Million Bells

[savannahsjojo]

Do million bells typically come back from one year to the next?* I admired a lady's garden this past week who had huge mounds of these beautiful flowers in the magenta color.* She stated they came back from year to year but when I went to buy them they were labeled as an annual.* The area I want to put them is a large full sun island and they would look great, however, that is too much work to have to do yearly.* ???**:?

[Newt]

Hi Savannahsjojo,

Million bells aka Calibrachoa is a tender perennial and will return in zone 9 and warmer.* This lady may have a warm spot in her garden where they return.* Most don't produce lots of seed.* In your zone they are considered annuals.* Here's some interesting info about them.
http://mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plant....asp?code=A119
http://www.arhomeandgarden.org/plant...lion_Bells.htm

There is a perennial petunia with smaller flowers then the annuals you see at garden centers that should survive in zone 8 called Petunia integrifolia.
http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantname/pda_a018.html
http://www.hcs.ohio-state.edu/hort/p...unia12649.html

Newt

[wildflowers6886]

I use to plant Millions Bells in my flower boxes at my old house.* Mine did really well, and I always received compliments on them.* However, mine never came back.* Every year I would purchase to hanging baskets of them, and just transfer them to the boxes, where they would fill in beautifully.* At our new house, which is about 1 and half hours south of my old house, I did have some that came back the next year.....I live in Ohio.* I use to live up on Lake Erie, now I live in the Massillon/Canton area.*