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Assumption deputy fired after booking on sex crime charge

Sat, 05/07/2022 - 11:02am

An Assumption Parish sheriff's deputy has been arrested on a sex crime charge involving a juvenile, the Sheriff's Office said.

Austin Joseph Isibor, 23, Washington Street, Napoleonville, was arrested on two counts of carnal knowledge of a juvenile after a complaint from the father of a teenager, Sheriff Leland Falcon reported Saturday.

Isibor, at the time of his arrest, was an Assumption Parish sheriff’s deputy assigned to the Uniformed Patrol Division, where he had worked since February 2022.

On Friday, detectives responded to the complaint in which it was alleged that the victim had engaged in sexual activity with Isibor at his home. As the investigation progressed, it was determined that Isibor had engaged in similar activity with the same girl in December 2021, again at his residence, the Sheriff's Office said.

Detectives requested and were granted multiple search warrants connected to this matter

As the investigation progressed, detectives obtained arrest warrants for Isibor. Isibor was arrested and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center pending a bond hearing.

Isibor was immediately terminated by the sheriff, the office said.

“We hold our employees to the highest of legal standards and no person is above the law when such incidents occur,” Falcon said.

Morgan City man charged in Dec. 30 Amelia robbery

Sat, 05/07/2022 - 9:16am

(Editor’s note: The charges listed here and the narratives that go with them are provided by the police agencies that made the arrests. Guilt or innocence has not been determined in court.)

A St. Mary Parish inmate, already accused of home invasion and burglary, faces an additional armed robbery charge in a Dec. 30 incident in Amelia, the Sheriff's Office said.

St. Mary

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith advised that over the last 24-hour reporting period, the Sheriff's Office responded to 31 complaints and made these arrests:

--Wayne Michael Escort, 33, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:31 a.m. Thursday on a warrant alleging armed robbery (aggravated with weapon)

On Dec. 30, a deputy was dispatched to an armed robbery complaint at a local business in Amelia. The deputy secured the scene and detectives were called to the business to open an investigation into the incident.

Through the investigation, Escort was developed as the suspect and detectives obtained a complaint warrant.

Escort was booked on the new warrant and continues to be incarcerated at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center.

Escort had been arrested Feb. 24 by Morgan City police on a warrant alleging aggravated burglary and a Patterson warrant alleging home invasion. Other warrants accused Escort of failure to appear in 16th Judicial District Court on a charge of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and a 6th Ward Morgan City Court warrant alleging failure to appear.
--Lacey Nicole Yates, 38, Patterson, was arrested on at 7:06 a.m. Thursday on a leash law violation. Yates was released on a summons to appear Aug. 26.

--Juvenile female, 15, Jeanerette, was arrested at 1:55 p.m. Thursday on a charge of disturbing the peace (fighting). The juvenile female was released into the custody of a guardian pending juvenile court proceedings.

--Daniel David Orellana, 20, Morgan City, was arrested at 3:46 a.m. Friday on charges of simple criminal damage to property and burglary of an inhabited dwelling. Orellana also held a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of possession methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

--Shontranice McDaniel, 27, Franklin, was arrested at 7:09 p.m. Thursday by the Narcotics Section on a charge of disturbing the peace (language). McDaniel was released on a $500 bond.

--Robert McDaniel, 40, Baldwin, was arrested at 7:46 p.m. Thursday by the Narcotics Section on charges of window tint violation, aggravated flight from an officer, resisting an officer, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and obstruction of justice. Bail was set at $75,000.

--Nicolas Francis, 18, Jeanerette, was arrested at 5:13 p.m. Thursday by the Narcotics Section on charges of brake light out, transactions involving drug proceeds, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Bail was set at $75,000.

--Valencia Mitchell, 60, Franklin, was arrested at 8:53 p.m. Thursday by the Narcotics Section on a charge of possession marijuana and on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of operating a vehicle while license is suspended, revoked or canceled and speeding. Mitchell was released on a $428 bond.

Book-signing evokes the memory of Marine Shale battle

Fri, 05/06/2022 - 11:58am

BILL DECKER

bdecker@daily-review.com

As a preschooler, April Leonard had a place to play outdoors and a bayou for swimming.

Then one day, the spacemen arrived.

“It was like a scene from ‘E.T.,’” Leonard remembered Thursday. “They were wearing space suits.”

They weren’t from outer space. They were technicians in protective gear, sent by environmental regulators to see whether pollution from the nearby Marine Shale Processors operation had contaminated the land and water near Leon-ard’s home.

The Frame Shop in Morgan City was the site for a book-signing Thursday with Dr. John W. Sutherlin, who wrote “Playing With Fire: The Strange Case of Marine Shale Processors” with Daniel Elliot Gonzalez.

The event was an occasion to gather for people who took part in the battle to have the controversial hazardous waste incinerator at Amelia shut down.

Marine Shale, which began operating in 1985, was billed by owner Jack Kent Sr. as a way to dispose of hazardous waste through incineration and mixing it with a polymer. The resulting products were glass-like pellets that were sup-posed to be suitable for use in paving roads.

But, Sutherlin argues, Kent maintained he was running a recycling operation, not a hazardous waste disposal business so Marine Shale didn’t obtain permits that would otherwise have been required under federal antipollution rules.

And there were signs that Marine Shale was actively seeking to avoid inspection and regulation, Sutherlin said. They include phony monitoring equipment and a cam-era atop a smokestack to provide warning when state inspectors were coming.

“Everything about this is a smoking gun,” said Sutherlin, a University of Louisiana-Monroe political science professor.

Forces began to line up against Marine Shale. Buddy Roemer’s election as governor in 1987 led to the appointment of Paul Templet to head the relatively new Department of Environmental Quality. Templet was more aggressive in pursuit of environmental violations than his predecessors.

The Tulane Environmental Law Clinic got involved, as did Wilma Subra, a scientist whose Iberia-based company was a go-to source for people with environmental concerns.

Subra, who received a round of applause from the 20 or so people at The Frame Shop on Thursday, brought science to the anti-Marine Shale side, Sutherlin said. Tulane brought the law.

But the energy came from local people who formed South Louisiana Against Pollution. Sutherlin said the group formed around a group of concerned women in the community. It’s a pattern he’s seen in similar cases.

“For whatever reason, women seem to do better job of stepping up ...,” Sutherlin said.

Their argument gained power when the Amelia area experienced an unexpectedly high number of cases of neuroblastoma, a tumor affecting the central nervous system. No definitive link between Marine Shale and the cancers was established.

Leonard’s family “doesn’t have [ill effects] that we know of,” she said. “But we don’t know what the long-term effects might be.”

Marine Shale ceased operations in 1996 in the middle of lengthy court battles resulting from action by the state and federal governments. Along the way, Kent was indicted but found not guilty of trying to bribe a judge in the case.

In 2008, the state and federal governments reached a settlement with Kent and Marine Shale, calling for $6.2 million in penalties and $7 million to be set aside for cleaning the site.

The political impact may have outlived the Marine Shale controversy.

Sutherlin said Kent was determined to defeat Roemer’s re-election bid in 1991. Pro Publica reported that Kent spent $400,000 on the governor’s race that year, the one that resulted in the runoff between former Gov. Edwin Edwards and former Klansman David Duke.

“Roemer was never elected to anything ever again,” Sutherlin said.

Pro Publica also opined that in the five gubernatorial administrations since Roemer, environmental regulation has never had the same level of priority.

“We still have open burning of hazardous waste,” Subra said, “and we still have detonation of hazardous waste. But we don’t have one of these.”

Theft, steroid charges among arrests by Morgan City police

Fri, 05/06/2022 - 10:35am

(Editor’s note: The charges listed here and the narratives that go with them are provided by the police agencies that made the arrests. Guilt or innocence has not been determined in court.)

Morgan City police reported arrests Thursday and early Friday on charges that include theft, drunk driving and possession of anabolic steroids.

Morgan City
Police Chief James F. Blair reported that the Morgan City Police Department responded to 51 calls for service over the last 24-hour reporting period and made these arrests:

—Jeremy Trevor Constantine, 30, Fenetre Road, Scott, was arrested at 3:55 a.m. Friday on charges of possession of a Schedule III controlled dangerous substance (trenbolone ethnanthate, stanozolo), possession of drug paraphernalia, disobeying traffic controls and improper lane usage.

—Melissa Ratcliff, 33, Henry Street, Patterson, was arrested at 11:56 p.m. Thursday on a charge of theft (under $1,000).

—Ruperto Camaja-Ordonez, 30, Amelia, was arrested at 10:23 p.m. Thursday on charges of driving while intoxicated (first offense), no driver’s license and no insurance.

—Heather Marie Theriot, 44, First Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:04 a.m. Thursday on a charge of failure to appear for trial (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

—Wilber James Richard, 38, Murial Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 2:19 p.m. Thursday on a charge of failure to appear to pay fine (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

—Patrick E. Arabie, 52, Egle Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 3:20 p.m. Thursday on a charge of contempt of court (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

—Delfry Mejia-Mora, 21, Federal Avenue, Morgan City, was arrested at 9:13 p.m. Thursday on charges of driving under suspension, improper lane usage and three counts of failure to appear for arraignment (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

—Denise Driskill Mason, 46, River Road, Berwick, was arrested at 12:29 a.m. Friday on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Morgan City police radio logs for May 4-5

Fri, 05/06/2022 - 9:01am

The following are the radio dispatch logs from the Morgan City Police Department. To report unlawful or suspicious activity, call the Police Department at 985-380-4605.
Wednesday, May 4
8:20 a.m. Federal Avenue/Barrow Street; Assistance.
8:22 a.m. 6000 block of Railroad Avenue; Medical.
10:19 a.m. David Drive/Brashear Avenue; Hit and run.
1:10 p.m. Auto Zone; Aggravated assault.
1:33 p.m. Old Bridge; Assistance.
1:34 p.m. Levee across from Swiftships; Assistance.
1:50 p.m. Sixth/Arenz streets; Accident.
1:56 p.m. Morgan City Junior High School; Complaint.
2:47 p.m. 600 block of Brashear Avenue; Fight.
2:57 p.m. Brashear Avenue/Seventh Street; Stalled vehicle.
3:14 p.m. Victor II Boulevard carwash; Theft.
3:15 p.m. Old Bridge; Assistance.
3:41 p.m. Redwood Street behind China King; Animal complaint.
3:42 p.m. 3200 block of Susan Drive; Complaint.
3:52 p.m. U.S. 90 Westbound; Accident.
3:54 p.m. Freret/Sixth streets; Fire.
3:55 p.m. Dr. Prejeant parking lot; Accident.
4:15 p.m. 600 block of General Patton Street; Criminal damage to property.
4:37 p.m. Martin Lu-ther King Boulevard Onramp; Traffic issue.
5:15 p.m. 1000 block of Franklin Street; Complaint.
5:20 p.m. 500 block of Egle Street; Medical.
5:21 p.m. Sandra Street Berwick; Assis-tance.
7:08 p.m. 6400 block of La. 182; Criminal damage to property.
7:17 p.m. 1200 block of David Drive; Alarm.
7:30 p.m. Mount Street and Railroad Avenue; Arrest.
7:30 p.m. 500 block of Barrow Street; Arrest.
7:54 p.m. Greenwood Street; Complaint.
8:19 p.m. 1200 block of David Drive; Alarm.
8:43 p.m. Fifth and Michigan streets; Arrest.
9:48 p.m. U.S. 90 East; Reckless operation.
9:55 p.m. 300 block of Second Street; Complaint.
10:29 p.m. 300 block of Wren Street; Juvenile complaint.
10:57 p.m. 600 block of Kentucky Street; Complaint.
11:20 p.m. 7700 block of La. 182; Complaint.
Thursday, May 5
12:50 a.m. 1100 block of Brashear Avenue; Stand by.
1:50 a.m. 7400 block of La. 182; Arrest.
2:46 a.m. 600 block of Martin Luther King Boulevard; Removal of subject.
3:15 a.m. 600 block of Brashear Avenue; Complaint.
3:23 a.m. 600 block of Brashear Avenue; Complaint.

John Flores: Monarch butterflies' trek can begin in your back yard

Fri, 05/06/2022 - 8:48am

JOHN FLORES

I can remember like it was yesterday when I first learned about complete and incomplete metamorphosis. What’s more, it’s been more than a half century since those fundamentals of an insect’s life became etched in my mind. I didn’t know it at the time, but they were part of the building blocks of my love for the outdoors.
As long as my wife and I have been married, she has always had a love for plants. Her passion over the years has grown into a wonderful flower garden that brings joy to those who walk through it with her.
One of her ambitions this year was to make her garden more butterfly friendly. Christine planted zinnias, firecracker flowering plants, cone flowers, lark spur, lantana, and others. Amongst them she planted “one” tropical milkweed plant and let nature take its course.
While resting one morning in the comfort of her hammock, to her delight she noticed a few tiny caterpillars on the leaves of her lone milkweed. Later she noticed a monarch butterfly with tattered and faded wings. It appeared to be using the last of its energy following its long northerly migration from Mexico to lay eggs on the leaves.
In roughly three to five days those eggs became caterpillars. In fact, so many Christine couldn’t count them all. They soon were devouring the lone tropical milkweed plant to the point it looked like a skeleton.
In a panic, Christine called around and found six more tropical milkweed plants at Marvin’s Gardens in Patterson that had just came in. While on the phone she bought them all.
A girlfriend who was shopping in Houma found two more plants at Lowes and brought them to her. Nine milkweed plants later, it appeared the caterpillars had finally had their fill.
We were out of town Easter weekend and upon returning, Christine went immediately to her butterfly garden. The caterpillars had disappeared from the plants. But, upon further investigation, she discovered light-green chrysalis everywhere.
They were attached to the shed, under the rims of flowerpots, on the wheel of one of our wheelbarrows, and even attached to the plastic of a sack of potting soil. The metamorphosis had begun.
Nola Boudreaux, a 34-year resident of Lafayette, has been raising monarchs and other species of butterflies for the past three years. Over that period, she has raised and released over 240 butterflies, mostly of which were monarchs.
Boudreaux, a high school friend who, like Christine, grew up in Bayou Vista, provided a wealth of information to glean from during the 8- to 12-day pupa stage; the stage where a larva becomes an adult.
Boudreaux said, “I started raising monarchs because of their decline in numbers and the story of their long migration journey. My first love was the black swallowtails. I discovered them by accident on parsley. I quickly learned different host plants for each species of butterflies. Soon, I had giant swallowtails, black and yellow swallowtails, monarchs, sulfur, and the special gulf fritillary butterfly, which is now our state butterfly.”
Boudreaux layers her garden by using different host plants and filling in with pollinating plants. She also provides planting pots with rims, wooden lattice, hanging planters, and garden decorations among her plants. Boudreaux keeps her butterflies in a large butterfly house, and she says these items provide monarchs a place to attach their chrysalis in a safe environment.
Essentially, those interested in raising any butterfly species will have to decide whether they want to house them or not. Boudreaux points out that people who choose to raise butterflies as a hobby must be prepared to accept there is a natural ecosystem in which they live. Most scientists agree that in the wild less than 10 percent of monarch butterflies survive from larva to adult stage.
Boudreaux said, “The strong survive, but as a butterfly hobbyist we tend to tweak their life.”
Just over a week had passed and while at work, I received a text message from Christine with a picture attached. Several of the chrysalis had changed from their light-green color to clear, where you could see the orange and black wings of a monarch butterfly. The larvae were literally hours away from escaping their cellophane-like prison and becoming adults.
Throughout the morning and into the afternoon, like a labor room nurse, nothing escaped Christine’s vigilance. She sent me videos and pictures of monarch butterflies emerging from their pupas with excitement, joy, and great wonder that she expressed in each accompanied text message.
There was a downside. Out of 18 chrysalis she counted there were three that did not emerge. Two were crushed under a pot and rolled over by accident. Apparently, monarch butterflies aren’t particular about where they locate their chrysalis, because on the wheel of a wheelbarrow is probably not a good idea.
Two emerged with crumpled wings, and one emerged with a large hole in its wing.
Scientist feel a protozoan parasite known as Ophryocystis Eleck-troscirrha infect monarch butterflies and are to blame for crumpled wings. It was just a matter of hours before the monarchs sadly expired, unable to take flight.
“This journey with butterflies has helped me emotionally to understand the beginning and end of the cycle of life,” Boudreaux reflected. “There is always a sacrifice in the journey.”
Of the 10 monarchs that did emerge healthy, they were beautiful specimens that Christine was only able to enjoy for a short period. Once their wings were dry, they took flight and departed.
The main reason for the monarch butterfly’s decline, like a lot of things, is loss of habitat. Additionally, the widespread use of Round-Up along roadsides and in agricultural fields has devastated milkweed production. Urban sprawl and continuing industrial development are also major factors in their decline.
One of the things people can do to help conserve monarch butterflies is to create small butterfly habitats in their yards.
This past week, Christine prepared and planted plenty of milkweed cuttings for next spring’s migration.
For more information about monarch butterflies and what you can do, go to monarchjointventure.org. The site has information and educational programs on how you can get involved.

Wheel House for May 6

Fri, 05/06/2022 - 8:29am

AARP DANCE
Hosted by St. Mary AARP 7-11 p.m. Saturday, May 14, at St. Mary Senior Citizens Center, 4014 Chennault St., Morgan City. Music by “Gary T.” Tickets $10. For info contact Alicia, 985-384-2618 or St. Mary AARP office on Mondays, 985-384-2277.

ST. MARY AARP
AARP Corporate office has approved the reopening of all AARP Chapters. St. Mary AARP Chapter 4435 first monthly meeting is June 6 at St. Mary Senior Citizens Center, 4014 Chennault St., Morgan City. Doors open at 4 p.m. Bingo starts at 5:30 p.m. For info call the office on Mondays, 985-384-2277.

AARP BINGO
St. Mary AARP Bingo resumes Wednesday, June 8, at St. Mary Senior Citizens Center, 4014 Chennault St., Morgan City. Bingo starts at 10 a.m. For info call the office on Mondays, 985-384-2277.

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Morgan City High School sponsoring its first Keisha Johnson-Brown Girls’ Basketball Camp for girls ages 8-18 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 11. Hosted by Tulane’s men’s basketball coach Kevin Johnson. Cost $25. For info call MCHS coach Duriel Singleton, 985-255-7941 or coach Joe Jones, 985-759-3223. Entry forms appear periodically in Morgan City Review. Proceeds benefit MCHS girls’ basketball team. Johnson and the late Johnson-Brown are both former basketball players and graduates of MCHS.

AARP OFFICE
St. Mary AARP Chapter 4435 office, 4014 Chennault St., Morgan City, is open 9 a.m. to noon on Mondays. For info call the office on Mondays, 985-384-2277.

Around Town for May 6

Fri, 05/06/2022 - 8:25am

Happy birthday Germaine Gaskins, happy birthday Sunday to Clarence Robinson Jr. and Monday to Nicki Foulcard and Roberta Mire, and belated happy birthday to Wayne Minor and Tia and Tamara Whitehead from family, friends and Ira.

Area births announced

Fri, 05/06/2022 - 8:21am

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Anthony J. Alpha Jr. (nee: Emily Richard) of Morgan City, a girl, Amelia Bridget Alpha, on April 5 at Thibodaux Regional Health System. She weighed 5 pounds, 6 ounces and measured 18½ inches.
——
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Reed A. Stephens (nee: Brea Bailey) of Morgan City, a boy, Owen Gilbert Stephens, on April 5 at Thibodaux Regional Health System. He weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces and measured 20 inches.
——
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Zachary A. Dupuy (nee: Lauryn Williams) of Berwick, a girl, Isabella Kaye Dupuy, on April 7 at Thibodaux Regional Health System. She weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces and measured 20 inches.
——
Born to Shira Short of Morgan City, a boy, Joshua Devon Short on April 15 at Ochsner St. Mary in Morgan City. He weighed 6 pounds, 6.2 ounces and measured 19 inches.
——
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Landon Thomas (nee: Ocean Armond) of Morgan City, a girl, Navy Jane Alise Thomas, on April 19 at Ochsner St. Mary in Morgan City. She weighed 6 pounds, 1 ounce and measured 19¼ inches.
——
Born to Gabrielle LeMaire and Kody Pederson of Morgan City, a girl, Zyra Jaidyn Marie Pederson, on April 25 at Ochsner St. Mary in Morgan City. She weighed 9 pounds, 6.2 ounces and measured 20.75 inches.
——
Born to Brittany Martin of Morgan City, a girl, Jo’hanna Grace Noelle Martin, on April 25 at Ochsner St. Mary in Morgan City. She weighed 5 pounds, 13.8 ounces and measured 18.5 inches.

Get It Growing: Petunias that take the La. heat

Fri, 05/06/2022 - 8:19am

By HEATHER KIRK-BALLARD, LSU AgCenter Horticulturist

Are you looking for reliable, easy-care color for the landscape this summer? Look for new and improved petunias that tolerate the heat. Petunias of the past couldn’t handle the heat, but newer varieties have improved tolerance.
The LSU AgCenter Louisiana Super Plants program has promoted two such improved varieties. First is the Supertunia Vista Bubblegum petunia. This is one of the best-performing petunias in the landscape. In trials at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station, Super-tunia Vista Bubblegum was a top performer. The flowers are bright pink and prolific.
Supertunia Vista Mini Indigo is also a Louisiana Super Plant selection. Featuring smaller blooms, Supertunia Vista Mini Indigo adds a splash of deep purple to the landscape. Another great petunia I am particularly fond of is a new release for 2022: the Capella Hello Yellow. This is a true yellow — not a typical color for petunias. Pair it with the indigo and you have a great purple and gold combination.
Supertunias are durable, outstanding annual bedding plants for all of Louisiana. Petunias are one of the most popular annuals in home gardens. A French botanist named Petun discovered these flowers in Argentina in the mid 1800s. This is how the flower got its name. Petun started the flowers from seeds he collected and brought back to Europe, where they became popular.
Supertunias are easy-care plants that need little routine maintenance. They grow best in full to partial sun in well-drained soils. Petunias prefer an acidic soil in the pH range of 5.5 to 6.5.
Plants grow to an average height of 6 to 12 inches and can trail up to 2 to 3 feet. Space plants in the garden 12 to 24 inches apart. Mulch with pine straw, leaves or pine bark to help maintain a clean appearance of the landscape bed, to minimize moisture loss and to help control weeds. Mulches also insulate the soil, keeping roots warm when temperatures drop.
Petunias perform well in both landscape beds and in container plantings. Plants will produce the most flowers if an application of controlled-release fertilizer is incorporated into the soil at the time of planting for both landscape and container plantings.
Petunias in containers will need to be fed more regularly, as nutrients leach from the containers with every watering. You can feed with a liquid fertilizer every 14 days, or you can apply a controlled, slow-release fertilizer about every two months. All varieties of Supertunias are heavy feeders.
Supertunias have a vigorous growth rate with a mounding, trailing habit. Petunias have been used for their beautiful flowers and colors in the landscape to attract pollinators such as butterflies and hummingbirds. Supertunias are continuous bloomers and are self-cleaning, meaning they do not have to be deadheaded to encourage new blooms. Plants are most commonly used as an edging plant or ground cover in the landscape and as filler and spiller in container plantings. They are also excellent selections for hanging baskets.
If your plant begins to look thin, leggy or a bit tired, an allover trim can be beneficial. Use a sharp pair of pruners or scissors to trim back up to one third of the plant. After trimming, it is a good practice to apply a water-soluble fertilizer to provide plants a jump on new growth and to encourage branching and robust flowers.
Petunias look great when mass planted in the landscape bed for a striking display of color. Plants should be spaced with 18-inch centers. Petunias work equally well in containers and hanging baskets where the flowers can cascade over the edges. Always plant the transplants at the original cell pack or pot depth. Both Louisiana Super Plant varieties can commonly be found in 4- or 6-inch pots at garden centers.
The more heat-tolerant petunias — including Supertunia Vista Bubblegum and Supertunia Mini Vista Indigo — can be over-summered successfully.
There are eight series of Supertunias on the market, and they are categorized by their flower and foliage sizes. The Supertunia Charm and Mini Vista series have miniature flowers with a global trailing habit of 2 feet and 4 feet, respectively. The Supertunia Trailing series has medium-sized flowers with a 6-foot trailing habit. Suptertunia, Supertunia Double, Supertunia Picasso and Supertunia Vista all have large flowers and trail up to 4 feet. Supertunia Giant has giant flowers with a vigorous trailing habit of 6 feet.
There are many types of Supertunia hybrids available at garden centers. The newest cultivars offered are Honey, Really Red, Picasso, Latte, Royal Velvet, Bordeaux, White, Limoncello, Raspberry Rush, Lovie Dovie, Trailing Strawberry Pink Veined, Black Cherry, Daybreak Charm, Blue Skies, Trailing Silver, Giant Pink, Trailing Blue Veined, Trailing Rose Veined, Royal Magenta, Bermuda Beach, Mulberry Charm and Trailing Blue. Also look for the Double petunia hybrids, Priscilla and Sharon.