Million bells, calibrachoa

I really enjoy this annual, which looks like a small miniature petunia. Each year it seems there are more colors available. If our weather is mild for the winter they will come through the winter even sometimes. They are great plants for containers/hanging baskets. I have some that came up and I wonder if they can seed themselves or did these come from roots? I had pulled up some old plants and in that same location I now have some new plants.

I received some seeds for these little plants and what I got was not million bells, I was so dissapointed.

It was my understanding that Calibrachoa could only be propagated through cuttings?? See attached linkhttp://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/codea/A119.shtml

I think Nathalyn's correct - the only way I know of to get more Calibrachoa plants is through vegetative propagation.

And that is what I thought, that is why I can't figure how these guys got where they are unless somehow some of the root stayed in the ground and they came up from that. I don't know????

Sometimes they do make a few seeds, though they do not come true from seeds as far as color goes. Here is a link http://www.napagarden.com/pages/million.htm

My calibrochoa has reached impressive proportions in our frost-free climate. It has flowered and stayed evergreen for the past year, and is now approximately 8' across -- half of which is spreading across a flower bed and the other half draped over the edge of the planter blocks it was planted in. I think some of it must form roots, I just can't imagine it can support itself in a concrete block about 6x8" otherwise.

That sounds so beautiful,I wish you show us a picture. The calibrochas are such sweet plants.

It is a shy seeder - makes seeds, but not readily. http://www.igin.com/Landscaping/calibrachoa.html They are perennial for us, very fun. I just saw the blue/purple ones at the nursery for the first time - have to get some!! Unless you're a hardcore seed-a-holic, I'd skip seeds on this one. Then again, I am - a hardcore seed-a-holic ...

Judith

Oh - seeds ... http://www.degiorgiseed.com/Annuals/million_bells.htm

That's the first time I've ever seen Callibrachoa offered as seed. But before anyone gets their hopes up, I have one small note of caution: we've had a report of problems with DeGiorgi Seed recently at the Watchdog: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/117/

Apparently, they aren't responding to emails and the phone number isn't/wasn't working :~( Caveat emptor...

The seeds are sterile. I wanted some from my neighbor's plants, but did some research on them - the only way to get new ones is by cuttings, and I was told they are patented, so you risk breaking the law by using the cuttings. Just what I was told about them! I love them too and plan on looking everywhere until I find them this spring!

The thing about the PPAF designation is that it's a little like those mattress tags that state "Do not remove under penalty of law" - that dire warning tag is meant for manufacturers and sellers, and the PPAF warning against propagation is meant for those who would buy a few plants and use them for tissue cuttings or otherwise propagate lots of little baby plants for resale. As far as I know, we are free to vegetatively propagate plants for our own use and enjoyment, or even to share with friends, family and neighbors ;o)

Well, the company that manufactures those actually sent me an email about it and said although there is very little they can do to control it, that it is against the law to use cuttings from them, even if it is for our own personal use. I'll see if I still have that email - although it has been months and I have most likely deleted it.

I collected red and yellow calibrachoa seeds from my plants this fall and they have germinated. I have 6 seedlings from the red and 38 seedlings from the yellow. I will let you know what color they bloom, I will take a photo of them this evening and post, there in the greenhouse. I checked all summer and they didn't develope seeds until late fall, end of October-November.

calibrachoa seedlings photo

Oh - that's great! I'll be very curous to see how their coloration is. Did you have a lot more yellow or was it actually a higher germination rate?

The one I have is yellow and red bicolor - kind of specked. Fabulous little flowers!

Thanks!

:o) Judith

Yes, the germination rate was better with the yellow seeds, I had about the same amount of seeds of each color. I planted them both the same day and the yellow ones popped up quickley, the red ones took a while and only 6 came up. I will let you know what color they are when they bloom.