Plant of the Month – Calibrachoa

Calibrachoa is a kissing cousin to petunias and a member of the Solanaceae (or nightshade) family, which includes tomatoes. Unlike some of the other annual flowers we have grown forever, Calibrachoa was introduced into the US market in 1992, making it a relative newcomer. Native to Brazil, this plant hit the US market and hasn’t stopped, gaining in popularity each year. The small flowering plants go by many series names: ‘Million Bells’, ‘Mini Bells’, ‘Superbells’, and ‘Callie.’

Calibrachoa usually grows better in containers than in the ground. For non-stop flowering, fertilize every other week during the growing season and water when dry. These plants are self-cleaning, dropping the spent flowers as they finish, so deadheading is unnecessary. They grow best in full sun, with at least six hours of sunlight a day needed for best blooming. The plants vary in habit (some types are trailing, others have a bushier habit), flower type (single or double), and size (from tiny ‘mini bells’ to larger 1-inch blooms). The biggest variation is in the color palette; they run the gamut from white, pink, red, orange, yellow, blue, purple, green, and more, sometimes with a contrasting eye, a star blazoned over the base color, streaks, or splotches. Every year, new color combinations appear on the market. In a milder winter, they can overwinter in central and southern Arkansas. 

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