I must admit that I’m not necessarily a big petunia fan. I dislike pinching off all those sticky dead flowers to stimulate renewed bloom. Of course, most modern petunias bloom all summer and no longer need deadheading, but… I haven’t quite forgiven them for their past sin.
Even so, every now and then I see a petunia that makes up sit up and take notice. Such is the case with the new Amore™ series. Look at the flower in the photo to the left. Did you see it? Well, then, look again! Each flower is surrounded by five small red hearts. Now if that isn’t charming, I don’t know what is!
Amore™ Queen of Hearts, yellow with red hearts, is perhaps the most striking of the series and is the one the hybridizer Danziger Flower Farm seems to be mostly promoting. Apparently they’ll be offering it in special packaging bearing the logo “Share the Love” (smart idea!). Still, all the Amore™ petunias bear the same heartlike imprint. Amore™ Purple is white with purple hearts, Amore™ Fiesta, yellow with dark purple hearts, Amore™ Joy, white with purplish pink hearts and Amore™ Mio, my favorite, white with bright pink hearts.
Queen of Hearts was first offered regionally in 2016 and should be widely available in greenhouses across Europe and North America this spring (2017). The others may only be locally offered in 2017.
Description and Culture
Amore™ Queen of Hearts is a densely blooming, vegetatively propagated petunia with small, weather-resistant blooms, so it holds up better in rain the large-flowered types. The plant will reach about 12 to 15 inches (30 to 40 cm) high and 15 to 18 inches (40 to 45 cm) wide. Semi-trailing, it will drip nicely from hanging baskets or containers or can be grown in a flower bed like any other petunia
The Queen of Hearts Amore™ petunia will flower all summer and requires no deadheading.
For best bloom, grow it in full sun in rich, well-drained soil. It will also bloom, but less enthusiastically, in partial shade. It may need watering during periods of drought.
My suggestion: use it in a heart-shaped planting for a special event, such as a wedding or an anniversary.
I ? petunia Amore™ Queen of Hearts!
Another non-deadheading plant added to my list. Thank you for this beauty. 🙂