petunia

petunia
/pi ooh"nyeuh, -nee euh, -tyooh"-/, n.
1. any garden plant belonging to the genus Petunia, of the nightshade family, native to tropical America, having funnel-shaped flowers of various colors.
2. a deep, reddish purple.
[1815-25; < NL < obs. F petun tobacco < Tupi petyn; see -IA]

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Any of many species of flowering plants in the genus Petunia, in the nightshade family, which originated in South America.

The innumerable varieties of showy, trumpet-shaped flowers are immensely popular. There are two types: the compact, erect sort seen in summer garden beds, and the sprawling, long-stemmed sort seen in hanging baskets and window boxes. From early summer until frost, petunias bloom profusely with single or double blossoms; crisped, fringed, or ruffled flowers; and spectacular hues from pure white to deep crimson or purple, speckled or veined in contrasting colours. Leaves are soft, flabby, and covered with fine, sticky hairs. Technically perennials, petunias are most often grown as annuals.

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plant
      flowering plant whose showy, trumpet-shaped flowers make it immensely popular for summer beds and window boxes. It is a genus of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), originating in South America, and it is related to the deadly nightshade, potato, and tobacco plants.

      The genus Petunia comprises many species, but the common garden petunia, P. hybrida, is a cross of two species native to Argentina—P. axillaris and P. violacea. The innumerable varieties of P. hybrida fall into two types: the compact, erect type, reaching 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 centimetres) and adapted for summer garden beds, and the sprawling, long-stemmed balcony petunia, which grows to about 18 in. and is often potted in hanging baskets and window boxes. Flowers are funnel-shaped; are crisped, fringed, or ruffled; and are of spectacular hue, ranging from pure white to deep crimson or purple and often speckled or veined in contrasting colours. There are single- and double-bloom varieties. Leaves are soft, flabby, and covered with fine, sticky hairs.

      Although technically a perennial, the petunia is most often grown as an annual. They do well in almost any ordinary garden soil in any temperate locale, provided they are well watered and well drained. They grow poorly in shade. Flowers bloom profusely from early summer until frost.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Petunia — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Petunia (homonymie) …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Petunia — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda ? Petunia Flor de petunia Clasificación científica …   Wikipedia Español

  • pétunia — [ petynja ] n. m. • pétunie 1828 ; de pétun « tabac » ♦ Plante dicotylédone (solanacées) herbacée, ornementale à fleurs violettes, roses, blanches ou panachées. Pots de pétunias sur un balcon. ● pétunia nom masculin (latin scientifique petunia,… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Petunia — (Богота,Колумбия) Категория отеля: 3 звездочный отель Адрес: Carrera 19 No. 71A 45, 110001 Б …   Каталог отелей

  • Petunia — Pe*tu ni*a, n. [NL., fr. Braz. petun tobacco.] (Bot.) A genus of solanaceous herbs with funnelform or salver shaped corollas. Two species are common in cultivation, {Petunia violacera}, with reddish purple flowers, and {Petunia nyctaginiflora},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • petunia — 1825, from Mod.L. Petunia (1789), from Fr. petun, an obs. word for tobacco plant, from Port. petum, from Guarani (Paraguay) pety. It has a botanical affinity to the tobacco plant. Pety first recorded (in Ger.) as bittin; it survives as the… …   Etymology dictionary

  • petunia — [pə to͞on′yə, pətyo͞on′yə; pə to͞on′ē ə, pə tyo͞on′ē ə] n. [ModL < Fr petun < Tupí, tobacco] any of a genus (Petunia) of plants of the nightshade family, with funnel shaped flowers of various colors and patterns, esp. a common garden annual …   English World dictionary

  • Petunĭa — (P. Juss.), Pflanzengattung aus der Familie der Solanaceae Nicotianeae, 5. Kl. 1. Ordn. L.; Arten: P. nyctaginiflora, in Südamerika, mit großen weißen u. rothen Blüthen, in mehren Spielarten, als Zierpflanze bei uns in Gärten cultivirt; P.… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Petunĭa — Juss. (Petunĭe), Gattung der Solanazeen, mit klebrigen Drüsenhaaren besetzte Kräuter mit wechselständigen, ganzen Blättern, einzelnen, achselständigen Blüten mit großer, präsentiertellerförmiger Blumenkrone und vielsamiger Kapsel. 14 Arten in… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Petunia — Petunĭa Juss., Petunĭe, Pflanzengattg. der Solanazeen, südamerik. Kräuter mit großen Blüten; in zahlreichen Varietäten, namentlich von P. grandiflōra Hort., z.B. P. hybrĭda grandiflōra fimbriāta, Zierpflanzen …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • petúnia — s. f. [Botânica] Gênero de plantas ornamentais, de flores vistosas …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

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