Petunia flowers is one type of genus of flowering plants which are widely cultivated in South America especially in Argentina. These belong to the family solanaceae which also includes cape gooseberries, tomatoes, tobacco and potatoes etc. The name of the flower came from French word petun which means ‘tobacco’ according to Tupi-Guarani language. Most of the Petunia flowers which are seen in garden are hybrid in quality. According to some scientists the origin of those hybrid flowers is the hybridization between two different species of Petunia Flowers i.e Petunia axillaris which is night scented or white large type of putenia and Petunia integrifolia which is mainly violet colored flower. These hybrid species are discovered by James Tweedie in South America after whom the species is specified as Tweedia. This type of flower is mainly pollinated by insects except Petunia exserta which is mainly red colored, rare and hummingbird pollinated type of flowers.
Types :- There are different types of Petunia Flowers are present. They are-
• Grandiflora :- These are the largest type of species which has diameter up to four inches. These types of species have widest verities of colors and forms. The four types of Grandiflora are mainly classified according to their colors like ‘Merlin Blue Morn’ which are white and blue in color, ‘Daddy Series’ which are mainly of purple and pink color, ‘Ultra Series’ which have different colors including bi-colors and ‘Super cascade Series’ which have many colors.
• Hedgiflora :- These are mainly spreading putenias which are also called as ground-cover. These species is mainly specified by low height. One of the examples of this type of petunia is ‘Tidal Wave’.
• Multiflora :- These are compared with the type Grandiflora but this has diameter less than two inches of Grandiflora. But these are not damaged by heavy rainfall. This type of Petunia include ‘ Surfinia Series’ which have purple, blue white and pink colors, ‘ Wave Series ‘ which are of coral, pink and purple color and ‘ Carpet Series ‘ which are of different colors.
• Milliflora :- These are smallest species which have one inch in diameter. This type of species include ‘ Supertinia Mini Series ‘ which are of lilac, blue, purple, pink and white color and ‘ Fantasy Series ‘ which have purple, pink and red color. This type of species has much more tolerance than other species.
These type of flowers need 10 to 12 weeks for full growth. They are mainly growing in areas which are not dry as well as not very wet.