Petunia, Multiflora Petunia 'Dolce Flambe'

I've grown these three years from seed purchased from Park Seed. The Flambe is my favorite color. (I have done all three colors the 2nd...Read More year) One thing I don't like is that they don't' seem to have the heavy perfume that blue vein (Blue Daddy) or the dark blue or white petunias have. But they sure do look nice. I do like the variegated nature and how unique each bloom is even on the same plant. It reminds me of a watercolor painting of a Victorian garden.

I've never had much trouble getting them to germinate, at least not more trouble than I have with other things... fighting off mold and mildew on the growing medium in the house in the winter is always a battle, as well as getting good light on the seedlings. I can't fault Park Seed for those things.

I have grown this petunia for two years, both from purchased and collected seeds and consider this my favorite petunia. It has done well ...Read Morein a dry year and in an unusually wet year. The germination rate is high and seedlings produced sturdy plants that thrive in planters on my hot deck. Even when severely munched on by groundhogs, the plants rebounded vigorously. I now spray a pepper emulsion on the plants about every week to keep the pests away. The plants grown from collected seeds do not seem to retain same colors--more plain red and tan--and are not as spectacular as purchased seeds. This year I have planted more purchased seeds (from Park) and 10 days after planting, the seeds are sprouting well and off to a good start. I highly recommend this for a full sun exposure.

If I could grow only one kind of petunia, the dolcissima series would be the one I'd choose, and I've grown many different types, both by...Read More seed and store-bought plants.

This is the third year I've grown this series of petunia, always from seed, and from a mixture of the 3 varieties purchased from Jung Seed and Nursery Co. The germination is terrific (I had them in a flat with other varieites and they were by far the fastest and most vigorous variety). They form stocky plants for me, and the colors are really beautiful. Mom thinks they are the most beautiful petunias. For us, 'Flambe' is a beautiful mixture of pastel pink, yellow and tan shades, which is complimented by the other two varieties offered in the mixture sold by Jung (I have not seen these varieties offered in a mixture by any other company). Flower size is good, too.

Like another grower who posted here, I've had some really interesting flowers! Some are a beautiful appleblossom pink shading to yellow, others are pink with a fairly striking white edging in-between the "points" of the flower, creating a circus-like, "happy-looking" flower! Still others have a blending into an almost tan-like shade in the center. Really, a watercolor artists' dream! Not the typical "gas-station petunias" one sees all over, but delicately-shaded, idiosyncratic beauties!

One year I had a couple of plants growing in a NYC windowbox as well. They actually survived the winter, snow and all, and bloomed again the following spring!!! I was shocked. Now that's vigorous!

I wouldn't be without these in the garden, and highly recommend them to those who want something unusual and beautiful from a plant which is often run-of-the-mill. Given the other posts here, perhaps the fault lies in the supplier. I will try to post some photos of mine soon.

2/2/2010
Sad to say that this year's catalogue from Jung no longer offers this series

On a good note it is a vigorous grower. On the downside, I have to call it "wishy-washy". Mine were all pale yellow with brownish strea...Read Moreks or some with tannish splotches. None of mine (out of 16 plants) were the vibrant peach/coral color or have even had any on them. Purchased from Park Seed, so don't be fooled by their ad. I do have them in baskets with hot pink wave petunias and they do look OK with the hot pink but can think of MANY others that would be nicer.