The Petunia is a popular flower people see in hanging baskets, window boxes, and other containers. The flower is an annual in the United States, however, they are perennials. This simply means they will live for many years, as long as people well cared for them and kept them away from frost.
Many usually present these flowers in a potted plant, instead of in a traditional bouquet. Also, There is a range of accepted meanings that associated with them from anger to peacefulness.
We look at these meanings in closer detail and find out a little more about the flower from its etymological meaning to its symbolism and botanical characteristics.
When it comes to the flower meaning, the Petunia associated with a degree of negative symbolism. Whilst they might sometimes symbolize peacefulness and keeping hope, they also symbolize anger and resentment towards others.
This can be contradictory and makes the flower confusing for some. The meaning of any flower, however, will always depend on the circumstances and the relationship between the giver and the recipient. The flower’s color also determines its meaning.
Etymological Meaning Of The Petunia
The Petunia has a Native American origin. This origin described the flower as tobacco that can’t be smoked from the root word ‘petun’. People derived this from the Tupian languages.
This Aboriginal name means ‘a tobacco that does not make a good smoke’. It shares the family of Solanaceae and this is where tobacco belongs to. The family also includes tomatoes and chili peppers.
The Symbolism Of The Petunia
As we have just mentioned, the Petunia flower symbolizes anger and resentment and this meaning is prominent when you give them to someone with who you might have had a heated disagreement.
Negative
The Petunia is known for expressing feelings of strong resentment. However, this meaning is related to myths and stories of the past. If you ever gift the Petunia to a family member, you should think twice before passing over resentment to someone you love.
You should avoid giving this flower to someone who knows this meaning if you do not want to cause conflict. The flower can also show anger due to its strong energy. The anger behind this flower has been constructed over several years and is still valid today.
If you were angry at someone, and you wanted to keep that person away from you, sending them a bouquet will portray that message. Avoid using words and stick to sending Petunia flowers.
If you purposefully were angry with someone, but the feeling has slackened to resentment, you could send someone a bouquet of these flowers. This will simply tell them you feel hurt and disappointed, and you are struggling to get over these feelings.
Positive
On a more positive note, the Petunia can symbolize familiarity and can link with feeling comfortable with someone. If you have spent enough time with a new person in your life, and your interest in them has blossomed, it might be time to send them a Petunia flower.
Moreover, if you have recently begun a serious relationship with someone, and you send them a bouquet of Petunias, this will tell them that you are being more yourself with them, every time you are together. If you do not have a romantic relationship in your life at the moment, the same meaning can apply to friends too.
The Petunia can symbolize an intimate moment between you and a new friend or a new partner. If you are having a great time with someone, let the person know you are beginning to show your true colors by gifting them a pot of Petunia flowers.
You can send them Petunias when you want to spend more time with the person and you find their company peaceful and soothing.
Finally, in some cultures, the Petunia is a symbol of hope and perseverance.
Like many flowers, the color of the plant often ties in with its symbolism. When it comes to Petunias, you can find them in yellow, red, pink, purple, white, and blue and each color means something a little different.
Red
A red Petunia is often a symbol of passion and love. You might gift this to someone you either love or have a strong desire for. You should gift your beloved a red Petunia on Valentine’s Day or another day on which you want to show your affection. They are the perfect flower for anniversaries.
Pink
A pink Petunia symbolizes femininity and motherly love. The pink Petunia can also symbolize compassion and gentleness.
The link with feminine energy means you can give this flower to any woman in your life no matter the relationship. You can show any woman in your life you care for her, by gifting her the Pink Petunia.
Yellow
If you ever see a yellow Petunia, these are a symbol of trust, friendship, and sympathy. They can show the deep respect you have for someone. This is the color we also relate to being comfortable with someone.
If a new relationship or friendship is blossoming and you feel like you can show your true colors, it might be an idea to gift them a yellow Petunia. Yellow also brings feelings of optimism and this might help that friend through a rough patch.
You might even want to enhance feelings of greatness for someone who is on a successful journey. Growing yellow Petunias in your garden will make it stand out and keep your days bright and happy.
Purple
A purple Petunia symbolizes charm, mystery, and fantasy and the flower has whimsical connotations. It can also have associations with eloquence and grace. The purple Petunia has ties with enchantment and fantasy, whilst also linking to royalty.
The flower can be a perfect gift for someone who cares about expensive and luxurious items. Yet the flower does not have any romantic connotations, and so might be best kept for colleagues or friends.
White
A white Petunia can symbolize truth and innocence, whilst also associating itself with trust and dignity. It has ties with spirituality and sincerity and if you are planning a wedding, the white Petunia might be a perfect decoration for the occasion.
They are neutral but they have links with spiritual and divine forces. The white Petunia also symbolizes dignity faithfulness and if you know someone who has these characteristics, it might be nice to gift them the flower. You should give a white Petunia to someone you want to show respect to.
Blue
A blue Petunia usually symbolizes intimacy and peacefulness and is associated with a deep trust shared with two or more people. Blue Petunias can help you feel calm and balanced and they carry a sense of hypnotizing energy.
You should gift the blue Petunia to anyone who means a lot to you, to show your loyalty, respect, and trust.
Meaningful Botanical Characteristics Of The Petunia
The Petunia is great for long-term decorations and they last throughout the summer, giving your garden and splash of color all year. The Petunia does not require extra care and attention and they are easy to plant.
The flower and the muscatel are common widespread summer plants and they can be held either in your garden or on a balcony. The Petunia has full, bell-shaped flowers that are both straight and curly, large or small, depending on what you are looking for.
It can be striped or one full color and there are around 35 species of the flower, along with hundreds of different varieties.
The Petunia blossoms from Spring to Autumn, and it is one of the best plants to cultivate. However, they are only one-year plants and so you would need to plant them over again the following year.
Petunia flowers love the sun and the seed should be placed on the sunny and warm side if you end up growing from the seeds. If you are a complete beginner, you should try and buy a plant from the nurseries of the Petunia.
If you do not give the plant enough sunlight and warmth, it will die and the plant will become sensitive to pests and diseases. Water them regularly and give them some liquid fertilizer, especially if they are old.
Special Occasions For The Petunia
Petunias are often used as decoration and look great whilst hanging high. They are attractive flowers and can decorate your terrace or balcony. The most popular species to hang is Surfinium which has large flowers and long blankets. They come from Japan or South and North America and are a one-year plant.
You can also choose to grow Petunia’s in pots on your balcony and this will not only make your balcony look great, but smell great too. Ensure you give them plenty of water, sun, and fertilizer to make them as bold and bright as possible.
Gifting potted Petunia’s is common at housewarming parties or used as hostess gifts. They are also given on Mother’s Day or at other Spring celebrations. They are great to give when someone has a promotion, graduation, or other achievement and they make a perfect gift for every type of gardener.
The Petunia is usually used to add some color to any landscape and they were often used in the past for decoration in Victorian weddings. They symbolized the idea of a suitable company or ‘your company suits me’. They were also used in Shamanism and promoted an altered state of perception.
The Petunia came to Europe in the 19th century and from then, it became a favorite across the continent.
The Victorian interpretation in weddings is that ‘Your presence suits me’.
The flower cannot survive the frost.
Petunias are linked with the star sign of the Capricorn. In pagan tradition, they are thought to be tallish protection.
The Petunia looks a lot like a trumpet that has been turned on its head.
The flower has soft petals with rough edges.
The flower is native to South America and they grow and thrive best in tropical areas.
The Petunia is available in two types. These types are the ‘Grandiflora’ and the ‘Multiflora’. The ‘Grandiflora’ has larger, yet fewer flowers whereas the ‘Multiflora’ has lots of smaller flowers. Millifloras are also available and these are very small plants with mini flowers attached.
The Petunia’s color alters but it’s most widely known as a pink flower.
Petunia Flower Uses
Petunias have been used as a hallucinogen and can cause a twist to someone’s perception of reality. They have been used in the past on entheogen rituals to invoke a state of mind to spawn a feeling of the divine within.
It alters your consciousness so you believe in celestial manifestation and the Shamans can then control the subject’s mind to accept alterations of reality.
In the present day, the Petunia can be used as a healing agent in a 12-step program designed for drug addicts to induce an alternate state of mind. In Ecuador, the Indians have used it to induce a feeling of traveling on a plane.
It contains Nitrogen atoms of an alkaloid and these contain floras that have been utilized by humans in recreational and therapeutic use.
A tattoo of a Petunia has several different meanings. This will depend on the wearer, yet when choosing a tattoo, it is popular for the wearer to choose a Petunia tattoo based on resentment and anger.
This is very true when used to represent someone with whom you have had an argument or disagreement. However, you might also choose to get a Petunia tattoo to symbolize the need to spend time with another special person.
When drawn as a tattoo to symbolize this, it often has peaceful and soothing connotations.
Petunia tattoos can also symbolize the importance of being stubborn and this will depend on who and what you love. The flowers should suggest you should not forget what people are capable of.
Petunia tattoos can also symbolize the importance of a positive influence you are lucky to have in your life. This might be someone or something and will keep your feelings of security and capability in check. The influence, or perhaps even a memory, might mean a lot to you. The positivity will halt any negative energy before it can reach you.
Final Thoughts
We hope after reading this article you now understand slightly more about the Petunia and what each of their beautiful colors can symbolize.
They are decorative flowers, often found at weddings, on Mother’s Day, or in pots on balconies, and although they can symbolize anger and resentment, they can also symbolize hope, perseverance, and that you feel comfortable with someone.
They make a thoughtful gift to someone who likes outdoor flowers and if someone has recently moved into the neighborhood, potted Petunias are a great way to say hello and welcome them to the area.
Diane has always been interested in spirituality and self-improvement. She is a happy and outgoing person. She started her spiritual journey with Chandra while looking for tools to bring positivity to their lives. She boosts her mind with self-care and affirmations. However, she also knows what crystals to wear based on her feelings. She also practices the law of attraction.
