Buy It: Grande Supertunia Royal Velvet ($30, The Home Depot)
How to Grow Supertunia ‘Royal Velvet’
One trait that makes ‘Royal Velvet’ such an outstanding plant is that it’s a very heat-tolerant variety. While other petunias might sulk during the hottest part of the summer, you can count on this Supertunia to take the heat and even a little drought in stride. In fact, ‘Royal Velvet’ received 20 awards from plant trials across the country for its stunning, season-long performance in 2020. Besides its good looks, ‘Royal Velvet’ is a fragrant annual with a distinct scent that’s especially strong in late afternoon and early evening. Hummingbirds and butterflies are attracted to its nectar-filled flowers. This vigorous petunia works as both a filler and spiller in containers, with stems that can trail up to 30 inches by the end of the season. If you’re looking for an annual that will provide a ton of curb appeal, you can’t go wrong with ‘Royal Velvet’ in your porch pots, hanging baskets, or window boxes. Or try lining your front walk with it for a truly royal welcome. This petunia variety is also a sure bet tucked among perennials in your backyard flower borders. Wherever you plant ‘Royal Velvet’, make sure where you want to grow them receives at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. In garden beds, space the plants 12 to 24 inches apart from each other in well-drained soil. For a container garden, plant your Supertunias in pots that are at least 14 inches in diameter. Water your petunias consistently and fertilize them regularly throughout the growing season to fuel all that flowering. If ‘Royal Velvet’ ever starts looking a little tired, trim back the stems by about a third and the plant will soon produce fresh new growth and flowers. Expect your Supertunias to continue blooming right up until a hard frost occurs.
