Full sun
6 - 10
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You’ve heard of Supertunias® and Million Bells®, but you’ve never heard of Superbells, a new line of Calibrachoa from Proven Winners. This new line of hybrid Calibrachoa takes an old favorite to a new level. Developed and selected for their large flowers, their resistance to Thielaviopsis, and their strong summer performance, these Calibrachoa are truly Superbells. Growth habit is a prostrate form that will give them a new stature when planted alone or in combinations. They’re well-suited to containers, patios, or in the garden.
The series is bred for heat and low water tolerance – trialed for two years before selection in California, Michigan, New Hampshire, Florida, Germany, and tropical Japan. Each year there are over 3000 potential selections and though many are beautiful, selections are usually around 1-2 per year. Additional selection criteria include garden performance, disease resistance for the root rot diseases, tolerance to a wide pH range, tolerance to a wide variety of environmental conditions, and early flowering combined with continuous bloom through the spring and summer.
Calibrachoa has not been a part of our industry for very long; the first plants were taxonomically described in 1989 and the first cultivars released in 1992. The original plants were found in coastal areas clinging to rocks and surviving in some pretty harsh conditions, they so much resembled Petunias that they were originally referred to as ‘Seashore Petunias’. Since their release in the early 90’s this crop has grown faster than most other genera and become a major crop in its own right. The family tree of this genus reaches deep down into Latin America; almost all species can be found in either in Argentina, Brazil, or Uruguay. There are about 25 known species of this plant and the breeding of Calibrachoa is a complicated matter of finding which species will cross with the next. They do not all work and it takes a breeder of great skill to come up with all the best crosses that give not only all the disease, heat, and drought tolerance that the original species offer but also offer the best in production characteristics, growth habit, and come close to being daylength neutral as it is all of these characteristics that make for a successful release on the market. Proven Winners has always worked with the world’s premier breeder of Calibrachoa and continues to search for the plants which exhibit superior consumer performance, disease resistance, and above all keep raising the bar on what we can expect from this fantastic genus of plants.
"A Real Simple magazine – Top 10 goofproof Plant"
Features
• Best Seller
• Deadheading Not Necessary
• Fall Interest
• Heat Tolerant
• Low Maintenance
• Needs Good Drainage
• Pet Friendly
Ornamental Characteristics
Plant Needs
Patent Information
Growing Tips
Calibrachoa are usually easiest to grow in containers because if the roots are kept too wet can lead to root rot diseases. In containers, allow the top of the soil to dry before watering again. If your plant is wilting even though the soil is still damp you likely have a root rot problem. Calibrachoa can be fantastic in-ground plants, but only if they are planted in well drained soil. Raised beds would be a good choice for planting Calibrachoa in the landscape. In the ground they shouldn’t need much additional water unless conditions are very dry. Proper watering is key to growing good Calibrachoa.
The plants are low-maintenance with no deadheading needed. They will do best if fertilized in a regular basis. Calibrachoa can be sensitive to both high and low pH. If your plants have been growing for a while and then begin to look a bit tired and not so good there are several things to try. If the foliage is yellow there are two possible causes. If you haven’t been fertilizing regularly they could simply be hungry and in need of fertilizer. Feed them using a well-balanced (look for something with an n-p-k ration near 20-10-20) water soluble fertilizer. If you have been fertilizing regularly with a well-balanced fertilizer and the foliage is still turning yellow it is probably because the pH range in your soil has gotten a bit high or low. The most common impact of this is that Iron can no longer be taken up by the plant, even if it is available in the soil. The common form of Iron used in fertilizer is sensitive to pH changes. If you think pH is your problem you can either try to lower (or raise) the pH or you can simply apply Chelated Iron, which is available at a wider pH range and should help your plants turn green again. You may also be able to find Iron in a foliar spray (which means you spray it on the foliage rather than applying it to the soil) which can also help your plant turn nice and green again. Stop by your favorite garden center and they should be able to help you choose a product to use.
As the season goes on the plants can sometimes just start to look open and not as good. This can happen even if they are being watered and fertilized correctly. Fortunately this is very simple to fix. Grab a sharp pair of scissors or pruning shears and give the plants an all over trim. This will cause them to branch out more and should stimulate new growth and flowering, especially if you fertilize right after trimming them back. Just like your hair looks a lot better after a trim, your plants often will too. You will sacrifice flowers for a few days, but the plants should come back flowering more than ever shortly. I will usually give my Superbells a trim back in late July or early August. Should your plants have a few unruly stems that are longer than everything else or sticking our oddly, you can trim these stems back at anytime. Calibrachoa are very forgiving when it comes to trimming.
An application of fertilizer or compost on garden beds and regular fertilization of plants in pots will help ensure the best possible performance.
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Other Colors In Superbells® Series
| Year | Award | Trial |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Leader of the Pack - Early Season | North Carolina State, JC Raulston Arboretum |
| 2010 | Excellent | Disney |
| Full, cascading habit, nice bedder, very pretty lemon yellow flower color. | ||
| 2009 | Top Performer | Kansas State University |
| 2010 | Very Good | Massachusetts Horticultural Society at Elm Bank |
| 2009 | Top Performer - Late Summer | Michigan State University |
| 2009 | Great Rating | Linnaeus Teaching Garden |
