Karkulka is a stunning bicolored petunia bred in 1934 by Černý Seed Company in the Czech Republic, where it remains a beloved bedding and container staple. Its bubblegum pink and white blooms feature distinctive frayed and ruffled edges that give the flowers an almost playful, textured quality. Plants stay compact, reaching just over 1 foot tall, and produce masses of 2- to 2.5-inch flowers over 70 to 85 days from seed. This heirloom hybrid thrives in full sun and brings genuine eye-catching charm to any garden space.
Full Sun
Moderate
9-11
?in H x ?in W
—
High
Hover over chart points for details
The frayed, ruffled edges of Karkulka's bicolored blooms are genuinely unusual among petunias, bubblegum pink fading to white with a delicate, almost frilly texture that catches light beautifully. Plants stay compact and generously productive, covering themselves in 2- to 2.5-inch flowers throughout the season. Its Czech heritage, developed nearly a century ago by a dedicated seed company, speaks to a lineage of careful breeding for garden performance and visual appeal.
Karkulka excels as a bedding petunia for garden beds and borders, where its compact habit and prolific flowering create continuous color throughout summer. Its generous bloom production and balanced plant size make it equally at home in containers, window boxes, and hanging baskets, where the flowers can spill gracefully over edges.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your last spring frost in seed-starting mix kept at 70 to 75°F. Press seeds lightly onto the soil surface without covering, as petunias need light to germinate. Provide bright light, maintain consistent moisture, and expect germination in 7 to 10 days.
Harden off seedlings gradually over 7 to 10 days by exposing them to outdoor conditions for increasing periods. Transplant outdoors after the last frost date when soil has warmed and nighttime temperatures consistently stay above 50°F. Space plants 6 inches apart in full-sun locations.
Pinch back the growing tips of young seedlings once they develop 3 to 4 leaf sets to encourage branching and fuller, more compact plant structure. Deadhead spent blooms consistently throughout the season to redirect the plant's energy into continuous flowering rather than seed production.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Karkulka emerged from the renowned Černý Seed Company in the Czech Republic in 1934, a period when European seed breeders were experimenting with petunia genetics to create novel bicolor patterns and flower forms. The frayed, ruffled-edge characteristic was a deliberate breeding achievement, developed to stand out in garden beds and container displays. This variety traveled from its Czech origins to become valued across Europe and eventually found its way into the hands of heirloom seed companies like Baker Creek, where it is preserved today as a living bridge to early 20th-century horticultural craftsmanship.”