Unique Petunia Colors and Varieties in Gardening

In the pantheon of summer blooms, petunias are seen as dour blooms, wilting too soon in the summer heat. They are often found crowding supermarket baskets, lacking the poetic soul of a climbing rose or the dramatic height of a foxglove.

However, a renaissance of color and texture is currently sweeping the world of flowers – modern petunias have evolved into an exuberant display of haute couture, no longer limited to simple pinks and whites. New cultivars appear draped in velvet capes, resembling the star-speckled galaxies of the night sky. Petunias are commonly grown in hanging baskets, but they can also be trained to tumble from raised garden beds or slopes. While it’s not required, petunias are one of many plants that benefit from deadheading. Many gardeners find a hori hori knife within reach to be supremely helpful. 

At its heart, gardening is an act of storytelling. Look toward these extraordinary cultivars for a touch of whimsy and avant-garde. 

1. NightSky® 

Flowers that evoke the night sky are all the rage due to a preoccupation with the divine. The 'NightSky' petunia shattered the mold of what gardeners expected from a bedding plant. The flower equivalent of a New York Times bestseller, it delivers spectacular results. With deep, regal purple petals dappled with unpredictable white spots, each bloom resembles a distant galaxy. 

2. Black Velvet 

While traditional garden design often shuns the dark, there is a profound, moody elegance in a truly black flower. 'Black Velvet' doesn't just look black; it feels like expensive Victorian silk. Its petals absorb the light, providing a sophisticated, high-contrast anchor when planted alongside silver foliage like Dusty Miller or the delicate, honey-scented clouds of white alyssum. 

3. Petunia Sophistica® Blackberry

If you think bright yellows are an eyesore, say goodbye to the colors that would give Wednesday Addams an allergic reaction. The sister of Black Velvet, this petunia revels in its deep, raspberry color, which is delicious layered with gothic black. Unlike the neon brights of the nursery, it features marvelous blooms that span three inches across. 

4. Crazytunia® Moonstruck 

The Crazytunia® series represents the wild, uninhibited joy of a summer festival. Among them, 'Moonstruck' is a standout rebel. It features a chaotic, electric blend of neon lime green and deep, bruised purple with delicate veining. Defying practical color schemes, it invites a sense of bohemian playfulness into the landscape. It is the perfect choice for the gardener who thinks ‘weird’ is a compliment. It pairs well with dusty ochre, muted terracotta, and sepia-toned hues, recreating the appearance of 12th-century French tapestries come to life. 

5. Double Cascade Pink 

Gardeners seldom believe that this petunia is indeed the same line of descent as those common petunias wilting in mouldering garden containers. For the gardener who craves the opulence of a peony but lacks the space or the climate for them, the 'Double Cascade Pink,' known as the peony mimic, is the answer. They are so lush they often spill over stone walls or the edges of containers readily, offering a sense of Victorian decadence.

6. Silverberry 

There is something beautifully haunting about the delicate, pale beauty of 'Supertunia® Silverberry' – a faded rose shade that bridges the gap between different garden sections. Its petals are a ghostly, luminous white blush, etched with striking magenta veins that radiate from the center. This creates an eerily entrancing visual texture that softens the hard edges of bolder, more structural plants. Create a lacey border by allowing them to run rampant in modern raised beds, where the dark colors will beautifully offset the allusive color of this petunia. 

7. Supertunia Latte 

If Silverberry is the fairy lady of the Victorian era, then 'Supertunia Latte' is the sickly Victorian child haunting the air. Some flowers evoke the warmth of a Mediterranean café; others, like this petunia, are certainly intriguing if you prefer the “dead but delicious” look. Despite its unusual variant, it still manages to feel right at home in a rustic potager garden, tucked between herbs and terracotta pots or among the darkly-hued blooms of a goth garden. 

8. Indian Summer 

Mirroring the hazy, ephemeral colors of a late-August sky, 'Indian Summer' is a dusky-colored bloom that wouldn’t be out of place among the cloud of Kerala butterflies flitting through the afternoon. What makes this cultivar truly unique is its lack of uniformity. A single plant can simultaneously display shades of honey yellow, soft apricot, and deep rose. This prevents the garden from ever looking static or dull, as the plant seems to ripen and change color as the season progresses.

9. Pink Sky 

A sister to the famous NightSky, 'Pink Sky' offers a softer, more whimsical take on the celestial theme. Its hot pink petals are splashed with white star dust, conjuring a dreamlike atmosphere that blends Barbie with sophistication. It brings a touch of magic to the mid-day sun, and it’s endearing enough that even those that spurn garish colors will find its randomized, starry texture worthwhile. 

10. Priscilla (Tumbelina)

'Priscilla' is widely considered the nobility of the petunia world. A member of the Tumbelina family, it features masses of exquisite double blooms in a soft, misty lavender with deep violet veins. But its true secret is its fragrance. Unlike most modern petunia hybrids, which have lost their scent in the quest for color, Priscilla emits a sweet, pleasant fragrance. 

11. Pistachio Cream 

Among flowers, petunias rank number one for outrageous colors that nature cannot seemingly replicate. Gardeners are always shocked to find a flower as green as the surrounding foliage. 'Pistachio Cream' is an oddity – an herbaceous blend of chartreuse, lime, and touches of white.