Care Guide for the Firefly Petunia

Care Guide for the Firefly Petunia

Sunlight

Thrives in full sun, needing 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. It can tolerate partial shade, but the bioluminescence may be reduced. When growing indoors, Firefly needs the same general care but also requires supplemental grow lights as a substitute for natural sunlight.

Temperature

Like other petunias, it will not tolerate freezing temperatures outdoors. During the extremely hot summer months when temperatures are over 90 degrees, you should consider bringing your plant indoors. Firefly will enjoy the air conditioning as much as you do!

Soil

Firefly is best suited to growing in pots, hanging baskets, or other containers where you can get the most enjoyment out of them. They may not always thrive when planted directly into the ground like typical landscape petunias. Use Town & Country Garden Potting Mix when transplanting them in a container. It is critical that the containers have holes in the bottom to allow excess water to drain.

Firefly Petunia Early Bloom

Watering

Allow potting soil to become dry to the touch between waterings. Water before the plants become wilted, but don’t keep the soil consistently saturated. Many plant parents are reporting great success with self-watering pots.

Fertilizer

Firefly Petunias are hungry! Proper fertilizer is essential to growing a happy and healthy plant. The more active this plant is growing, the better its bioluminescence. We use and recommend Jack’s Classic Petunia Feed every 7-10 days at the rate of one tablespoon per gallon of water.

Deadheading and Pruning

When Firefly petunia flowers age, deadheading them makes more room for new blooms. Firefly responds well to pruning to keep the plant tidy. Using scissors or pruning shears, cut back any growth that is becoming scraggly. Firefly Petunia quickly rebounds with fresh, healthy growth.

FAQ

The Firefly Petunia is a genetically engineered plant that glows in the dark due to its bioluminescence. This glow is produced by a combination of the petunia’s DNA with that of bioluminescent mushrooms, resulting in a soft, continuous light, particularly in the budding flowers and actively growing areas of the plant.

The Firefly Petunia looks like a typical Petunia plant with an abundance of white blooms. They will quickly grow to 8-10” in height and width. Foliage is medium green in color. The leaves tend to get some discolorations during certain growing cycles, so don’t panic if you see some blotches or mottling on them. Garden pollinators, like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds will also enjoy these plants.

First, find the darkest place possible. If it’s dark outside, make sure there are no light sources nearby such as a porch or streetlights. Any sort of “light pollution” or ambient lighting will make it difficult to see the glow. To view Firefly’s glow during the day, the plant must be placed in a completely dark room, and it will slowly reveal its light after a few minutes, as your eyes adjust to the darkness. To get the full effect wait at least 5 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark.

The most vigorously growing parts of the plant glow the best—primarily the blooms—so younger blooms are the brightest, with luminescence diminishing as the flower blooms mature. You’ll see the stems and leave glow as well. It becomes obvious when viewing them where the plant is putting its effort and energy to grow. Yes, even the roots of this plants glow!

If you’re growing Firefly Petunias indoors, supplement natural light with LED grow lights to mimic sunlight. Choose grow lights within the 400-2,000 umol/m2/s spectrum to encourage vibrant, healthy growth.

If your plant stops glowing, it may be due to poor health. Check for sufficient sunlight, avoid overwatering, and address potential issues like pathogen attacks. Prune any branches that may have stopped glowing.

If growing in large containers or baskets, plant multiple plants per pot for a good display. If possible, space them approximately 6 to 8 inches apart to allow for adequate air circulation and room for growth.

Typically, this should be done every one to two years. Signs that it’s time to repot may include: Roots growing out of the drainage holes. The plant dries out very quickly, even with regular watering. Or the soil has become compacted or doesn’t drain well anymore. Tip: Go up to 1-2 inches in pot diameter – don’t jump to a huge pot.

Click here for guides on how to get the best images and video of your Firefly Petunia.

Yes. If you feel you received an unhealthy plant within the first 30 days, you may return it for a credit with your original receipt.