Question

short speech on petunias

Answer 1

Petunia, genus of about 35 species of flowering plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), native to South America. The common garden petunia (Petunia ×atkinsiana) is an ornamental plant whose showy trumpet-shaped flowers make it popular for summer flower beds and window boxes.

Petunia species are mostly annual herbs. The leaves are sessile (e.g., lacking a petiole, or leaf stem) and are usually oval-shaped with smooth margins; some feature fine sticky hairs. The flowers are funnel-shaped, consisting of five fused or partially fused petals and five green sepals. Most species are insect-pollinated, though P. exserta is pollinated by hummingbirds. The minute seeds are borne in a dry capsule. Molecular evidence has led to the reclassification of some former Petunia species into the closely related genus Calibrachoa, known for the ornamental plant called “million bells” (C. ×hybrida).

Although technically a perennial, the common garden petunia is most often grown as an annual; its flowers bloom profusely from early summer until frost. The plant grows well in temperate climates and does not tolerate shade. The innumerable horticultural varieties fall into two general types: the compact erect type, reaching 15–25 cm (6–10 inches) and adapted for summer garden beds, and the sprawling long-stemmed balcony petunia, which grows to about 46 cm (18 inches) and is often potted in hanging baskets and window boxes. The flowers range from pure white to deep crimson or purple and are often speckled or veined in contrasting colours. There are single- and double-bloom varieties.

Answer 2

Petunia is genus of 20 species of flowering plants of South American origin. The popular flower of the same name derived its epithet from the French, which took the word petun, meaning "tobacco," from a Tupi–Guarani language. An annual, most of the varieties seen in gardens are hybrids (Petunia  atkinsiana, also known as Petunia  hybrida).

Petunia is a genus in the family Solanaceae, subfamily Petunioideae. Well known members of Solanaceae in other subfamilies include tobacco (subfamily Nicotianoideae), and the cape gooseberry, tomato, potato, deadly nightshade and chili pepper (subfamily Solanoideae). Some botanists place the plants of the genus Calibrachoa in the genus Petunia, but this is not accepted by others. Petchoa is a hybrid genus derived from crossing Calibrachoa and Petunia.

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, as well as with Calibrachoa.

The tubular flowers are favoured by some Lepidoptera species, including the Hummingbird hawk moth. The flowers are eaten by the larvae of the corn earthworm, Helicoverpa zea and the cabbage looper, Trichoplusiani.