Not a flower garden, but a song, not petunia, but an opera. Yes, yes, today we will tell you about another amazing variety of a beautiful flower, namely the Opera petunia or Opera Supreme petunia. Petunia was bred by Japanese breeders. The variety is highly decorative, quite unpretentious in care, and also not demanding on weather conditions. It is thanks to these features that the Opera petunia variety has become especially popular among flower growers around the world. In today’s article we will tell you about the main characteristics of the variety, give agrotechnical recommendations, as well as advice on growing the crop. We hope you find this information useful.
Petunia Opera - what is this series of varieties?
Opera is a line of ampelous petunia varieties. It is distinguished by long and curly shoots on which inflorescences of different colors are formed.
Distinctive features
Petunia series Opera is a hybrid that was obtained as a result of artificial pollination of flowers. It has an attractive appearance and strong immunity.
The inflorescences are located densely along the entire length of the shoot, so petunia is actively used in landscape design. Even one pot with such a plant will advantageously decorate a gazebo, porch and other areas of the dacha.
Attention! Petunia Opera is planted not only in gardens, but also in apartments - on loggias or balconies. The length of the lashes reaches 120 cm, the flower is grown in pots or cache-pots.
Possible diseases
For such an easy-to-grow plant, infection by some kind of pest is quite rare. This usually occurs as a result of insufficient or improper care for petunia. Among the most common fungal diseases in these flowers are the following:
- White, gray and wet rot.
- Blackleg.
- Late blight.
- Brown spot.
Attention! If any spots are found on the stems of the bush, noticeable wilting of the plant or signs of rotting, we can conclude that this is a fungal infection.
The cause of the disease may be frequent watering, elevated temperatures or lack of sunlight.
In addition, there are also bacterial and viral infections of plants. They are characterized by very rapid spread from flower to flower. Sometimes the disease is transmitted through seeds. It is very easy to recognize an affected petunia; its appearance is very different from the appearance of a healthy plant. The shape and color of the leaves change, the number of buds is much less than usual, and they are small in size.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to cure flowers infected with bacteria and viruses, therefore, in order to avoid further spread, the affected bush must be destroyed.
Popular types
Among the Opera varieties there are white, pink, and purple flowers. Each variety is beautiful and easy to care for, so petunia can be seen in many Russian gardens.
Supreme Raspberry Ice
Petunia Supreme Raspberry Ice (translated as “raspberry ice”) belongs to a series of hanging varieties of Japanese selection. The color is white-pink with purple veins, the diameter of the flowers is 5-6 cm, the length of the shoot is up to 1 m. The flowers are located tightly to each other, the foliage is rich green.
Supreme Raspberry Ice is characterized by abundant flowering and is undemanding in terms of daylight hours. Petunia looks best in hanging flowerpots or boxes. An excellent option for novice gardeners who are just starting to get acquainted with the varieties of the Opera series.
Blue
The full name of the petunia is Opera Supreme Blue. The shape of the bush is neat, the length of the lash is about 100 cm.
The flowers are large, 5 to 7 cm in diameter, blue-violet in color with iridescence. The leaves are light green, small.
Summer residents note that the flowers do not lose their rich hue even when exposed to bright sunlight.
Opera Supreme Blue rarely gets sick, has a long flowering period and is resistant to external factors.
Purple
Opera Supreme Purple is grown in hanging baskets. The diameter of an adult bush is about 1 m, in some cases reaching 1.2 m.
Petunia is highly branched and looks like an openwork and light cloud. The diameter of the flower is 6 cm, the color is pink-violet, rich and deep.
The Opera Supreme Purple variety is one of the most popular: it does not require much attention and is suitable for a plot of any size.
White
White petunia with a light yellow center is great for growing in hanging structures. Easy to plant and care for, seeds can be purchased at any gardening store. The bushes are neat, the length of the lash is about 80 cm.
The flowers are large, with a diameter of 6 to 8 cm. The leaves are rich green, medium in size. Opera Supreme White blooms for 5 months - from June to October. The variety is suitable for cultivation in any region of the country, including the middle zone.
pink morning
The literal translation of the name is “Pink Morning”. The plant forms flexible vines up to 1 m long, which fall in a continuous wave. The color is pink-white, the middle is yellowish.
The advantage of Pink morn petunia is that it does not need pinching, which makes caring for the plant much easier. It is grown in flowerpots or pots.
Attention! Other ampelous varieties are also popular - Opera Supreme Red and Opera Supreme Coral. Red and coral flowers combine harmoniously with white, pink, yellow, blue and purple.
Advantages and disadvantages
Among the advantages of the Opera petunia are its attractive appearance, ease of care, and undemandingness to the length of daylight hours..
Thanks to this, the flower grows well in regions with short summers, for example, in the Urals or Siberia. Opera petunia is also very popular in landscape design. It will decorate any garden plot.
Problems with growing petunia Opera can only arise if planting and care rules are not followed. For example, if the plant is not watered on time or is planted in small diameter pots.
Long vines need pruning and shaping, otherwise the petunia will turn into a tangled ball. Otherwise, the varieties described above have no disadvantages.
Features of cultivation
Getting a beautiful ampelous petunia bush is not difficult. The main thing is to adhere to simple agrotechnical rules and recommendations.
Landing rules
Ampelous petunia is grown in flowerpots, flowerpots or boxes. But first, the seeds are germinated in glasses or special seedling containers. They do this in February, having prepared the soil and container. Pre-germination of seeds strengthens the plant's immunity and guarantees long-term flowering.
Suitable soil for petunia consists of peat, leaf soil, sand in a ratio of 2:2:1. The ingredients are mixed together and sifted to make the soil light.
To speed up seed germination, cover the container with film or thin glass and put it in a room where the temperature is maintained at +20...+22°C. It is important to ensure that the soil does not dry out, otherwise the ampelous petunia will die. Water the seedlings once every 5 days.
Attention! Shoots appear 7-10 days after planting. At this time, it is recommended to spray the petunia daily with water at room temperature. When the first leaves appear, the film is removed. Next, the petunia is planted in boxes or flowerpots.
To ensure that picking goes smoothly, gardeners advise removing the sprouts carefully, holding the roots with a lump of damp soil with one hand. The same soil that was prepared for seedlings is suitable for growing on the site. Also, before picking, the plant is hardened - taken out into the fresh air for 3-4 days in a row.
Care
Petunia is demanding of moisture. The soil should be moist, but not wet, as excess water leads to fungal and bacterial diseases. Use only settled and soft water. Since petunia is grown in flowerpots, summer residents regularly monitor the level of accumulated water in special trays. They can't always be wet. This leads to rotting of the roots.
To ensure that the bush is lush and blooms for a long time, it is regularly fed. Fertilizers based on humates and amino acids are excellent for this, for example, Aminozol, MicroMix or Humate + 7 Iodine. Water-soluble fertilizers are quickly absorbed by the plant, do not contain chlorine, and improve the decorative qualities of petunia.
Attention! Due to frequent watering, water can stagnate in the ground, so it is important to improve air circulation by loosening. Carry out the procedure before each watering. Loosening depth is 3-4 cm.
Protection from diseases and pests
Common diseases of petunia are late blight, blackleg, powdery mildew; pests - aphids and mites. The reasons for the appearance of all diseases and insects are similar - waterlogging, sudden changes in weather, lack or excess of fertilizing, weak immunity.
To avoid diseases, gardeners observe sowing dates, disinfect pots with a solution of potassium permanganate and harden off seedlings.
If the petunia still gets sick, the following treatment methods are used:
- Treat the bushes with a solution of Bordeaux mixture or potassium permanganate (3 g per 10 liters of water). The procedure is carried out early in the morning, after removing the affected lashes and flowers.
- If rot is detected, use the drug "Skor" - a systemic fungicide of contact action. Consumption rate: 2 ml per 10 liters of water. Spray petunia 2 times with an interval of 14 days.
- Fitosporin-M is used for the treatment and prevention of fungal diseases. It is sold in powder or paste form and is suitable for use at any stage of infection. The drug is environmentally friendly and compatible with other treatment methods.
Reproduction
Gardeners use cuttings as a method of propagation. The flower is propagated from February to May, using last year's mother bushes and young petunias grown from seeds.
Reproduction process:
- 10 cm long apical cuttings are cut from the bushes.
- Placed in the growth stimulator "Kornevin".
- Plant in boxes with loose soil and sand, deepening them to 4-5 cm.
- Water, cover with film and put on the windowsill.
- After 7 days, when fibrous roots appear, they are transplanted into seedling cups.
Reproduction
To propagate the Opera variety, seeds and cuttings are used . Sow seeds in boxes at the end of February. To do this, use light and loose soil, which includes peat and sand. Sow the seeds on top of the ground without covering them. Then cover the container with film. Daylight hours should be 18 hours. After a week, drop the grown sprouts into separate containers. Carry out this procedure with extreme caution, since the stems are very thin and can be easily damaged.
It is best to propagate Petunia Opera from cuttings in the spring. To do this, you will need to cut several shoots from a healthy plant. Their length should be at least 5 cm. Then plant the cuttings in cups filled with peat soil. Place the container in a bag or cover it with a transparent cup. Using this method, the plant will quickly take root and produce new flowers within 3-4 weeks.
Application in landscape design
In addition to planting in flowerpots or flowerpots, ampelous Opera petunia is grown along garden paths or fences. To do this, designers recommend purchasing special stands for drawers. With their help, petunia grows correctly - cascades down.
The main thing is to place them at a distance of 20-30 cm from the path, otherwise the lashes with flowers will fall under your feet.
Attention! Gardeners plant different varieties of Opera petunias together - they sit well next to each other. When planting, maintain a distance between shoots of at least 20 cm. It is also necessary to trim branches that are too long and pinch the tops so that the bush is well-groomed.
Vertical flower beds also look original in the garden. The metal mesh is rolled up and lined with dark material on the inside. The resulting column is filled with soil mixture and holes are made into which flower sprouts are planted. This “petunia tree” looks very impressive.
Petunia cascade small-flowered 'Ninya Burgundy' F1
Another excellent variety series for connoisseurs of small-flowered petunias is 'Ninya' from Biotechnika .
Petunias from this series form compact bushes with a diameter of up to 50 cm. Due to the short internodes, they are dense and hold their shape perfectly both in containers and when planted in the ground, and a dense scattering of medium-sized flowers of expressive bright colors turns them into a true decoration of the flower garden. Petunias 'Ninya Burgundy' F1 and 'Ninya Parple' F1 from Biotechnika, photo from the site seedspost.ru My choice, of course, falls on the petunia 'Ninya Burgundy' F1 , which stands out with its noble wine-red color, emphasized by dark cherry the middle. And you may also be interested in other hybrids from this series:
- 'Ninya Sky Blue' F1;
- Niña Lavender' F1;
- 'Ninya Red' F1;
- 'Ninya White' F1;
- 'Ninya Parple' F1.
In general, I feel like I got a little carried away by the story.
But popular wisdom says that it is better to see once than to hear a hundred times (or, in our case, read). Therefore, I would like to invite you to watch a video on the Zemlyanika channel, which is dedicated to the best abundantly flowering petunias of the season: The top ten, in addition to those already listed, included:
Reviews from flower growers
Gardeners and vegetable gardeners from all over Russia share their own experience of growing varieties of opera petunia.
Marina, Orel: “My favorite variety is Pink Morn. The flowers are very beautiful and delicate, they do not cause any trouble in caring for them. I’ve been growing the flower for the fourth year in a row, and next season I want to try planting the Opera Purple and White varieties.”
Grigory, Krasnodar region: “ Blue and yellow Opera petunia grows in my garden. The flowers are large, bright, pleasing to the eye until autumn. I water them with rainwater and feed them with humates three times a season. I don’t see any diseases or pests, which is very pleasing.”
Polina, Saratov: “I planted the Supreme Raspberry Ice variety for the first time. The flowers are medium in size, pleasant in color. But because of the rains, the bush was sick, so I had to treat it with Bordeaux mixture. Next year I plan to plant blue flowers. I hope they won’t get sick.”
Possible problems
Sometimes it happens that petunia does not bloom, or it does, but it is rather sparse. This problem occurs for the following reasons:
Cramped pot. If the container is small, the development of petunia stops.- No side shoots. If there is a lack of branching, you can pinch the top. This will allow new buds to develop.
- Lack of light.
- Lack of fertilizing.
- Over-dried earthen lump.
- Viral diseases.
Important! Correcting all errors in care guarantees full flowering. When a plant is sick, it must be isolated from everyone else.
Petunias are beautiful flowers. They are divided into main types - ampelous, large-flowered, cascade, minipetunia, terry, low-growing, hybrid, vegetative and multi-flowered. And at the same time, it is impossible to answer the question of which variety is better. They are all beautiful and each gardener chooses a plant to his liking.
Petunia Opera is an ampelous bush that fascinates with the beauty of its flowering and its ease of care. Even a beginner can cope with all agricultural techniques. The main thing is to carefully monitor the growth and development of the flower, and also regularly inspect it for damage by diseases or pests.
