Petunias from the genus Petunia are part of the Nightshade family. There are over 35 species in the genus, but the modern-day varieties we see today and are our garden favorites are hybrids and are classified as P. x atkinsiana (also known as P. x hybrida). Hardy to USDA zones 10-11, they are technically perennial plants but are grown as annuals in colder climates.
First discovered in the 1700s by explorers in South America, it wasn’t until after World War II, that the first hybrids were bred, leading to the numerous varieties and cultivars we have today. Petunias have a range of growth habits meaning that from hanging baskets to garden borders, there is a variety to suit your needs.
Petunias fall into four distinct categories, Grandiflora (large flowers), multiflora (many flowers), milliflora (small flowers and compact plants), and “spreading” (fast-growing with a wide spread). There are also single and double-flowered varieties.
They come in every color imaginable (pink, purple, red, blue, yellow, white, black, multi-colored), and are low-maintenance plants making them an extremely popular choice among gardeners.
#1 Big Deal Flamenco Dancer
A member of the Big Deal Series, this variety has ruffled edge petals which are raspberry and white striped. Throats are greenish-yellow with central veining between petal joins.
#2 Black Magic
Growing up to 16 inches tall, Black Magic is a compact cultivar. These Petunias have the truest black color of all varieties. Flowers are velvety and black and would look extremely striking potted in a brightly colored container.
#3 Black Night
A long-flowering variety, Black Night blooms from late spring through to the fall frosts. Flowers are double formed with velvety, purple-black petals. This compact Petunia flower is good for container growing.
#4 Black Velvet
Black velvet has a long flowering season from late spring to fall. This bushy Petunia plant has magnificent, dark purple (almost black), velvety flowers that grow up to 2 inches wide.
#5 Bolero Double Flowering Red
A unique and showstopping flower, Bolero Double Flowering Red (Bolero Series) has frilly, double flowers. Blooms are almost 4 inches across and are two-tone, bright red, and crisp white. Fantastic when planted in drifts or as a stand-alone in containers.
#6 Capri Hardy Blue
Part of the Capri Series, this Petunia type is fully frost-hardy. It is a compact plant but has large showy flowers which are a delightful shade of blue-violet.
#7 Capri Hardy White
A fully frost-hardy cultivar, Capri Hardy White has large white flowers with bright yellow throats and delicate yellow veining.
#8 Cascadias Yellow Eye
Cascadias Yellow Eye (Cascadias series) is a shortly-trailing Petunia flower. Growing up to 40cm tall, flowers are fragrant and white with green-yellow veins. A perfect variety for large containers as they will trail over quite nicely.
#9 Conchita Evening Glow
Conchita Evening Glow, a member of the Conchita Series, is a vigorous trailing Petunia plant. Flowers are 2 inches wide and bright red-purple. Plant them in raised beds in patios or city gardens.
#10 Conchita Blueberry Frost
Conchita Blueberry Frost is a compact, trailing Petunia plant with numerous blooms. Flowers grow up to 2 inches wide and are white with deep purple veining and throats. These flowers would look particularly impressive sweeping across a garden bank or slope.
#11 Crazytunia Moonstruck
A striking Petunia flower and part of the Crazytunia Series, blooms have deep maroon throats and yellow flowers which fade to a purple, maroon, and cream-stained edge.
#12 Easy Wave Red Velour
A member of the Easy Wave Series, Red Velour is a fast-spreading cultivar. Blooms are deep, velvety red with dark red centers.
#13 Easy Wave Yellow
This fast-spreading Petunia plant has pale yellow flowers with sunshine yellow centers and veining. A dense variety with numerous blooms, perfect for ground cover.
#14 Fanfare Blue
A beautiful variety, Fanfare Blue is a member of the Fanfare Series and produces large, delicate dark blue-purple flowers. A trailing type with numerous blooms, these Petunias are well-suited for container planting. Pair it with the tall-growing Lantana plant for a colorful and cascading effect in the container display.
#15 Frills And Spills Damson Ripple
A ruffled double-flowered variety, Frills & Spills Damson Ripple (part of the Frills And Spills Series) has two-tone reddish-purple and white flowers. It is semi-trailing and a great choice for hanging baskets.
#16 Grand Prix Pastel Pink
A member of the Grand Prix Series, Pastel Pink is a semi-trailing Petunia plant and is well suited to cottage-style garden window boxes for hanging baskets. Blooming from May – November, flowers have delicately ruffled edges and are a lovely shade of ice pink with white centers and pale yellow throats.
#17 Hippy Chick Violet
A groovy-looking Petunia flower, Hippy Chick Violet has unusually shaped blooms which have more squared edges. Flowers are bright purple with white edges and fade to blue and then again to white. White throats are heavily veined with brown.
#18 Littletunia Andrew
Part of the Littletunia series, Littletunia Andrew is a compact Petunia variety with semi-trailing stems and candy cane blossoms. Flowers are red with white stripes that fade to yellow in the throat. A great choice for window boxes.
#19 Lightning Sky
Lightning Sky has deep burgundy blooms with a large cream spot on each petal and cream flecking across the whole flower. This striking flower looks fantastic as a stand-alone in hanging baskets.
#20 Mystery Sky
Mystery Sky has dark purple, velvety blooms with white flecking, resembling the Milky Way. This is a compact cultivar which grows well in pots. Plant it with Petunias Night Sky and Royal Sky to have a piece of the universe in a container display.
#21 Night Sky
This Petunia flower truly looks like a glimpse into the galaxy, with purple-colored flowers flecked with creamy-white dots. A compact variety that grows in mounds, it is well suited for containers.
#22 Royal Sky
Royal Sky is another beautiful and mysterious type of Petunia that resembles the cosmos. Bright purple-pink flowers are heavily speckled with bright white giving the illusion of a starry sky in the galaxy. Semi-trailing, this plant would look lovely in hanging baskets or trailing over the edge of containers.
#23 Peppermint Vein
Peppermint Vein has large showy pale pink flowers with deep pink prominent veining and pale yellow throats. Ideal for cottage-style garden beds and containers.
#24 Phantom
Phantom is a compact, mound-forming Petunia plant. Flowers are dark maroon with a yellow stripe down the center of each petal creating a star shape. Grow in containers with Pinstripe and Black Velvet varieties for a unique display.
#25 Pinstripe
A mound-forming variety with purple-black velvet flowers that have a cream-tinged purple stripe down the center of each petal creating a star shape.
#26 Shock Wave Denim
Shock Wave Denim (Shock Wave Series), is a spreading cultivar with dark blue-purple flowers that mature to become a silvery blue-purple. Blooms are small (1-2 inches across) and prolific, making this a lovely variety for container displays or sweeping drifts.
#27 Shock Wave Pink Shades
This is a spreading Petunia variety, which looks great covering large areas of ground or spilling over hanging baskets. Flowers are pink with pale throats.
#28 Storm Pink
Storm Pink is a bushy Petunia with prolific blooms. Flowers grow up to 2.5 inches wide and are baby pink with white throats. Plant these in sunny borders in cottage-style gardens.
#29 Supertunia Bermuda Beach
Part of the Supertunia Series, Supertunia Bermuda Beach produces numerous, small coral-pink flowers, with white throats and pink veining. This is a long blooming Petunia cultivar.
#30 Supertunia Bordeaux
A mound-forming semi-trailing cultivar, Bordeaux has pale purple-pink blossoms with deep purple throats and veining. Plant them in hanging baskets or window boxes where they will tumble gracefully over the edges.
#31 Supertunia Daybreak Charm
This long-blooming variety has beautiful hot pink-edged flowers with sunshine yellow centers and throats. Blooms are small but vigorous and look great paired with bigger bloom Petunia types in containers or window boxes.
#32 Supertunia Picasso In Purple
This Petunia flower is bright and bold and would bring much-needed color into city gardens or patios. Blooms are purple-pink with dark violet veining and mint green flower edges.
#33 Supertunia Really Red
Supertunia Really Red has bold red blooms with dark red veining and white throats.
#34 Surfinia Double Blue Star
Part of the Surfinia series, this Petunia plant is compact with trailing stems and beautiful double flowers. Flowers are a blue-purple and would look sensational tumbling out of a hanging basket.
#35 Surfinia Sky Blue
Surfinia Sky Blue is a bushy and compact variety. Flowers begin as a reddish-violet, before fading to violet-blue. Their beautiful bluish hues make this a great choice for coastal garden borders.
#36 Surprise White Orchid
Part of the Surprise Series, this Petunia is a semi-trailing variety and looks attractive in hanging baskets. Flowers are white, lightly stained with pink, with increasing bright pink veining leading to the central pink-red throat.
#37 Surprise Amethyst Halo
Surprise Amethyst Halo has purple-blue flowers with cream edges and pale yellow throats. This is a compact and semi-trailing variety.
#38 Sweetunia Johnny Flame
Sweetunia Johnny Flame, a member of the Sweetunia series, has large, burgundy blooms with hot pink edges. This plant is “self-cleaning” so dead-heading is not required, making it the perfect Petunia plant for hanging baskets, window boxes, or hard-to-reach places.
#39 Sweetunia Starfish
A compact and bushy plant, Sweetunia Starfish has lilac blooms with dark purple veining and white stripes between petals to create a white star shape. Throats are dark purple. This Petunia flower would look lovely paired with single-toned pink varieties such as Peppermint Vein.
#40 Tumbelina Candyfloss
A part of the Tumbelina Series, Candyfloss is a sweet-scented Petunia variety, with hot pink, double flowers that are heavily ruffled. This is a trailing plant and is perfect for hanging baskets.
#41 Tumbelina Priscilla
Tumbelina Priscilla is the perfect Petunia flower for hanging baskets. Stems trail up to 35 inches long and have striking blooms; fragrant, double lilac flowers with deep purple veining.
#42 Wave Misty Lilac
A spreading Petunia variety that is perfect for large cottage-style garden borders, Wave Misty Lilac has a long blooming season from late spring to fall frosts. Flowers are pale lilac with yellow throats and look fantastic when grown in large groups.
