Companion Plants for Petunias (Including those to Keep at a Distance)

Companion Plants for Petunias (Including those to Keep at a Distance)

Petunias, a summer's delight, brighten up any flower bed, container, or hanging basket with their vivid colors. These easy-to-adore annuals come in a variety of hues and fit into almost any space, from your backyard to your vegetable garden!

Why stop at petunias alone when they can enhance the beauty of other flowers? Check out these top companions that bring out the best in petunias, either by harmonizing their blooms or accentuating their other advantages.

1. Coneflower (Echinacea spp.)

Petunias and coneflowers make a perfect pair! Dot your perennials with petunias, and they'll stand tall behind their lower-growing friends. Not only do they go well together visually, but they also work in unison to attract beneficial insects like bees, butterflies, and more. Plus, coneflowers' seedheads offer food for songbirds to enjoy!

Coneflowers are excellent for companion planting with various other plants too.

2. Dusty Miller (Jacobaea maritima)

For a dazzling contrast, throw in dusty miller among your petunias. Its delicate, silvery gray foliage sets the perfect backdrop for petunia blossoms' vibrant colors. Both plants share similar growing conditions, making them harmonious partners.

3. Floss Flower (Ageratum houstonianum)

Pair floss flower's clusters of fluffy blooms with petunias' bold trumpets for a stunning duo. Aside from their striking appearance, these lovely flowers attract pollinators, while their fuzzy leaves and strong scent make them unappealing to pesky deer and rabbits. Choose from a variety of sizes, colors, and shades to complement petunias.

4. Salvia (Salvia spp.)

You can't go wrong with spikes of salvia flowers among fields of petunia blooms, creating a vibrant display of color. From pink and red to purple and white, salvias tend to come in a range of hues, and they, like petunias, are deer-resistant and preferred by pollinators.

5. Snapdragon (Antirrhinum spp. and Angelonia)

With their charming, whimsical blooms, snapdragons are a charming match for the equally captivating petunias. Summer snapdragons have a similar appearance and are just as delightful, belonging to a different genus, Angelonia. Known for adding instant cottage garden charm, snapdragons are the perfect addition to any petunia-filled space.

6. Verbena (Glandularia spp. and Verbena spp.)

Verbenas offer striking flower clusters that beautifully complement petunias. From bedding annuals like Glandularia x hybrida to US natives like Glandularia canadensis, there's a verbena for every garden. Like petunias, verbenas are attractive to butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, making them a wonderful addition to your petunia garden.

7. Beans

Petunias may repel the dreaded Mexican bean beetle. If you're struggling with these pesky insects and want some prettier plants by your bean bed or around your poles, petunias could be a lifesaver. Just make sure they get enough sunlight.

8. Blueberries

Add some color to your blueberry patch by planting petunias on the south side of the bushes (for optimal sunlight). Not only will petunias bring in beneficial insects to pollinate the blueberry bushes, but they also favor similar growing conditions, making them the ideal bedfellows.

9. Potatoes

Spruce up your potato patch with petunias! Make sure to leave room for the tubers to grow while planting petunias nearby. The embellishment doesn't end there—rumor has it that petunias deter potato beetles. Even if you only have the prettiest potato patch around, it's a win.

10. Squash

The bright, trumpet-shaped flowers of petunias can help pollinate your squash, leading to a bountiful harvest. Plant petunias alongside your zucchini, pumpkins, summer squash, or winter squash, and reap the benefits. Plus, petunias might even deter squash bugs.

11. Tomatoes

Like other fruiting plants, tomatoes can benefit from the pollinators and beneficial insects brought in by petunias. To make the most of their partnership, try placing petunias to the south of your tomato plants for optimal sun exposure.

Don't forget pruning the lower branches of your tomatoes to increase sunlight for petunias and reduce the risk of disease.

Plants to Avoid Aggressively With Petunias

Petunias thrive in full sun and well-draining soil, appreciating regular watering. However, it's essential to steer clear of plants that require shade, excessive water, or very dry conditions, as one may suffer if planted in the other's preferred environment.

If you want to enjoy petunias alongside other beautiful blossoms, avoiding the following plants ensures both your stars will shine:

1. Begonias
2. Cacti
3. Ferns
4. Hostas
5. Succulents

Petunias make fantastic garden additions, adding pops of color alongside their compatible companions. Choose these allies to create a visually pleasing landscape that not only delights the eye but supports the local ecosystem as well!

Author's Bio

• Serena ManickamSerena Manickam is a freelance editor, writer, and sustainable market gardener in rural Virginia. She holds a BA in environmental science and operates Fairydiddle Farm, a small no-spray market garden where she nurtures produce and herbs for sale at local farmer's markets.

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1. Coneflowers and petunias,positioned thoughtfully in a garden, make a harmonious pair, enhancing both their visual appeal and mutual benefits like attracting pollinators.
2. The delicate, silver-gray foliage of dusty miller, when interspersed among petunias, creates a striking contrast that highlights the petunias' vibrant colors.
3. The ethereal floss flower's clusters of blooms, paired with petunias' bold trumpets, offer a fascinating duo that also attracts pollinators and repels deer and rabbits.
4. Salvia flowers, with their various hues, combine beautifully with fields of petunia blooms to create a vibrant display, while being deer-resistant and preferred by pollinators.
5. Snapdragons, with their whimsical blooms, form a charismatic combination with petunias, adding instant cottage garden charm to any petunia-filled space.
6. Verbenas, with their striking flower clusters, complement petunias well and attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, making them a valuable addition to a petunia garden.
7. Contrary to popular belief, petunias may repel the Mexican bean beetle, making them a potential lifesaver for those struggling with these pests around their bean beds or through poles.
8. Petunias, when planted on the south side of blueberry bushes, provide color while bringing in beneficial insects for pollination and sharing favorable growing conditions.
9. By planting petunias near potato patches, you can bring more beauty to your garden while also potentially deterring potato beetles, giving you the prettiest potato patch around.
10. Petunias can help pollinate squash, leading to a bountiful harvest, and may also deter squash bugs. Plant petunias alongside zucchini, pumpkins, summer squash, or winter squash to reap the benefits.
11. Placing petunias to the south of tomato plants can bring in pollinators and beneficial insects, and pruning lower branches can increase sunlight and reduce the risk of disease.

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