Origin: Brazil and other Latin America locations
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Calibrachoa
Uses: With small petunia-like flowers, Calibrachoa is best displayed in hanging baskets and pots for container gardening. They are also good for attracting hummingbirds.
Species: There are about 28 wild species, some of which include: caesia, calycina, dusenii, eglandulata, elegans, ericaefolia, excellens, hassleriana, heterophylla, linearis, parviflora, pygmaea, rupestris, sellowiana, spathulata, thymifolia
Fun Facts: Considered the “new kid on the block,” Calibrachoa made its debut in the United States in the late 1980s as Million Bells. Since then, breeders have been hard at work, and today there is one seed series (Kabloom) that comes in several colors. All other Calibrachoas are grown from cuttings.
A Bit of History: Vincente Cervantes named Calibrachoa after Antonio de la Cal y Bracho, a 19th-century Mexican botanist and pharmacologist.
Breeders: Ball Flora PlantDanziger, Dümmen Orange, Garden Trends, Harris Seeds, Jung Seed, Pan American Seed, Proven Winners, Sakata Seed, Selecta OneSuntory, Syngenta
Source: National Garden Bureau
