tips of young surfinia plants once or twice early on so each stem branches instead of trailing down as a single bare whip.
Surfinia is a hungry feeder, so give container plants a liquid fertiliser for flowering plants every week or two throughout the blooming period.
If stems grow long and flower only at the ends, cut them back by about half to force fresh, well-branched growth.
Water the soil, not the flowers, since wet petals turn to mush and rot in damp weather.
The Surfinia Petunia ® is a petunia hybrid that has the special trait of cascading down. Evidently, this makes it a great choice for suspended pot arrangements!
It shares with us the gift of bearing beautiful flowers for a long time.
It is a kind of weeping, cascading petunia that produces rolling swaths of flowers.
Since it is easy to grow, it will develop well in garden boxes, suspensions and also directly in the ground.
The blooming spreads from the beginning of spring until fall. It loves sun and well-drained fertile ground.
The origin of the surfinia plant dates back to 1987. Surfinia was bred in Japan by Suntory Flowers. Initially, it started as a vigorous wild petunia discovered in Brazil. Dr. Sagazaki hybridized it with other petunias so that the many colors we see today could arise.
In short, the surfina is a petunia that gained a trailing habit and an excellent resistance to disease and other hardships. Even today, new patented varieties are developed and propagated through cuttings by growers across the world.
The word “Surfinia” is a trade name, and it refers specifically to plants multiplied through cuttings. Any seeds from these flowers that grow into flowers won’t be exactly the same because of cross-pollination, so they can’t be called “surfinia” anymore. They are still petunia, however!
A close relative offers the same cascade in smaller flowers and far greater numbers — calibrachoa.
Flower your garden, balcony or terrace with surfinia for a landscape that is full of colors!
Surfinia does not survive freezing well and should be planted after any risk of frost has passed. In temperate climates, it is grown as an annual, though it can persist as a perennial in warmer latitudes.
Surfinia flowers from May to October, providing very long-lasting blooms. When started from seed indoors in February/March, plants should be transplanted outdoors after the last frost to begin their flowering season.
Surfinia requires full sun or part sun exposure, with a sun-filled spot being essential for maximum blooming. It should be planted in a location that receives adequate sunlight to develop well.
For both containers and ground planting, it is preferable to let the ground dry up somewhat before watering again to avoid excess moisture. During spells of high temperatures, water in the evening to prevent the petunia from drying out.
True Surfinia plants are propagated through cuttings by commercial growers. While surfinia plants may produce seeds, these are often sterile or produce flowers that are not the same as the parent plant due to cross-pollination, so they cannot be called ‘Surfinia’ anymore, though they remain beautiful petunias.
