Wave Blue Petunia (Petunia 'Wave Blue'): Cascading Color for Containers

Overview

Petunia 'Wave Blue' is a flagship member of the revolutionary Wave® series, bred for its vigorous, spreading habit and continuous bloom without deadheading. This trailing annual produces masses of velvety, deep-blue flowers from late spring until frost, cascading 60–90 cm from hanging baskets, window boxes, and landscape beds.

Botanical Description

Plants form a low, mounded base 10–15 cm tall, with stems that radiate outward and downward. Flowers are single, funnel-shaped, 5–6 cm wide, in a rich violet-blue shade with a slightly paler throat. Unlike older petunias, Wave varieties are self-cleaning: spent blooms drop cleanly, and new buds form continuously along the lengthening stems.

Taxonomy

Family:	Solanaceae (so-lan-AY-see-ee)
Genus:	Petunia (peh-TEWN-ya)
Cultivar:	'Wave Blue' (Wave® series)

Growing Requirements

• Light: Full sun (6+ hours) for best flowering.
• Soil: Fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic (pH 5.5–6.5).
• Water: Consistent moisture; avoid waterlogging.
• Fertilizer: Weekly balanced liquid feed or slow-release at planting.

Design Ideas

Plant 3–5 per 30 cm hanging basket for a lush, overflowing display. In beds, space 30–45 cm apart to form a flowering carpet. Combines beautifully with silver-foliaged plants like dusty miller or licorice plant, or with contrasting yellow calibrachoa. Excellent for municipal plantings and commercial landscapes due to low maintenance.

Seasonal Care

Pinch back at planting to encourage branching. No deadheading needed. Shear back by half in midsummer if stems become leggy; plants rebound quickly with fresh growth and blooms. Replace with cool-season annuals after frost.