How To Grow... Petunias
Amateur Gardening|February 29, 2020
Profuse, fast-growing and bursting with colour, this mainstay of baskets and borders is a surprisingly versatile choice, says Anne
Anne
How To Grow... Petunias

Petunia is an unusual girl’s name, and in the language of flowers can deliver a mixed message. Present a pot of red or purple petunias to someone with whom you have argued, and they convey anger and resentment. Yet in calmer tones, they say ‘being with you is soothing’, so they are the ideal gift for the comforting friend.

These are South American members of the potato family, related to tomatoes, physalis and the tobacco genus Nicotiana. Tribal names for tobacco gave rise to the French ‘petun’, eventually used for petunia. The impressive range of flower colours and shapes now available began with hybrids created between P. integrifolia and fragrant P. axillaris. Many petunias still carry a sweet perfume, intensifying when many are grown together.

Denne historien er fra February 29, 2020-utgaven av Amateur Gardening.

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Denne historien er fra February 29, 2020-utgaven av Amateur Gardening.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.