The white parent of every garden petunia
The ancestry of the garden petunia is easy to follow: one parent is Petunia axillaris, a white-flowered species from South America, and the other is a violet one. A white petunia is therefore a return to one half of the family tree rather than a modern novelty. The flowers are funnel-shaped, with sticky leaves and the white form is easy to spot against dark foliage.
What does white petunia mean?
There is no single fixed meaning. Flower dictionaries disagree about petunias, so treat any claim of an ancient code with suspicion. White flowers in general are linked with purity, simplicity and calm, and those qualities are what most buyers have in mind when they choose a white basket for a front porch, a wedding venue or a memorial plot.
Keeping white blooms looking clean
White shows rain splashes and faded petals more than any other shade, so deadheading is the main job:
- Pick off spent blooms each time you water.
- Move baskets under cover during prolonged heavy rain, which turns white petals translucent and brown.
- Give a liquid feed with every watering round or two, as the long season drains the compost.
- Trim bare, trailing shoots by roughly half in late summer.
Companions for white
In an Irish summer, white petunias sit nicely with blue lobelia, silver foliage such as helichrysum, and deep purple verbena. Their pale flowers stand out well on a dull day, which in this climate is a real advantage.
Nibbling pets
Petunias are on the ASPCA's list of plants that dogs, cats and horses can safely be around. Keep an eye on curious pets all the same, since any plant can cause a stomach upset when chewed in quantity.
