Petunia Surfinia Tumbelina Belinda

The Petunia Tumbelina® Belinda, with its subtly scented corollas full of petals in a beautiful deep blue, brings a new dimension to terrace or balcony decoration. Its stems, completely covered in large double flowers, gracefully and voluptuously cascade from pots and hanging baskets until late in the season. Drought and heat resistant, strong against bad weather, this annual plant appreciates sheltered and sunny locations, as well as fertile, light, and fresh soil.

Hybrid petunias all originate from several plants native to the warm regions of South America. The cascading petunias came about by chance when a scientist noticed in 1989, on the edge of a field, a particularly vigorous wild petunia covered in bright flowers: Petunia inflata. Crossed with others, this species gave rise to the cascading petunias, which were given the name Surfinias by marketing. The Tumbelina® series, developed in England, adds a pleasant touch of fragrance to the vigor and colours of this plant.

The trailing petunia 'Tumbelina Belinda' belongs to the Solanaceae family, it is related to ornamental tobacco, for example, and its foliage also contains alkaloids. This plant quickly forms a dense and spreading clump, wider than it is tall, reaching about 30 cm (12in) in height and 50 cm (20in) in diameter. It produces hundreds of flowers from June until the first night frosts, provided it is regularly supplied with fertilizer. Its flowers measure about 10 cm (4in) in diameter, they are a deep and rich midnight blue, almost uniform, slightly lighter on the edges of the petals and gently scented. The foliage, quite pubescent, has entire edges and a dark green colour.

No other flowering annual plant has been the subject of such in-depth selection work by breeders for over a century. The results are impressive, as petunias compete with geraniums for their splendor and the length of their flowering period, as demonstrated by this variety. Plant 'Belinda' in large pots or hanging baskets, above low walls, wherever its flower-covered stems can cascade. 5 identical or mixed-color plants are enough to fill a large flower box. You can also plant them in massifs, in large clusters, to punctuate borders of plants with gray foliage like ceraistes or artemisias, or cover the base of roses.

Green plants measuring 4 to 8cm (2 to 3in) in boxes of 5 small plugs measuring 2.8 cm (1in) in diameter and 4 cm (2in) in height. Our plants are at least eight weeks old and strong enough to be planted in the ground.

Note: Attention, our young plug plants are professional products reserved for experienced gardeners: upon receipt, transplant and store them under cover (veranda, greenhouse, cold frame) at a temperature above 14C° for a few weeks before planting them outdoors once the risk of frost is definitively avoided.