What do you know about Petunia?

Question

What do you know about Petunia?

Answer 1

Petunia is a trumpet shaped, widely-cultivated genus of flowering plants of South American origin, in the family Solanaceae. The popular flower got its name from French, which took the word petun 'tobacco' from a Tupi-Guarani language. Most of the varieties seen in gardens are hybrids (Petunia x hybrida).

The origin of P. x hybrida is thought to be by hybridization between P. axillaris (the large white or night-scented petunia) and P. integrifolia (the violet-flowered petunia). P. axillaris bears night- fragrant, buff-white blossoms with long, thin tubes and somewhat flattened openings. The species was first sent from South America to Paris in 1823. P. integrifolia has a somewhat weedy habit, spreading stems with upright tips, and small lavender to purple flowers.

It was discovered in South America by the explorer James Tweedie, after whom the genus Tweedia is named, who sent specimens to the Glasgow Botanical Garden in 1831. Many open-pollinated species are also gaining popularity in the home garden. [1] A wide range of flower colors, sizes, and plant architectures are available in both the hybrid and open-pollinated species.

Some botanists place the plants of the genus Calibrachoa in the genus Petunia. Botanically speaking, tobacco, tomato, potato, and petunia are all in the family Solanaceae.

Petunias are generally insect pollinated with the exception of P. exserta, which is a rare, red- flowered, hummingbird pollinated species. Most petunias are diploid with 14 chromosomes and are interfertile with other petunia species.

The foliage of Petunias is sometimes eaten by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Dot Moth and Hummingbird hawk moth.

Answer 2

Pick off dead blooms to keep it blooming

Answer 3

Deer love them!

Answer 4

Petunias are great annuals, and I recommend them in every garden.  If you can find a book or magazine with Petunia varieties, you'll find very small simple 'one petal' flower cups and huge many petaled flowers that don't look like 'cups' at all.  I suggest you get a striped purple and white single cup, a medium pink, and an orange ... but when you plant them in the ground, leave at least 2-3 feet on every side, because petunias are 'small and neat' when you buy the plant, but when they grow, they spread and even have very long, almost vining stems, and you'll appreciate the room.  In a pot, put them at the edge so the stems and flowers can hang down ... and enjoy your petunias.  These are very simple, pretty flowers and can be grown outside by just about anyone, but beware.  I fell under the spell of a six pack of petunias on spring day.  Three years later, I was a professional gardener!  

Answer 5

I used to work in a nursery as a teenager. I never loved petunias. The stems were sticky to the touch (And it seemed that I was destined to be the one they asked to pinch the stems back when they grew too leggy). In addition to the sticky stem problem, it seemed to me that the petals were like tissue - toilet paper consistency. I was drawn to more lasting and spectacular blooms of other flowering plants over petunias any day. So as to be more positive, they are nice in hanging baskets and colorful.

Answer 6

Porky Pig's Boyfriend

Answer 7

HARRY POTTER

Answer 8

The flowers?

Well, they like well-draining, moist soil.  not too much direct sunlight.

Good for ground cover or in hanging arrangements.  

Lovely colors, ranging from pink to purple mostly.