Wave Petunias are, hands down, the most popular and award winning series of petunias ever grown. And rightfully so! With their vigorous growing habit, stunning color and easy care, they are a great choice for hanging baskets, landscaping, window boxes or planters. They will give you color up until frost, grow at incredible rates and bloom down the entire length of their stems, creating masses of color. With sunshine, water and regular fertilizing, they will show them selves off! But did you know there are several different varieties within the Wave Family? There's Easy Wave, Original Wave, Tidal Wave, Double Wave, and Shock Wave. Below we will break down the differences for you.
Original Wave: The Original Purple Wave made it's debut in 1995 as the all new "spreading" petunia. With improvements continuously being made and new colors being introduced into this series, you can't go wrong with the Original Wave. It can grow nearly 2" per day and tosses out blossoms by the hundreds. It grows 5-7" tall with a 3-4 ft spread, and a 2-2.5" bloom size.
Easy Waves: Wave Petunias are known to bloom through the worst of the summer heat, but Easy Wave adds another strength to the Wave Family. It has the ability to also bloom in cooler conditions - making it a great choice for gardeners in colder climates. Easy Waves were bread to have a more controlled spreading habit than the Original Wave. They grow 6-12" tall with a 2.5-3 ft spread and 2-3" bloom size.
Shock Wave: The Shock Wave was bread to start blooming in late spring instead of early summer, even in the cooler climates! They have a smaller bloom size, but a fuller, more mounding - yet also spreading - growth habit. They're also less sensitive to day-length than most petunias - meaning it will be the longest blooming petunia in the Wave Family. They grow 7-10" tall with a 2.5-3ft spread and a 1.5-2" bloom size.
Tidal Wave: With the most unique growing habit in the Wave Family, they are great for all types of containers and landscaping. You can shape them into a very full, shrub like plant, they can be trained to grow on a trellis or used as ground cover. As the largest wave in the family, they grow 16-22" tall X 2.5-5ft...yes, you read that right.... they can spread up to FIVE FEET! Their blossom size is 2-2.5". The Tidal Wave's height is based on how closely the plants are planted. The closer the spacing - the taller the plant.
Double Wave: With huge, frilly blooms, this aggressive plant is ideal for hanging baskets, planters or as landscaping. They grow 10-12" tall and have a 2ft spread.