Easy Wave® is the gold standard of trailing petunias — the variety that defined the hanging basket category and remains the top-selling wave petunia in commercial production worldwide. With a sprawling, self-branching habit, continuous bloom from spring through frost, and one of the widest color selections of any trailing annual, Easy Wave® gives growers everything they need to build a premium basket and bedding plant program from bulk pelleted seed.
This complete guide covers the full Easy Wave® lineup — both the classic standard series and the next-generation E3 Easy Wave® trailing varieties — with growing tips, color selection guidance, and direct links to every variety available in bulk.
Easy Wave® Standard Series – The Classic Trailing Petunia
The standard Easy Wave® series delivers the trailing, mounding habit that made wave petunias famous — plants spread 24–36 inches wide and mound 6–12 inches tall, filling hanging baskets, window boxes, and landscape beds with continuous color. Available in over 25 colors including solids, bicolors, velour textures, and curated mixes, the standard series gives growers unmatched flexibility for custom palette programs.
Easy Wave® Solid Colors
- Easy Wave® Blue – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Pink – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Red – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Rose – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Violet – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® White – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Silver – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Neon Rose – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Lavender Sky Blue – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
Easy Wave® Velour Collection
The Velour colors feature a distinctive velvety texture and deeper, more saturated tones — ideal for premium retail programs and upscale mixed basket production.
- Easy Wave® Berry Velour – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Burgundy Velour – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Navy Velour – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Red Velour – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
Easy Wave® Specialty Colors and Bicolors
- Easy Wave® Burgundy Star – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Starfish – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Plum Vein – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Pink Passion – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Rose Fusion – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Rosy Dawn – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Rose Morn – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® South Beach – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Opposites Attract – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
Easy Wave® Mixes
- Easy Wave® Formula Mix – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Beachcomber Mix – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Great Lakes Mix – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Plum Pudding Mix – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
- Easy Wave® Flag Mix – Bulk Pelleted Seeds
Need smaller retail packs? Visit www.trailingpetunia.com for individual quantities.
E3 Easy Wave® – Next-Generation Trailing Performance
The E3 Easy Wave® series represents the next generation of Easy Wave® genetics — bred for enhanced early flowering, improved branching, and stronger trailing performance compared to the standard series. E3 varieties produce more lateral branches from the base, fill baskets faster, and deliver a more uniform, professional finish that reduces production time and improves retail presentation.
For commercial growers producing high volumes of 10-inch and 12-inch hanging baskets, E3 Easy Wave® is the upgrade that pays for itself in reduced crop time and improved sellthrough rates.
E3 Easy Wave® Solid Colors
- E3 Easy Wave® Blue – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
- E3 Easy Wave® Coral – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
- E3 Easy Wave® Pink – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
- E3 Easy Wave® Red – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
- E3 Easy Wave® White – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
- E3 Easy Wave® Yellow – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
- E3 Easy Wave® Sky Blue – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
E3 Easy Wave® Specialty Colors
- E3 Easy Wave® Pink Cosmo – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
- E3 Easy Wave® Rose Morn – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
- E3 Easy Wave® Sweet Taffy – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
- E3 Easy Wave® Pink Passion – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
- E3 Easy Wave® Midnight Marble – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
- E3 Easy Wave® Vanillaberry Parfait – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
E3 Easy Wave® Mixes
- E3 Easy Wave® Formula Mix – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
- E3 Easy Wave® Formula Mix Improved – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
- E3 Easy Wave® Peppermint Mix – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
- E3 Easy Wave® Red White & Blue – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
- E3 Easy Wave® Déjà Vu Mixture – Bulk Trailing Petunia Seeds
How to Grow Easy Wave® Petunias from Bulk Pelleted Seed
1. Start Indoors 10–12 Weeks Before Last Frost
Easy Wave® requires a long lead time from seed to basket-ready transplant. Sow pelleted seeds indoors 10–12 weeks before your target outdoor sale or planting date. For spring basket programs in most North American zones, this means sowing in January or February.
2. Germination: Light Required
Easy Wave® seeds require light to germinate. Do not cover pelleted seeds with growing medium — press them gently onto the surface of a fine, pre-moistened germination mix. Maintain a soil temperature of 72–76°F (22–24°C). Expect germination in 5–10 days. Pelleted seeds allow precise single-seed placement in plug trays, reducing waste and improving uniformity.
3. Seedling Care and Light
Move trays immediately to high-intensity grow lights (16 hours per day) or a very bright greenhouse bench once seedlings emerge. Maintain air temperatures of 65–70°F. Feed with a balanced fertilizer at 75–100 ppm nitrogen once true leaves appear. Keep the medium evenly moist but never waterlogged.
4. Transplanting to Baskets
For 10-inch hanging baskets, transplant 3 plugs per basket. For 12-inch baskets, use 3–5 plugs depending on desired fill speed. E3 Easy Wave® varieties fill baskets faster due to improved early branching — a key advantage for tight production schedules. Pinch once at transplant to encourage additional lateral branching in standard Easy Wave® varieties.
5. Finishing and Outdoor Display
Harden off baskets over 5–7 days before outdoor display. Easy Wave® performs best in full sun to partial shade with at least 6 hours of direct sun. Feed with a high-potassium liquid fertilizer every 7–10 days through the season for continuous bloom. Deadheading is not required — Easy Wave® is self-cleaning.
Standard Easy Wave® vs E3 Easy Wave®: Which Should You Grow?
- Standard Easy Wave® — Widest color selection (25+ colors); proven genetics; ideal for growers who want maximum color variety and established production protocols
- E3 Easy Wave® — Enhanced early branching and trailing performance; faster basket fill; better uniformity; ideal for high-volume commercial basket programs where crop time and sellthrough rate matter most
- Run both — Use E3 for your core basket program and standard Easy Wave® for specialty colors and custom palette mixes not yet available in E3
Easy Wave® baskets are a cornerstone of any spring annual program. For ideas on other top-performing basket crops to round out your lineup, see our guide to the best flowers for hanging baskets from seed. For growers building a complete cut flower and annual production program, our post on the best cut flower seeds to grow now covers complementary crops that pair well with wave petunias in mixed production schedules.
Frequently Asked Questions: Easy Wave® Petunia Seeds
What is the difference between Easy Wave® and E3 Easy Wave®?
E3 Easy Wave® is the next generation of Easy Wave® genetics, bred for enhanced early branching, improved trailing performance, and faster basket fill compared to the standard series. E3 varieties produce more lateral branches from the base and deliver a more uniform, professional finish. Standard Easy Wave® offers a wider color selection and proven production protocols that many growers prefer for specialty color programs.
Do Easy Wave® petunia seeds need light to germinate?
Yes. Easy Wave® seeds require light to germinate. Do not cover pelleted seeds with growing medium — press them gently onto the surface of a moist germination mix and place under grow lights or in bright indirect light. Maintaining a soil temperature of 72–76°F is critical for fast, uniform germination in 5–10 days.
How many Easy Wave® plugs do I need per hanging basket?
For 10-inch baskets, use 3 plugs. For 12-inch baskets, use 3–5 plugs depending on desired fill speed and production timeline. E3 Easy Wave® varieties fill baskets faster due to improved early branching, allowing you to use fewer plugs per basket or achieve a fuller basket in less time.
How long does Easy Wave® take to bloom from seed?
Expect first blooms approximately 10–14 weeks from sowing under optimal conditions. Starting seeds 10–12 weeks before your target sale date will give you blooming or near-blooming baskets ready for spring retail. E3 varieties may reach saleable stage slightly faster due to improved early vigor.
What is the Velour collection in Easy Wave®?
The Easy Wave® Velour colors — Berry Velour, Burgundy Velour, Navy Velour, and Red Velour — feature a distinctive velvety petal texture and deeper, more saturated color tones compared to standard Easy Wave® varieties. The Velour collection is ideal for premium retail programs and upscale mixed basket production where a more luxurious look commands higher price points.
Can Easy Wave® petunias be used in landscape beds?
Yes — Easy Wave® is highly versatile and performs beautifully in landscape beds, window boxes, and large mixed containers in addition to hanging baskets. In landscape beds, plants spread 24–36 inches wide and mound 6–12 inches tall, providing excellent ground coverage in full sun locations. Space plants 18–24 inches apart for landscape use.
How many pelleted seeds are in a bulk pack?
Bulk packs contain 1,000 pelleted seeds per pack, sized for commercial basket production, landscape contractors, and large-scale growers. For smaller retail quantities, visit www.trailingpetunia.com.
What is the best Easy Wave® mix for a patriotic display?
For patriotic red, white, and blue displays, E3 Easy Wave® Red White & Blue is the purpose-built choice — a curated mix of red, white, and blue varieties in a single pack. The Easy Wave® Flag Mix is another excellent option for patriotic programs, combining bold colors in a trailing habit perfect for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day retail displays.