Calibrachoa parviflora (Juss.) D'Arcy

Seaside Petunia; Wild Petunia

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Seaside Petunia is an introduced annual or short-lived perennial herb in the Nightshade family (Solanaceae). It is native from the southwestern United States south through South America. In Alabama it is mainly found near the coast with a few inland locations. Seaside Petunia grows in disturbed wetlands and marshes, in depressions that hold water for periods of time, on roadsides, in lawns and vacant lots, and in cracks of sidewalks and parking lots. It is a short upright (around 6 inches) or mat forming herb from a tap root. The stems root at the nodes when in contact with the soil. The entire plant is glandular pubescent and sticky to the touch. Leaves are alternate, sessile, oblanceolate to spathulate in outline, with entire margins. The leaves are somewhat succulent and have an unpleasant odor when crushed. Flowers are produced from the axils of the leaves. The flowers are solitary on short pedicels. The corolla is funnel shaped with 5 lobes. The flowers are purple-pink in color. The fruit is a capsule with many small dark brown seed. Because of its small size Seaside Petunia is not cultivated. A popular annual known as “Million Bells” is a hybrid of several South American species of Calibrachoa. Seaside Petunia is sometimes placed in the genus Petunia, but differs in several characteristics, including chromosome number. Petchoa is a hybrid genus derived from crossing Petunia and Calibrachoa species.--A. Diamond

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Not Native FAC (NWPL)

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