Petunias are garden favorites for a reason—they’re easy to grow and bring months of vibrant color to beds, borders, and containers. But some varieties offer more than just good looks—they also fill the air with a lovely fragrance, especially in the evening.
These sweet-smelling petunias add an extra layer of charm to patios, entryways, and seating areas where their scent can really shine. Many release their strongest perfume at night, making them perfect for moon gardens or outdoor spaces where you relax after sunset.
Here are our top fragrant petunia picks for this season.
‘Evening Scentsation
True to its name, ‘Evening Scentsation™’ fills the air with an incredible sweet scent that gets stronger as night falls. This award-winning variety (All-America Selections Winner in 2017) has stunning blooms with a perfume that blends vanilla, hyacinth, and rose.
The fragrance peaks in the evening, so it’s perfect near patios, decks, or bedroom windows where you can enjoy it after dark. The flowers grow 2-3 inches wide on plants that spread 12-18 inches, creating a gorgeous carpet of color and scent.
‘Rainmaster’
‘Rainmaster’ lives up to its name with flowers that keep their sweet fragrance, no matter the weather. The medium-sized white blooms stay fresh and fragrant even when wet, making them a standout among scented petunias.
This variety grows in a semi-mounding shape, great for hanging baskets and containers. Its vanilla-and-spice scent is strongest in warm evening air. You won’t need to deadhead to keep it blooming, though it helps keep things tidy.
‘Blue Storm’
‘Blue Storm’ packs a punch with bold color and a sweet, jasmine-like fragrance that gets stronger at night. Part of the tough Storm series, it handles weather well and grows vigorously.
The ruffled blooms stand out from a distance, and their scent lingers all day (though evenings are best). It trails beautifully, making it ideal for hanging baskets where the perfume can rise as you walk by.
‘Tumbelina Candyfloss’
These fluffy pink blooms look like tiny roses and smell just as sweet—like candy mixed with classic petunia fragrance. The double petals hold the scent longer and resist light rain.
With a trailing habit, it can spill up to 30 inches from baskets and tall containers, making a stunning, fragrant display.
‘Daddy Blue’
A grandiflora petunia with big (4-5 inch), lightly ruffled blooms in soft blue and deep purple. Its sweet, nostalgic scent makes it perfect near windows, walkways, or seating areas.
Growing 10-15 inches tall and wide, it works well in both beds and containers.
‘Wave Purple’
Known for its hardiness and no-fuss blooming, ‘Wave® Purple’ also surprises with a lovely scent, strongest at night. Each plant can spread up to 4 feet, creating a carpet of color and perfume.
Group several together for an even stronger fragrance effect.
‘Dreams Appleblossom’
Reminiscent of apple blossoms, these fragrant flowers fade to white at the edges. Their gentle fragrance and romantic look make them ideal for cottage gardens.
Growing 10-15 inches tall, they’re great for borders and containers.
‘Carpet Pink’
A low-growing, spreading variety that fills spaces quickly. Its fragrance is strongest in the evening but lingers on warm days.
No deadheading needed—it blooms nonstop from spring to frost.
‘Surfinia White’
A trailing petunia with bright yellow centers and a surprisingly strong fragrance at night. Cascades up to 4 feet, perfect for hanging baskets where its scent can drift upward.
‘Supertunia Priscilla
This bicolor petunia offers both performance and fragrance, trailing up to 24 inches in baskets and containers. The scent gets stronger in the evening.
‘Headliner Strawberry Sky’
A newer variety with unique pink-and-yellow blooms and a scent that matches its name—sweet with a hint of fruit. Grows 10-12 inches tall, spreading 20-30 inches.