skip to main content

Gulf Coast Gardening

Wave Petunias-Do they really stand the heat?

17 years ago

Hi,

I'm new here, but glad to have found you!

I've been hearing about the Wave Petunia and that it's heat tolerant. Has anyone in Houston or other super hot and humid areas had any luck with them? Any tips? Also I heard that they've made a heat resistant Dianthus. Does anyone know the name or how they do?

Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

ltcollins1949
17 years ago
I was recently at Maas Nursery in Seabrook and bought three 4" pots of the heat tolerant dianthus. It didn't have the name on it, so I can't help you there. Maybe you can call them and ask. They sure are pretty and have been blooming nonstop.

And my sister bought some wave petunias there. They are supposed to be very heat tolerant.

The Laura Bush Petunia is a cross between the Petunia violacea VIP and old fashion Texas petunias. Both are on the Texas Superstar list. The Laura Bush did great even through the summer.
bumblebeelib
17 years ago
I'm down on Dauphin Island in Ala and the Wave petunias do beautifully here. I don't waste my time on the others any more the do so well.
Related Discussions
What to do with this wave petunia?
Q
Comments (2)
you have extremely high expectations for a recent transplant.. in what has been a very cold .. long.. spring ... i would give it a month.. and hope the soil warms thru the root mass ...giving it time to finish getting 'established' .. and then decide if it needs to be taught a lesson with the shears ... you took if from a very toasty house... outside.. where temps fall every night into the 40s ... the soil loses its heat at night... so though you might think its all 60 and 70 degree days ... the plant is in both transplant shock.. and a bit of suspended animation as to soil temps .. one might say.. its hardening itself off .. to temps ... if you have more than one... go at one .. leave a second.. take pix.. and document how each responds.. and whammo.. you are the new expert ... i didnt have the WWW when i experimented and learned all this stuff.. and besides.. i tend to remember my experiments.. and wont be back asking again next year.. because i forgot what someone else said .... we had a good frost fri night.. due east of you in adrian mi ... i hope you are watching for that .... in your z5 ... just because you were ready to hoik them outside.. doesnt mean ma nature is in on that program... lol BTW... thats a pretty nice.. fat and happy seedling for homegrown... good work ... ken ps: EVERYWHERE a leaf is attached,... you will see a bud.. first leaf back from the flower.. the bud is large.. i can see it in your pic ... and each leaf down.. the bud get smaller ... you cut just above any bud ... and that is the whole point of pinching back .. you pinch to a bud.. either seeing it.. or knowing its there..P is a brilliant plant to learn on.. because you can see them... when you know what to look for ...
...See More
Wave Petunias
Q
Comments (15)
This is what i have observed about the tidal wave petunias..nothing can out perform the way they grow and bloom..they tend to grow upward untill the weight of the branches or wind makes them start to fall ..then they resume their upward growth untill it happens again over and over..they fill the top of the baskets so they never look bare..I have a pink rave of the wave I kept cuttings from last year..it will mound somewhat but not as much as the tidal waves...the avalanch wave petunias are smaller and I thought mine looked somewhat like a sombrero hat last summer on the way they grew..lol..I have red and white ramblers this year and really like them..they dont seem to mound much but the red colour stays a true red..the white rambler seeems to have out preformed the red for growth and blooms..I also have a purple wave (not and easy wave)..it has grown very flat.for the most part the blooms are all at the bottom of the branches..I mixed the red+white ramblers with the purple wave and pink rave of the wave with bidens..and of course the bidens has out performed everything..lol...savona
...See More
Yellow wave petunia problem
Q
Comments (1)
Well aside from the fact that all the 'wave' varieties are iffy hybrids when it comes to producing viable seeds, I don't know of any reason why one color should do well while another color flubs IF given identical germination conditions. So make sure there is no differences whatsoever. Even though I dislike the peat pellets and all their problems greatly if they worked for one color they should work for both. So all that leaves is the seed quality. Have you contacted the seed source to report the problem? Sometimes suppliers get a bad lot but they don't know it until several customers report issues. Meanwhile I'd be inclined to give them as much time as possible and cross my fingers. Good luck. Dave
...See More
'HeatWave II' Tomatos,....Are they really HOT growing tomatos?
Q
Comments (1)
Here is a link to a discussion about them over on the Growing Tomatoes forum here. http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/2170728/variety-selection-caruso-heatwave-etc?n=7 There are other discussions about them the search pulls up if interested. Dave
...See More
beachplant
17 years ago
They plant them around the medical center in Houston & they seem to do fine. The salt air gets them here sometimes but I have seen some do very well along the seawall in the dead of summer.
Tally HO!
pwilli
16 years ago
I live in Pensacola, Fl. Wave Petunias are my favorites! We have serious heat and humidity but the waves do very well here. Just make sure they get enough water. Mine are in pots and I water them twice a day. They get full sun.
juneroses Z9a Cntrl Fl
16 years ago
There was a dianthus question posed in the Garden Letters section of the August 2005 Southern Living edition. The response was that "Bewitched", "Bath's Pink" and "Firewitch" tolerate high heat and humidity.

"Firewitch" has blue foliage, a "very long flowering season" and bright magenta flowers "on an outstanding plant".

When I gardened in Ohio I grew "Bath's Pink". It had a beautiful clove scent so I'm especially partial to it.

I also can vouch for the Laura Bush Petunia. I grow it here in Florida. It blooms summer, fall, winter and spring for me. No deadheading necessary. Wonderful scent which wafts into the house when windows and doors are open. Flower color is magenta. It also self seeds.

June
ltcollins1949
16 years ago
My waves didn't make it even though I planted them in April. However, in the past, I've had Laura Bush make it through the summer.
beachplant
16 years ago
So far the ones planted around UTMB are doing well, but we haven't been really bad with heat but a couple of weeks. They may be drowning right now!
Tally HO!
honeybunny2 Fox
16 years ago
My wave petunias, like the heat, but we have had too much rain, and they do not like that combination. 90% of mine rotted in the ground. I think they would have been fine, if not for all the rain. This week, we had over 12 inches. Barbra,
bloogootootx
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for all the replies, I went ahead and bought a few and so far they are doing well, although they look a little scraggly.
beachplant
16 years ago
All the ones here on the island seem to have bit the dust with all the rain last month. How did yours do?
Tally HO!

Related Stories

EDIBLE GARDENS 6 Summer Edibles That Can Really Take the Heat

By Steve Asbell

When garden temperatures soar, these herbs and vegetables rise to the challenge

TILE Top Tile Trends From the Coverings 2013 Show — the Wood Look

By Becky Harris

Get the beauty of wood while waving off potential splinters, rotting and long searches, thanks to eye-fooling ceramic and porcelain tiles

ARCHITECTURE Houzz Tour: Sturdy Enough for a Tsunami

By Mary Jo Bowling

Storms don't scare this Washington state home; breakaway features and waterproof finishes let it weather high winds and waves

LIFE How to Prepare for and Live With a Power Outage

By Lisa Frederick

When electricity loss puts food, water and heat in jeopardy, don't be in the dark about how to stay as safe and comfortable as possible

ARCHITECTURE Time-Tested, Low-Tech Ways to Cool a Home

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

People have been beating the heat around the world for centuries without plugging anything in. Could these ideas work for your home today?

GARDENING GUIDES Texas Gardener's June Checklist

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Win the battle against heat and drought with these plant picks and extra effort, for a garden that reigns supreme in summer

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Flowers of ‘Berlandiera Lyrata’ Surprise With a Subtle Chocolate Scent

By Susan J Tweit

This heat- and drought-tolerant Southern Plains native offers up daisy-like yellow blooms from spring to first frost

KITCHEN DESIGN New This Week: 4 Subtle Design Ideas With Big Impact for Your Kitchen

By Mitchell Parker

You’ve got the cabinets, countertops and appliances in order. Now look for something to make your space truly stand out

DECORATING GUIDES An Expat’s Guide to Making a Home Away From Home

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

How do you stay balanced when each foot is in a different culture? You take a stand where you hang your hat

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Panicum Virgatum, a Prairie Beauty Many Gardeners Can Enjoy

By Susan J Tweit

Switchgrass adds color through the year and is a natural ‘seed feeder’ for birds

Sponsored