Calibrachoa, a cascade of colors

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Calibrachoa is a very beautiful flower that bears hundreds of small bell-shaped flowers

Key Calibrachoa facts

Name – Calibrachoa
Family – Solanaceae or nightshade
Type – annual

Height – 6 to 20 inches (50 cm)
Exposure – sun or part sun

Soil: rather rich, not too chalky  –  Flowering: end spring → fall

Calibrachoa is often used as a cascading flower for suspended pots and overhangs. Even though it is a perennial in warmer areas, in temperate climates it is grown as an annual but its blooming lasts a long time.

Planting, sowing calibrachoa

It is recommended to plant this petunia-related plant in spring, after any risk of freezing is over, because it doesn’t survive freezing well.

• Calibrachoa in a flower bed
  Blend garden soil to soil mix.
• Calibrachoa for pots, garden boxes, containers
  If you’ve purchased your plants in nursery pots, mix together garden earth and soil mix.
  It’s also possible to use only soil mix, since this would further boost plant growth and blooming.
• Calibrachoa in a hanging pot
  Choose hanging plant soil mix which tends to be lighter, otherwise you’ll have problems with this type of planting.

Sowing Calibrachoa

For seeds, start sowing in a tray indoors, in your home, starting in February/March.

Simply press the seeds down to ensure they stick to the special “seedling soil mix”, without covering them over.

Water regularly to retain moisture, but not too much.

When the first leaves of your calibrachoa pop out, transplant to nursery pots and wait for the last frost to have passed before planting them outdoors.

Whether the plant is in a container or in the ground, select a sun-filled spot for maximum blooming.

Pruning and caring for calibrachoa

To enhance flower-bearing, you can remove wilted flowers regularly.

During spells of high temperatures, feel free to water in the evening to avoid having your calibrachoa dry out.

• It is preferable to let the ground dry up somewhat before watering again to avoid excess moisture.

Remember that hanging calibrachoa will need water more often than those in pots near the ground.

All there is to know about calibrachoa

Calibrachoa are native to provinces in Southern Brazil and Northern Uruguay.

Related genetically to the petunia, the only way to tell them apart is in a laboratory by looking at their chromosome count.

This is a semi-hardy annual. It bestows us with a very beautiful blooming from the beginning of spring until fall.

It loves sun and well-drained fertile ground.

Calibrachoa can be found in flower beds, along edges and in rocky ground. It produces very beautiful spots of color.

Many hanging pots also harbor calibrachoa.

This flower is perfectly suited to growing in suspended pots because its leaves and flowers dangle and tumble along the side like a waterfall.