Annuals: Dolce Petunia series, 1 by Weezingreens

Weezingreens wrote:
Yes, you're welcome to seed. Just email me. I've had the same experience with the Waves. I found Purple Wave to be much the same in both color and habit, but Pink Wave to be rather lack-luster in comparison to the original. The Lilac Wave were somewhat better than the Pink second time around.

However, when I collected seeds from the second generation Purple, the resulting petunias were similar in spreading habit, but an entirely different color. They were lavender with a dark center and dark veining.... and the smelled wonderful! I've been told that the closer to species, the more scent your flowers will have, and this may be true of the petunias. When they revert, they smell!

You've hit on something concerning different colors of flowers on the same plant. I'm sure, as was suggested before, it has to do with the age of the bloom. I believe it also has to do with the weather conditions, certainly nutrients and water, and lighting, too. Since the most recent blooms of my White Frillytunias are indeed white, not streaked with pink, perhaps one can expect different coloration from the first blooms of the plants as opposed to later blooms. All very interesting!

Parks is a reputable company, so I assumed they would credit you. Of course, for some folks credit is not a satisfactory resolution. Unexpected results can be a big problem if one has invested time and trouble to get a certain look. One would hope they do not offer it again next year, or they find another supplier. At the very least, they should check out the complaints and do some detective work to determine the cause.

Of course, for those of us who trade collected seeds with others, a mistake or two is expected, not to mention cross-pollination. I like to trade seeds for species, but when growing cultivars to sell, I use purchased seeds or label them as collected seed. From experience, I know that there are often surprises, and all are not good ones, but it is still fun to do.