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Petunia-like flowers are popular with gardeners for their attractive appearance and variety of uses. Such plants are not only planted in flower beds, but also placed in pots, flowerpots and hanging containers. Despite the fact that these flowers are similar in shape or color to petunias, they can differ significantly in other characteristics.
What flowers look like petunia
Petunia is a very unpretentious culture that can be widely used as part of landscape design and decoration of the local area. This plant is actively used for decorating open terraces, verandas and galleries. A wide palette of natural shades and unpretentiousness make this culture very popular among gardeners.
Photos with the names of flowers similar to petunias, as well as their main features, can be seen below.
Calibraroa
Calibrachoa is an ampelous culture that looks very much like a petunia. The flowers of the plant are smaller in size (1-3 cm) and in large numbers cover strong branched stems with a small “pile”. Under favorable conditions, they grow in length up to 1-1,5 m.
Calibrachoa does not tolerate direct sunlight
The range of shades is very large. But mostly caliberchoa can be seen in brown, purple and yellow. The crop is planted in slightly shaded places, as the plant does not accept the sun and does not tolerate drafts. Calibrachoa is propagated most often by cuttings or seeds. Watering loves moderate. The basic agricultural technique of the variety is very simple.
Minutunia
Another culture of the ampelous type with flowers similar to petunias, only smaller. Minitunia is one of the related hybrids that has similar agricultural practices and such an important property as ease of care. The main difference between the culture is strong branching, accompanied by abundant budding and the formation of a large number of small flowers.
Minitunia are resistant to weather conditions and less demanding on top dressing.
A bright annual is actively used as a ground cover plant, placed in containers, planters, pots, arbors, balconies and city flower beds are decorated with it. Minitunia seeds are planted no earlier than mid-May, seedlings – in April, depending on climatic conditions. Like most varieties of petunia, this species does not tolerate direct sun, therefore, when planting it, it is necessary to take into account the presence of shade. Watering should be moderate, however, the amount of moisture should be increased during the flowering period.
Mirabilis
This compact plant, which does not look like a petunia, develops in the form of small bushes up to 70-80 cm high. Paired dark green leaves are ovoid in shape, the color of the flowers is very diverse. In nature, mirabilis is found in lilac, purple, raspberry, orange and bright yellow. Variegated-spotted and striped varieties are known.
Mirabilis blooms only at night
Night blooming accompanies a sweet pleasant aroma. With this quality, Mirabilis is similar to another well-known plant – the night violet. For landing, it is necessary to choose a well-lit area without drafts. Mirabilis is undemanding to the soil, prefers regular watering, but does not tolerate stagnant water.
Surfonia
Another petunia-like flower is called surfinia. This is a very beautiful culture, which during the flowering period is densely covered with bright large buds and looks like a ball. The average diameter of each flower is 5-6 cm. The color palette is very diverse: from milky white to purple, interspersed with dark purple. Grows up to 1,5-2 m.
Surfinia is distinguished by the longest flowering
Surfinia prefers good lighting, temperature not lower than +15 ° C, plentiful, regular watering and neutral soil composition. The hybrid is fertilized in spring and autumn. During the summer season, shoots are pruned several times.
Ipomoea
Ipomoea belongs to the Vyunkov family. It is attractive primarily for its bright colors, which have a funnel shape and original color. Leaves are heart-shaped. Garden morning glory can grow up to 5 m. It is surprising that the flowers of culture not only bloom in the sun, but also turn after its movement. Bright “gramophones” close at noon, however, if the day is cloudy, then this can happen in the late afternoon.
Ipomoea is very beautiful, but poisonous
The plant blooms for a long time: from June to the first frosts in red, blue, purple, white and pink flowers. She looks like a petunia in her unpretentiousness. Despite the fact that morning glory is a perennial, in the middle lane it is most often cultivated as an ampelous and ground cover annual.
Datura
Datura vulgaris is a petunia-like plant with high poisonous properties. Botanists attribute it to the Solanaceae family. It is similar to petunia in terms of unpretentiousness in terms of cultivation and care.
Datura requires careful handling and precautions in the cultivation process
The culture has a powerful root system, a strong erect stem, reaches a height of 110-120 cm. The leaves are large, dark green, dull, slightly pointed. They have an unpleasant odor. Single white or purple dope flowers are funnel-shaped and 10-12 mm in diameter. Blooms from early June to September. Also, like the leaves, they have an unpleasant odor. Reproduction occurs by seeds. Sow the crop in early spring.
Lavaetera
Lavatera is an amazingly beautiful plant with delicate, large flowers that shimmer with a silky sheen. They are characterized by a palette of pink, purple, blue, yellow and white. The average diameter is 8-10 cm. Lavatera is a plant with a powerful root system, strong stems and a very spectacular crown. Bushes are able to grow up to 1-1,2 m in height.
The second name of lavatery is wild rose.
This species blooms from June to October. Lavatera is very unpretentious in care, so it is often called the “plant for the lazy.” The variety is resistant to drought, withstands drafts, is not picky about the composition of the soil. Flowers look great cut and stand without fading, up to 6-7 days.
Fragrant tobacco
The cultivation of fragrant tobacco (Nicotiana alata) began in 1867. This representative of the Solanaceae family has erect shoots, large leaves and small flowers resembling a star. Their coloration is very varied. Fragrant tobacco flowers can be white, crimson, scarlet, yellow or pink.
Fragrant tobacco blossoms in cloudy weather
The beginning of the flowering period of this species is June, the end of budding is September. The annual is classified as a heat-loving species and is sown mainly through seedlings. In addition to regular watering and loosening, it is necessary to remove wilted flowers of fragrant tobacco in a timely manner.
Thunbergia
A plant such as tunbergia is represented in botany by both bushes and vines. The leaf blades are large, reach a length of 3-10 cm, have soft pubescence and pronounced lobes. Flowers are similar to petunia, only smaller, do not exceed 3-4 cm in diameter. They can be single or form entire inflorescences. They have the richest color. In nurseries, you can find tunbergia in lilac, blue, yellow, orange, blue, white and brown. Species with red inflorescences are extremely rare.
Only some varieties of tunbergia have a strong aroma, the rest practically do not smell.
Blooms, this representative of Acanthus from July to September. In the southern regions, it is cultivated as a perennial, in the middle latitudes – as an annual. It looks like unpretentiousness on a petunia. Under favorable conditions, it can grow up to 2 m.
Kampsis
Another liana-like plant is campsis. The main difference is that its stem can eventually be covered with bark. In addition, kampsis regularly sheds foliage. The flowers of the culture are funnel-shaped large up to 10 cm in length. The color is predominantly orange.
Liana Kampsis can reach a length of 15 m
For planting prefers southern, well-lit areas. Kampsis is similar to petunia with low requirements for the composition of the soil. Likes moderate watering and timely pruning.
Conclusion
Petunia-like flowers are in high demand among both ordinary gardeners and landscape designers. They are widely used not only for decorating the garden, but also for decorating outdoor spaces, houses, cafes and restaurants.
