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Petunias have been popular for years, and its easy to see why.

With a general habit to cascade, the larger types are ideal flowers for pot containers or hanging baskets. In this way they can be transported anywhere a splash of color is needed in a garden, porch, balcony, or windowsill where they can receive full sun to partial shade.

The main types are grandifloras, multifloras & millifloras, each with their own characteristics and growing habits, although all are generally easy to grow, come in a variety of eye-popping colors (or multicolors), and bloom all summer long.

As the name suggests, grandifloras produce large blossoms - sometimes up to 6 inches across - although they won't flower as much as multifloras. The larger, delicate blooms also usually don't stand a chance against heavy summer rains.

Near summer's end, larger size petunia plants usually need to be cut back to avoid becoming straggly and to promote new blooms.

For smaller gardens, and much easier care (with no need to prune or pinch back), millifloras have been developed as a new addition to the petunia family, Their compact size makes them ideal for edging or groundcover with blossoms a mere 1 1/2" across...

On the Web - How to plant & grow petunias :

Growing Petunias - How & where to grow them, choosing among varieties, watering & fertilizing advice, planting tips, and instructions on starting from seed indoors.

Growing Petunias - Step-by-step guide to seed germination, transplanting to the garden, care & feeding plus diseases & pests to watch for and possible remedies.

The Petunia - Beautiful photos, descriptions & information on grandiflora, multiflora, milliflora, spreading and wave petunias, plus tips on how to start seedlings, planting suggestions.

Petunia x hybrida - Photos of more than a dozen petunia varieties from Avalanche Lavender to Wave Rose.

Petunias - Webshots - Gallery of more than 2 dozens photos of various petunias including close-ups.

Also see related story -> Petunias Add Panache to Your Garden

also see in Garden Flowers -> Forget-Me-Nots | Four O'Clocks

Impatiens | Marigolds | Morning Glory | Nasturtiums | Pansies

Petunias | Snapdragons | Sunflowers | Verbena | Zinnias