Calibrachoa has become a widely recognized and utilized plant in gardens and landscapes. Often mistaken for miniature petunias, these vibrant flowering plants are a favored choice for adding continuous color to various settings. Their prolific blooming and trailing habit make them particularly popular in hanging baskets, containers, and as groundcover.
Understanding Calibrachoa: The Plant Itself
Calibrachoa, commonly known as Million Bells, produces a profusion of small, trumpet-shaped flowers. Unlike petunias, calibrachoa flowers are noticeably smaller, typically measuring about one inch across. Another distinguishing feature is their non-sticky foliage, which feels smooth to the touch, contrasting with the slightly sticky leaves of many petunia varieties.
These plants exhibit a versatile growth habit, ranging from mounding forms that create dense, compact mounds of color to more trailing varieties that cascade gracefully over the edges of containers. The flowers display an impressive spectrum of colors, including various shades of pink, red, purple, blue, yellow, and orange, often with striking bi-color patterns or unique throat markings.
For optimal growth, Calibrachoa thrives in locations receiving at least six hours of direct sunlight daily, as ample light promotes abundant flowering. They require consistently moist, well-draining soil to prevent root rot. While tolerant of some dry spells once established, regular watering is generally beneficial, especially during hot, dry periods, to maintain their vigorous bloom production.
The Etymology of “Calibrachoa”
The genus name “Calibrachoa” is a dedication. It was named in honor of Antonio de la Cal y Bracho, a distinguished Spanish botanist of the 19th century. This naming convention is common in botanical taxonomy, where new plant genera are often named to commemorate notable scientists or explorers who have contributed to the field.
Antonio de la Cal y Bracho was a professor at the Royal College of Pharmacy in Madrid, Spain, and made significant contributions to the study of plants. His work helped advance botanical knowledge during his era. The recognition through “Calibrachoa” links the plant directly to his legacy within the scientific community.
Calibrachoa belongs to the Solanaceae family, which also includes the familiar petunia (genus Petunia). Despite their close resemblance and shared family, molecular studies in the late 20th century confirmed that Calibrachoa should be classified as a distinct genus, separate from Petunia. This taxonomic reclassification highlighted the unique genetic differences between the two, even as their common ancestry remains evident in their similar floral structures.