# garden petunia (*Petunia × atkinsiana*)

Garden petunias are colorful flowers that brighten up gardens and pots. They come in many colors and have a lovely scent that attracts butterflies and bees.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas

![garden petunia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/00_1737_Petunia_%C3%97_atkinsiana.jpg&width=800)

Photo: W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:00_1737_Petunia_%C3%97_atkinsiana.jpg)

## Appearance

The garden petunia has vibrant, trumpet-shaped flowers, often with ruffled or smooth edges, blooming in a rainbow of colors like purple, pink, red, white, and yellow. Its green foliage can feel slightly sticky to the touch.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Solanales
- **Family:** Solanaceae
- **Genus:** Petunia

## Interesting facts

- Ancient beliefs suggested petunias could ward off evil spirits if planted around homes.
- Believe it or not, petunias are related to tomatoes, potatoes, and even chili peppers!
- Petunias get their name from a Tupi-Guarani word meaning "tobacco," as they are related.
- Some petunia scents are strongest at night to attract specific moths!

## Special abilities

- **Pollinator Magnet:** Garden petunia can produce sweet nectar and bright, fragrant flowers that help it attract bees and other insects for pollination.
- **Endless Bloomer:** Garden petunia can continuously produce new flowers throughout the warm season, which helps it maximize its chances of reproduction.
- **Hardy Grower:** Garden petunia can thrive in a variety of conditions once established, which helps it survive in many garden environments.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 15-45 cm
- **Spread:** 30-90 cm
- **Flower Size:** 3-10 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to Fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen.
- **Pollinates:** [common eastern bumble bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — Visits flowers for nectar.
- **Eats:** tobacco hornworm (*Manduca sexta*) — Larvae feed on leaves.

## Traits

- [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Everblooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/everblooming): Everblooming plants produce flowers continuously or in repeated flushes over a long period.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always wash your hands after touching flowers, just to be safe!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify garden petunia?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is garden petunia?

15-45 cm

### How wide does garden petunia spread?

30-90 cm

### How big are the flowers on garden petunia?

3-10 cm

### When does garden petunia bloom?

Spring to Fall

### Is garden petunia edible?

No

### Is garden petunia toxic?

None

### What is garden petunia's lifecycle?

Annual

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Garden Petunia: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-petunia)