Want to invite nature into your home? If you're looking for low-maintenance yet truly impactful flowers, petunias are the perfect choice. They won’t just impress you with their vibrant colors and abundance of shapes—they’ll bring joy and freshness to your space.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re planning new arrangements for your garden, balcony, office, or commercial space. These plants will reward you with their lush blooms and fragrant tones from spring to autumn.
In our previous article, we taught you how to care for them. Today, we’ll continue the topic by sharing their history and THREE interesting facts you may not know.
What is their history?
As we’ve already mentioned – petunias are native to the tropical regions of South America. It’s believed that centuries ago they were part of the natural flora of countries like Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. They didn’t just grow freely in sunny fields and mountain foothills—they were also widely used by locals in their daily lives.
They were “rediscovered” in the early 16th century by Spanish explorers. While studying these unknown lands, they came across a low-growing, trailing plant with white fragrant flowers. In the Tupi-Guarani language, it was called "Petun," which literally translates to "worthless tobacco plant." Because of the name, sailors paid no attention to it and chose not to send samples to Spain.
About 300 years later, in 1823, French King Joseph Bonaparte decided it was time to send explorers to Argentina again. This time they noticed that the locals used this flower not only for decoration but also as part of their traditional rituals. So, they gave it the attention it deserved and brought it to Europe.
There, French botanist Petun was deeply impressed by this new species and began cultivating petunias.
How are petunias cultivated?
In 1831, just a few years later, records show that Scottish explorer James Tweedie discovered another species of petunia in America. He sent specimens to the botanical garden in Glasgow and found that the flower was much more resilient than originally thought.
Botanists were impressed by its hardiness, rich colors, and ability to adapt to various climates. Thus, they began actively experimenting with crossbreeding the different species.
By the end of the 19th century, breeders in England, Germany, America, and Japan were already working on crossbreeding different types. Their goal was to develop more diverse colors and varieties with larger petals. These early hybrids became known as Petunia X hybrida.
Did you know that...?
Petunias are part of the Solanaceae (Nightshade) family and are widespread not only in Bulgaria but throughout Europe. Although a perennial plant, in our climate it is grown as an annual.
There are 35 species that originate from South America. It’s known that they only thrive in places with fertile soil and at least 5–6 hours of direct sunlight.
In ancient times, shamans believed they only grew in places where the boundary between the visible and invisible world was thinnest. It was there that they performed their rituals and prayers. It was believed that their fragrance could open the door to the spirit world and connect with ancestors for guidance in difficult times.
And not just that—not everyone could perform this ritual. It was believed that only chosen individuals could interpret the “language” of petunias and deliver their messages from the other world.
There are many more fascinating legends about these flowers, but we’ll share two more with you:
The flower that repels evil
According to another story, petunias were created by the gods to protect people from evil spirits and negative energy. They were given bright colors to drive away darkness and a magical scent to soothe even the most tormented souls.
That’s why it became customary to plant them at the entrances of homes, believing they would create a barrier between families and dark forces. Some even believed that beyond protection, petunias brought peace, prosperity, and calm, creating a more harmonious atmosphere.
The legend of love
There’s an old legend among the Tupi-Guarani people that petunias were born from the tears of a young girl who lost her beloved in a war between tribes. She was so heartbroken that she would go each evening to the hill where they parted for the last time.
Day after day, she would recall their lost love and cry for him. One day, as the sun was setting, she noticed that where her tears had fallen, small delicate flowers with vivid colors had begun to grow. Their scent not only brought her peace but gave her hope—it was a sign from her beloved that he loved her too and was waiting for her somewhere in the afterlife.
Since then, petunias have been seen as a symbol of loyalty and eternal love that never fades, no matter the distance or time.
Would you decorate your home with petunias?
Share with us in the comments and don’t forget – in our online store, you’ll find a wide variety of pots and planters for your favorite flowers.
Order your chosen products online or contact us at: 0700 19 112.
