Although it's not blooming true, at least it is alive.
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Normally
Midnight Gold Petunia is a showstopper! This variety features velvety double blooms in deep royal purple—almost black—edged with shimmering light gold tips2. It’s part of the Jewel Collection and is celebrated for its exceptional branching and profuse flowering."
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This is one variety of several petunia varieties that I normally buy annually from Burpee and have always been very happy with in previous years. However, this year, many of my Burpee plants died within a day or two after arrived. I'd never lost any before. So, getting weak, sickly plants was a shock.
When researching the matter, I found:
"This year, many longtime customers have reported similar issues: delayed shipments, spindly or damaged plants, and poor seed germination. Some even said Burpee’s customer service was unresponsive or dismissive when they reached out. One reviewer noted that their order arrived weeks late and in such poor shape that most plants died immediately—just like yours. Another said they’d ordered for years without issue, but 2025 was the tipping point."
My own entire order was 3 1/2 weeks in arriving, and the plants this year were also abnormally small and very spindly. But it looks like I wasn't the only one with problems in 2025.
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