Petunias

The Science

Petunias need 6–8 hours of full sun each day and bloom from spring until the first frost. They come in many bright colors and patterns, handle summer heat well, and naturally shed old flowers. Their trumpet-shaped blooms attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Their colorful shape evolved to help animals find nectar and pollinate the flowers. The possess a unique behavior, while not fully carnivorous like a Venus flytrap, petunias exhibit a defensive behavior known as protocarnivory. The tiny glandular hairs on their stems and leaves secrete a sticky, sap. This sap acts like natural flypaper, physically trapping and killing small crawling pests like aphids before they can damage the flower buds. They also possess a highly active internal circadian clock. Unlike flowers that smell sweet all day, many petunias deliberately ramp up their chemical production to emit a much stronger, sweeter fragrance right at dusk and nighttime. This behavior is a precisely timed strategy to flag down nocturnal pollinators, such as the hawkmoth, exactly when they are active.

Why I Chose It

I selected this photo, as it is of petunias. Although they look beautiful, but they have surprisingly unusual behaviors.

Aroosha Farooq Verified Volunteer

Volunteer · Maker · Gujranwala · Member since Jun 2026