The Petunia That Refuses to Die
Opera Supreme Pink Morn is one tough plant
Opera Supreme Pink Morn is a real workhorse in the flower garden.
Neither heat, nor light frost, nor dry conditions can kill Petunia Opera Supreme Pink Morn. This is one tough plant.
An All America Selections bedding plant winner for 2007, this vigorous petunia behaves as a tender perennial if it is overwintered in some frost-free place indoors during the winter months. Use it freely in flower beds and borders as an annual bedding plant. In addition, this is an excellent choice for container gardens. With its trailing, pendulous stems, Opera Supreme Pink Morn looks especially gorgeous in hanging baskets.
Like all petunias, this thrives in full sun. Opera Supreme Pink Morn grows well in most any reasonably fertile soil so long as the spot isn’t poorly drained.
This spreading, mounding hybrid is rather dwarf, reaching only about four to six inches in height. Give it plenty of space for it can spread to three feet or more in the garden. So, allow two feet or so between plants.
For best results, use a soluble, balanced fertilizer every couple weeks or a slow release formula at planting time. High nitrogen types can interfere with flowering. For that reason, use these only when the plant is young.
Opera Supreme Pink Morn petunia withstands ordinary dry conditions. However, it will need watering during droughts. For container gardens, consider adding moisture retaining crystals to your potting soil. These can reduce the frequency of waterings.
Flowering freely, Opera Supreme Pink Morn never quits blooming the entire growing season. The blossoms begin to appear about three months from the time the seeds are sown.
Consider this plant as high fashion for your garden for petunias don’t get any better than this. The iridescent, tri-colored blossoms, 2½ inches across, are quite visible from a distance. Medium pink along the outer portions, this fades to white towards the centers, which surrounds the yellow throats. The trio of colors accounts for the word morn in the name.
Despite its fashionable appearance, Opera Supreme Pink Morn is a real workhorse in the garden. This carefree plant requires no deadheading or pruning. Unlike some other petunias, it won’t get leggy. When planted as an annual ground cover, the quick growing stems crowd out most weeds.
This variety is very easy to grow from seed. They’ll need to be sown indoors about ten weeks before the last expected frost. Don’t cover these seeds for they need light in order to germinate. These will sprout in about ten days.
Opera Supreme Pink Morn is also readily available as bedding plants from retail stores and other sources.
To learn about the other All America Selections 2007 winners, read this article by Angela England.
