Patagonia is a large place, covering southernmost Chile and Argentina. To me it conjures images of big skies, steppe lands and dry air. As it really is, Patagonia is much more, including Andes mountains and temperate rainforest similar to our own in Vancouver, BC. Petunias belong in the Solanaceae, which is well represented in South America. This diverse family includes useful, delicious (tomato, potato) and occasionally toxic plants.
Nothing at all like the overused, abused annual Petunia hybrids of North American hanging baskets, this evergreen shrub has evolved to handle bright light and incessant wind, developing its mound form and tiny leaves. Petunia patagonica looks so right in its natural, spartan surroundings, seen in this photo from the Jardin botanique alpin du Lautaret’s photostream on Flickr.
And just as easy as it is (and necessary) to constantly fertilize annual petunias, this one needs no coddling. Feeding it would be killing with kindess. It is encouraged here in the rainy northwest climate by growing it in a trough of gravelly soil, where excess water drains away readily. Flowering prolifically when well grown, our outdoor specimen now sports a dozen or so flowers, more curious than beautiful to behold. This display is quite an achievement in seven years of cultivation, though honestly it is much more a testament to the plant’s powers of persistence than this gardener’s skills!
My husband and I just visited your alpine garden last Friday and the sweet petunia wasn’t blooming. However, we loved the alpine garden with all its wonderful and varied plant life.
What an interesting petunia. It reminded me of an old glaze-cracked tea pot I have. I don’t use it, because the thing might break, but it is pretty with the cracks in the pottery work.
How wonderful for nature to follow art, for a change. Just kidding.
More great photos, and interesting text.
thank you
delightful write up tis winter
down south how does it winter over
Thanks for carrying on for us, Eric. It’s a lovely thing to find in my mailbox.
I never thought I’d meet a petunia I like, but that plant is beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
I’m speechless and enchanted.
Elizabeth, I’m quite sure it would have problems overwintering down south (eg. Florida). Hot days might not be too taxing (though humidity probably would) but warm winters almost certainly. Strong seasonal temperature variation in its natural habitat probably contribute to flowering.