Roll Out The Pink Carpet
One of the most dramatic statements a landscape architect can make in a large area—whether residential or commercial—is a broad swath of bright color that lasts from spring to fall. One just can’t get that from trees, shrubs, or perennials.
These aren't just petunias-- they're "Supertunias"! Photo Courtesy of Jesse Hensen
This is a job for Supertunias!
Supertunia is the brand name for a specific group of petunias that have been bred for heat tolerance, disease resistance, and vigorous mounding-growth habits. They are part of a line of superior-performing annuals from the people at Proven Winners, and live up to their name by being ”super,” and proven to be ”winners” over many years of use in landscaping.
Best In Show
There are 32 different ‘”Supertunias' in the series, but the very best for use in a large landscape are varieties in the Vistas series: Bubblegum, Fuchsia, and Silverberry.
Vista, a far-reaching view, is the perfect name for this series that looks great from a distance; it features show-stopping colors ideally suited for mass planting, and is perfect for a gorgeous, extended growing season.
These petunias grow up to 2 feet wide—excellent for covering a lot of ground. And being self-cleaning, they always look good, and never have old, spent flowers distracting from displays. Plus, they are resistant to diseases, making them even more carefree for large plantings.
Vista Bubblegum features large, beautiful, bubble gum-pink flowers that almost completely cover the plants in both cool and hot weather.
For a darker pink, use Vista Fuchsia, with rich, purple flowers.
Vista Silverberry has a large, soft-pink flower with deep-pink throat and medium-pink veins.
All of the flowers have been tested extensively throughout the United States in university and professional field trials, and all three of the Vista Supertunias are multiple award winners.
Vista Fuchsia was awarded Top Performer by Kansas State University in 2011, and Best of the Best Multi-Year award from the Champaign County, Ill., trials. Vista Bubblegum was selected as Top Performer at nine different trial sites in 2011. And most impressive is that Vista Silverberry was named Top Performer in 21 separate trials in the U.S. and Canada!
These are plants you can depend on.
For Optimal Results
Petunias will perform best in bright, sunny locations. They can be planted early in the season, even tolerating light frosts in the spring. For mass plantings, they should be planted 1 to 2 feet apart. They will need to be watered on a regular basis, and fertilized regularly.
Trees, shrubs, and perennials may give the landscape its structure, but to add the ”wow” factor to a landscape, there is nothing like a gigantic splash of color, and annuals are the way to go.
For top performance in a sunny location, and the most color for your money, use Supertunias!
Jesse Hensen is the Vendor Relations/Customer Service Manager for Eason Horticultural Resources, a wholesale plant-broker company. He can be reached at (859) 578-3535 or via email at jhensen@ehrnet.com.