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How to Prune Wave® Petunias

Shock Wave Deep Purple petunias (Petunia x hybrida 'PAS933531') growing in abundance along a wall.
Valleybrook Gardens, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

What Are Wave® Petunias?

Wave® petunias (‌Petunia‌ x ‌hybrida‌) are a low-growing variety of petunia that are well suited for use as groundcover and in hanging baskets. It is often necessary to prune petunias by pinching and deadheading the plants, which can be time-consuming. A perk of Wave petunia varieties is that they require less of this kind of maintenance.

Two Tidal Wave Silver petunias (Petunia x hybrida 'PAS97287') fully in bloom.
David J. Stang, CC SA-4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What's the Difference Between Wave Petunias and Regular Petunias?

Petunias (‌Petunia‌ spp.) are popular annuals that can be used in borders, in containers and as groundcover depending on the cultivar.

Wave petunias are a trademarked group of hybrid petunias prized for their creeping habit and large flowers as well as their prolific flower production; they produce flowers all along the stem. These petunias can spread up to 4 feet and usually grow no taller than 7 inches.

Wave petunia flowers are trumpet-shaped, as is the case with all petunia flowers, and are around 4 inches wide. Wave petunias are available in several shades of pink and purple. They can be grown from seed.

A few Easy Wave Coral Reef petunia (Petunia x hybrida 'PAS481972') flowers and buds.
David J. Stang, CC SA-4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pruning Wave Petunias

Petunias require little pruning, though once in a while they will benefit from deadheading and pinching.

Deadheading

Most types of petunia plants need to be deadheaded, which involves removing dead flowers from the plant. This keeps the petunia plant producing new blooms. The idea is to remove the spent flowers before they have a chance to set seed so that they can use that energy to create more flowers instead.

Deadheading is usually not required with Wave petunias;‌ an advantage of these hybrid cultivars is that they are self-cleaning, which means that the dead blooms simply fall off the plant on their own. However, you can choose to deadhead your Wave petunias if you want to enjoy even more profuse blooms during the summer.

Tip

Wave petunias are self-cleaning, which means that deadheading, or removing spent flowers by hand, is not necessary.

Pinching

Many types of petunias have a tendency to become leggy, meaning they grow spindly and lose their shape by the time summer rolls around, and therefore need to be cut back in order to promote new growth. Because of their growth habit, this is generally not as big of a concern with Wave petunias.

Occasionally, however, these hybrids also benefit from pinching, which means cutting back long stems by an inch or two to encourage more bushy growth. This can be done with your fingers or with a pair of scissors.

Delightfully variegated Easy Wave Burgundy Star petunias (Petunia x hybrida 'PAS760702') opening up to the sun.
Dean Morley, CC BY-ND 2.0, via Flickr

Wave Petunia Care

Wave petunias that are grown under the proper conditions rarely need to be pruned. To avoid leggy petunias, keep in mind that ‌these and all petunias need full sun, which is equal to five to six hours of sunlight a day.

Tip

Petunias that receive the proper amount of sunlight, water and fertilizer rarely need pinching or deadheading.

Wave petunias also need regular watering, though it is important to grow them in well-draining soil.

In addition, Wave petunias, like most petunia plants, are heavy feeders that require weekly fertilizing during the growing season to look their best. A liquid applied every 10 to 14 days or a slow-release fertilizer works well. Wave petunias grown in containers may need even more fertilizer to thrive.

Wave Purple petunias (Petunia x hybrida 'PAS760727')
Serres Fortier, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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