Content
Petunia has long been a popular horticultural crop. These are elegant and variegated flowers with a pleasant aroma. The difference between petunia and surfinia is that the last plant belongs to the varietal group of the first. Despite such a close relationship, the plants still have some differences in both appearance and care.
Surfinia has a similar cultivation and care technique
Surfinia and petunia - what is the difference
Petunia is a member of the nightshade family from the genus of perennial herbaceous plants.
By type, size of bushes and shape, there are 3 types:
- Bushy or upright. Shoots stretch from 15 to 80 cm.
- Ampelous or creeping. They are characterized by long shoots.
- Cascading. They have strong stems, up to 2 m long.
The last two types are usually combined into one group. They don't have much of a difference. In the ampelous variety, the shoots fall down and do not deviate to the sides during the growth process. In cascading shoots, young shoots initially stretch upward, and then begin to spread horizontally. Their flowers are more uniform in color, and ampelous on the bush can have buds of different shades.
The difference between petunia and surfinia may not be noticed at first. Nevertheless, the latter species is distinguished by long and strong shoots.
Surfinia is the brainchild of Japanese breeders. In fact, it is a varietal group of ampel petunias. Shoot growth is fast. They droop if grown in suspended planters. Formed from internodes. In length they can reach 2 meters, in contrast to their "parent", which rarely stretches more than 1.5 meters. She has many varieties. The most popular are:
- «Burgundy»(Burgundy), with large in diameter, up to 8 cm flowers, which have a wine tint.
- «Tibel White»(Table White) - with white flowers, like bells.
- «Ed"(Red). It is characterized by a pure scarlet shade of flowers. The variety has received awards at exhibitions many times.
There are a number of characteristics that distinguish surfinia from ampelous petunia:
- ampelous plants have thin shoots, and in the cultivar species they are branching and powerful;
- surfinia is propagated by cuttings, and ampelous varieties are predominantly seeds;
- the variety is considered more hardy, it quickly recovers after severe weather conditions, and other varieties do not tolerate winds well, and the leaves are deformed from rain.
Both types of plants are propagated by cuttings.
Differences in landing and grooming
As you can see in the photo, the difference between surfinia and petunia is insignificant, in addition, the first type is a hybrid of the second, so there are no special differences in care.
Both species prefer a nutritious soil that should be loosened periodically.
At the same time, petunia feels equally well in flower beds and in pots. Surfinia is planted exclusively in closed loamy soil and is often watered. The "parent" prefers sandy loam soils, without special requirements for the frequency of watering.
Both plants love warmth and sunlight, and in partial shade, the number of flowers is greatly reduced. Therefore, it is very important that the plant grows in a sunny location.
Before you take out the surfiniya outside, it will have to be prepared, that is, for several days to take out the pots of flowers in the open air, for several hours, gradually increasing the amount of time spent on it there. Petunia is undemanding in this matter, she does not need special training. The bushes are immediately taken out in pots or planted in flower beds.
Surfinia can also be propagated by seed, but experienced gardeners never use this technique. The fact is that few seeds are always obtained from a bush.And if you buy them, then there is a huge risk that the bag with seeds will contain 50-60% of the sand.
Do not count on a lush bush grown from seeds. Such plants are distinguished by their short stature and abundant flowering. Therefore, the best breeding method is cuttings.
Petunia grows well outdoors
Which is better - petunia or surfiniya
There is no definite answer to this question. Both types allow you to decorate your personal plot, have excellent decorative properties. Plants do not require special care conditions.
The main difference between surfinia and petunia is that it can only be grown indoors. For many, this is an advantage, the flower can be placed in a gazebo or on a terrace, ideal for vertical gardening.
Surfinia winters well even in the basement, it will not release leaves and flowers. But as soon as it becomes warm and the spring rays of the sun are directed at her, she immediately awakens and releases foliage. Petunia can even overwinter in a flower bed.
The classic petunias are cheaper than the varietal species. But both plants can be propagated by cuttings.
One petunia bush can have flowers of different colors
Conclusion
The differences between petunia and surfinia are small, but they should still be taken into account during cultivation. Both species bloom more magnificently and more beautiful every year. And surfinia, unlike petunia, always has a rich and pure color of flowers. In the latter type, flowers of different colors can be observed on one bush, which is not typical for the first variety.
