Petunia Flower Plant

Facts about Petunia Flower (Plant), Petunia Flower (Plant) is an annual flowering genus plat which includes thirty five species of plants. The Petunia Flower (Plant) is closely related to, cape gooseberries, deadly nightshades, chili peppers and tobacco among other from the family Solanaceae. The Petunia Flower (Plant) is native to South America with its name derived from the French word 'petun' which means tobacco.

The Petunia Flower (Plant) most varieties are diploids with fourteen chromosomes and are hybrids of similar species and usually pollinated by insects except the Petunia exserta, which is pollinated by hummingbirds. The Petunia Flower (Plant) is generally bushy and tend to spread to great extends with some reaching up to two to three inches (5 to 7.6 cm)in diameter with a height of ten to fourteen inches (25.4 to 35.5 cm).

The petunia plant produces single to double, funnel-shaped flowers which comes in various colors including white, pink, cream, greenish-yellow and green except for black and brown with some bi-colors and picotees. Large Petunia flowers are produced by the Grandiflora hybrids and can grow with large spreads of about four inches (10 cm) while the Multiflora hybrids produce small numerous flowers which are two inches (5 cm) in diameter. The (multiflora and grandiflora Petunia) mulitfloras having ample but smaller flowers and the millifloras which are mini plants with mini flowers and the grandifloras having larger but fewer flowers.

The Petunia Flower (Plant) is a tender perennial plant which is usually winter hardy and can do well in USDA zones of ten to eleven. However, in some places like in St. Louis, it is grown as an annual plant. It can establish well in medium, moist to well-drained, average soils and in part shade to full sun. The Petunia Flower (Plant) can tolerate harsh conditions including hot weathers and poor soil conditions but with good drainage.

The young plants of the petunia can be cultivated from seeds in baskets, containers or in small gardens. The seeds are established indoors ten to twelve weeks before the last frost date. However, if you intend to grow the Petunia Plant in dry regions, it will require to be watered regularly. Application of fertilizers is done once per month in order to allow the Petunia Flower (Plant) to experience a vigorous growth.

The Petunia Flower (Plant) can be grown as an ornamental plant in hanging baskets or as ground covers.