Petunia Meaning: Two 19th-Century Dictionaries Say “Your Presence Soothes Me,” Not Anger
Two 19th-century dictionaries list petunia as “your presence soothes me”. See where “anger” comes from, what each colour means, and when it suits a gift.
In short
- Petunia means “your presence soothes me” in the two 19th-century flower dictionaries that list it, and many modern guides add resentment and anger.
- The name comes from a South American word for tobacco, a close relative.
- Neither dictionary gives petunia colour meanings, and Black Velvet launched in 2010.
- Checked against: Flora’s Pocket Dictionary, Worthington (1884), Iowa State Extension, Clemson Extension.
Petunia means “your presence soothes me” in the two 19th-century flower dictionaries that list it, and many modern guides add resentment and anger. The garden petunia (Petunia × hybrida) is a hybrid of South American species, and its name comes from a word for tobacco, which sits in the same nightshade family. The two dictionaries are Flora’s Pocket Dictionary (1870) and an 1884 New York book, and neither gives anger. The resentment reading shows up in modern lists, including one from Iowa State University Extension, and the sections below set the two readings side by side. Black Velvet, the black-flowered cultivar launched in 2010, is too recent for any Victorian dictionary to list.
This page is part of our flower symbolism and meaning guide. Where sources disagree, the disagreement is shown rather than smoothed over.
What does the petunia mean?
The petunia has a documented comforting meaning in the Victorian-era books and a more recent anger reading in modern lists, and the two come from different kinds of source.
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| Source | Date | What it says about the petunia |
|---|---|---|
| Flora’s Pocket Dictionary, Philadelphia | 1870 | “Less proud than they deem thee; your presence soothes me.” Its index also files the petunia under “Keep your promises.” |
| The Language of Flowers, Including Floral Poetry, New York | 1884 | “Your presence soothes me.” The same book uses the petunia for “Keep your promise” in its flower dialogues and its vocabulary index. |
| Tyas, The Language of Flowers | 1869 edition | No petunia entry. |
| Greenaway, Language of Flowers | Routledge edition | No petunia entry. |
| Iowa State University Extension, “Flowers and Their Meanings” | Page last reviewed January 2023 | “Resentment, anger, your presence soothes me.” No source is named for the entry. |
| Florist guides (Singapore Florist, The Daily Blooms) | September and November 2025 | Comfort, plus anger or resentment attributed to “the Victorians”, with no book named. |
The takeaway is that the Victorian-era books give the petunia a comforting meaning, while resentment and anger appear in modern lists that name no dictionary for them.
Where the name petunia comes from: petun and tobacco
The name petunia comes from a word for tobacco. The Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria’s Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia says the name comes “From the Brazilian Petum, the name used for the closely related tobacco plant, Nicotiana.” NC State Extension says the genus name “is derived from the Brazilian name for tobacco.” Wiktionary traces the word through French pétun to Old Tupi petyma, and Wikipedia says French took pétun from a Tupi–Guarani language.
The genus was published as Petunia Juss. in 1803, in volume 2, page 215 of the Annales du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, according to the International Plant Names Index.
The wild species grow in South America. A 2020 study in Horticulture Research counts 14 species in the genus, found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Uruguay.
Petunia and tobacco are cousins, not the same plant. The University of Missouri places both in the nightshade family, Solanaceae, which it says holds “a few very sinister members such as deadly nightshade, angel’s trumpet and tobacco” as well as food crops such as potato, tomato, pepper and eggplant.
Some florist pages add detail that the botanical sources do not give. Hello Fearless says petun meant “tobacco that cannot be smoked”, and Singapore Florist says Europeans saw the flower as a less valuable relative of tobacco. I found no dictionary or botanical source for either claim. No dictionary I read links the tobacco origin of the name to either meaning.
What the Victorian-era dictionaries actually say
Two of the four Victorian-era flower books I searched list the petunia, and both give it a soothing meaning. Flora’s Pocket Dictionary (1870) reads “Less proud than they deem thee; your presence soothes me.” The first clause reads as reassurance to someone with a reputation for pride, which is my reading rather than the book’s explanation. The 1884 Worthington book gives “Your presence soothes me.”
Both books also use a second phrase for the petunia. Flora’s reverse index files it under “Keep your promises”, and the 1884 book uses it for “Keep your promise” in its flower dialogues and its vocabulary index. The dialogues are a list of short sentences, each paired with a flower, such as “Dine with us” for oak leaves. The main entries do not carry the promise phrase.
Searching the full text of Tyas’s 1869 edition and Greenaway’s book for “petun” finds nothing, so those two have no petunia entry.
The petunia is a young garden plant. The genus was named in 1803, and the same 2020 study dates the first mention of the garden hybrid to 1835 and calls its domestication “quite recent”. Nothing in these books shows why two of them skip the flower.
A negative petunia would not have been out of character for the genre. The Smithsonian Gardens lesson plan says Victorian guidebook authors drew on visual and verbal analogies, religious and literary sources, folklore and botanical attributes, and that some plants carried negative meanings, among them aloe for bitterness, pomegranate for conceit and rhododendron for danger. The two books that list the petunia simply do not give it one.
Why the meaning looks mixed: where “resentment” and “anger” come from
The resentment and anger reading appears in modern lists, and none of them names the Victorian book it came from. Iowa State’s list prints “Petunia—Resentment, anger, your presence soothes me” and cites no source for the entry. Sharon Latham’s floriography series gives “Your presence soothes me, anger and resentment.” FlowersLuxe says petunias “had contradictory meanings” in Victorian flower language. A line that holds both phrases makes the flower look contradictory, whatever the original books say.
Two florist pages tie the anger reading to arguments. Hello Fearless says it is prominent when you give petunias to someone you may have had a heated disagreement with, and Sharon Latham says it applies especially when they are presented by someone you have recently argued with.
Popular culture repeats it. In January 2016 the Wizarding World site, formerly Pottermore, ran a feature saying the petunia “can, in the language of flowers, mean ‘resentment and anger’”, and applied that to Petunia Dursley in the Harry Potter books.
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→ View My Garden CalendarOne florist page changes the verb. Euroflorist says Victorian guides claim petunias mean “your presence angers me”, while both Victorian books that list the petunia use “soothes”. Singapore Florist and The Daily Blooms both say the Victorians used the petunia for anger or resentment, and neither names a book.
I did not trace the first printed appearance of the anger reading. The four Victorian-era books I searched do not give it for the petunia, so for now the evidence that it is Victorian rests on florist assertions.
One folklore claim travels with these pages. Singapore Florist says the Maya and Inca believed petunia scent warded off spirits of the underworld, Hello Fearless says the Mayans did, and Wikipedia’s petunia article carries the claim with a “citation needed” tag. I found no ethnographic source, so treat it as unverified tradition.
Petunia colour meanings
Every colour meaning for the petunia comes from modern florist guides, because neither dictionary that lists the flower gives a colour.
| Colour | What modern guides say | Where they differ |
|---|---|---|
| Purple | Enchantment in all four guides, with mystery or mystique in three | Singapore Florist adds royalty and achievement; Hello Fearless adds eloquence and luxury. |
| Pink | Gentleness, with affection or motherly love, in all four guides | The guides agree. |
| Red | Passion in all four guides, with love in three | Singapore Florist and FlowersLuxe say red can also mean anger; The Daily Blooms and Hello Fearless do not. |
| White | Spirituality in all four guides, truth in three, purity or innocence in three | Singapore Florist adds sympathy and apology; FlowersLuxe frames white as comfort and peace. |
| Yellow | Friendship and optimism | Only Singapore Florist and Hello Fearless give yellow a meaning; The Daily Blooms and FlowersLuxe give none. |
| Black (‘Black Velvet’) | One guide, Singapore Florist, says black flowers in traditional floriography “often carry sombre meanings, symbolising farewell, mystery, or even negative feelings” and advises enjoying black petunias for their looks | The other three guides give black petunias no meaning. |
The takeaway is that pink, purple and white are the colours the guides agree on, red is where anger enters, and black has almost no sourced meaning.
Blue is the one colour outside the table that several guides cover: Singapore Florist, Hello Fearless and FlowersLuxe tie it to calm, peace or trust. None of the four guides gives orange, green, salmon or striped petunias a meaning, although NC State lists orange and green among the colours the garden petunia comes in.
Purple and white are also the colours of the plant’s wild parents. Illinois Wildflowers says Petunia axillaris has fragrant white flowers that open at night and attract sphinx moths, and Petunia integrifolia has purple flowers by day that attract mainly bees. The garden petunia comes from crosses between P. axillaris and species in the P. integrifolia group, according to Guo and Warner, who add that breeders have released hundreds of cultivars since the 1835 hybrid. A basket of purple and white petunias therefore carries both parent colours, and Clemson Extension notes that many white and lavender cultivars have a very sweet fragrance. Clemson adds that reseeded petunias do not return true to type and usually revert to a mix of small white, lavender and rose flowers.
Black Velvet and the black petunia
Black Velvet is a 2010 introduction, so no Victorian dictionary could list it and any meaning for a black petunia is modern. Ball Horticultural’s press page says the variety launched at Spring Trials in 2010, alongside two other varieties, Phantom and Pinstripe, and was bred by Ball FloraPlant. A Greenhouse Grower trade report on its 2010 award nomination called it “the world’s only black petunia”. Illinois Wildflowers calls nearly black flowers an unusual colour for the garden petunia and lists Black Velvet with Black Magic, Black Ray and Black Cat as black-flowered cultivars. NC State’s plant profile says garden petunias come in all colours except brown and black.
Is a petunia a good gift?
A petunia works best as a planted gift for a sunny spot, and its care needs decide more than its meaning does.
| Situation | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A basket or pot for a sunny porch, balcony or patio | Works | The RHS describes the Surfinia series as seasonal bedding and container plants for patios and balconies, and lists hanging baskets as a suggested use. Clemson names containers and hanging baskets among petunia uses. |
| A card with the Victorian line | Works | “Your presence soothes me” is the meaning both Victorian books give the petunia, so it is the meaning to put on a card. Both books’ indexes also list the petunia under a keep-your-promise entry. |
| A home with a dog or cat | Works, with a caveat | The ASPCA lists petunia as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Illinois Wildflowers calls the foliage “bitter and mildly toxic” to mammals, so keep a basket out of reach of a chewing pet. |
| Someone you have recently argued with | Risky | Hello Fearless and Sharon Latham say a petunia reads as anger or resentment in that setting. The two Victorian books that list the petunia do not say so. |
| A romantic gift in red | Add a card | Singapore Florist advises mixing red petunias with roses or adding a card, because of the flower’s “lingering historical association with anger”. |
| A shady flat or a windowsill with no direct sun | Poor fit | Clemson says petunias should be planted in full sunlight and become spindly with few flowers in shade. |
| A winter or early-spring plant to set outside straight away | Poor fit | The RHS rates the Surfinia series H2, tolerant of low temperatures but not surviving being frozen, and says to plant out after frosts have passed. |
| A keepsake plant meant to return next year | Needs effort | Petunia is an annual in temperate climates, according to Illinois Wildflowers, and NC State says it can be overwintered indoors in a bright spot away from heated air. |
The takeaway is that a petunia suits a sunny porch in spring far better than a windowsill in January, whatever it is taken to mean. Our guide to overwintering petunias covers how to keep one through the winter.
From meaning to care: growing a petunia
A petunia is a sun-loving annual, and the first care rule is to plant it after frosts have passed. The RHS says to grow the Surfinia series in full sun, plant out after frosts have passed and deadhead regularly. Clemson says large-flowered and double petunias need deadheading, while many of the smaller-flowered cultivars are self-cleaning.
Our complete petunia care guide covers watering, feeding and deadheading in detail, and the petunia growing guide compares wave, grandiflora and multiflora types for pots and borders. If you are choosing between a trailing basket plant and a standard petunia, Surfinia vs petunia compares the two types on deadheading and bloom length, and petunia types and colors shows which varieties bloom longest and which fade by August.
If you give a petunia, tell the recipient what it needs: sun, frost-free planting and a regular trim. The meaning on the card is the part you get to choose.
Petunia meaning FAQ
What does a petunia symbolize?
The main entries in the two 19th-century dictionaries that list the petunia give “your presence soothes me”, and both books’ indexes also list it under a keep-your-promise entry. Modern lists add resentment and anger, and florist guides add colour meanings such as enchantment for purple and gentleness for pink.
Do petunias mean anger or resentment?
Modern lists, including an Iowa State University Extension page, give resentment and anger. Flora’s Pocket Dictionary (1870) and the 1884 Worthington book give “your presence soothes me” instead, and neither mentions anger.
What does the petunia mean in the Victorian language of flowers?
Flora’s Pocket Dictionary gives “Less proud than they deem thee; your presence soothes me”, and the 1884 Worthington book gives “Your presence soothes me”. Tyas (1869) and Greenaway have no petunia entry.
Where does the name petunia come from?
The name comes from a Brazilian word for tobacco, petum, according to the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria’s plant flora. The genus name Petunia was published in 1803.
What does a black petunia mean?
No Victorian dictionary can list it, because Black Velvet launched in 2010. One florist guide advises caution with black petunias, and three others give them no meaning.
Yes. Both are in the nightshade family, Solanaceae, and the petunia’s name comes from a word for tobacco.
Are petunias safe for pets?
The ASPCA lists petunia as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Illinois Wildflowers describes the foliage as bitter and mildly toxic to mammals, so keep chewing pets away from a basket.
Is a petunia a good gift?
It is a good gift as a planted basket for a sunny porch, and a poor fit for a shady room or a winter present. The RHS says to plant out after frosts have passed, and Clemson says shade leaves plants spindly.
Sources
- Flora’s Pocket Dictionary: A Lexicon of the Language and Sentiment of Flowers. Porter and Coates, Philadelphia, 1870. Internet Archive
- The Language of Flowers, Including Floral Poetry. R. Worthington, New York, 1884. Internet Archive
- Greenaway, K. Language of Flowers. George Routledge and Sons (Project Gutenberg ebook 31591)
- Tyas, R. The Language of Flowers: or, Floral Emblems of Thoughts, Feelings, and Sentiments. George Routledge and Sons, 1869. Internet Archive
- Smithsonian Gardens. The Language of Flowers (historic bloom lesson plan)
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Flowers and Their Meanings: The Language of Flowers (page dated January 2023). Yard and Garden
- Wizarding World. Lily, Petunia and the language of flowers (30 January 2016, originally published on Pottermore)
- Euroflorist. Flowers with Negative Meanings: What Not to Send (and Why)
- Singapore Florist. 7 Meanings and Symbolisms of the Petunia Flower Colours
- The Daily Blooms. The Meaning of Petunia Flowers: More Than Just a Pretty Face
- Hello Fearless. Petunia Flower Meaning, Spiritual Symbolism, Color Meaning and More
- FlowersLuxe. Petunia Meaning and Symbolism
- Latham, S. Floriography ~ N, O, and P flowers
- NC State Extension. Petunia x hybrida (Garden Petunia). Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Petunia Juss. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia (HortFlora), Wayback Machine snapshot of 13 April 2025
- International Plant Names Index. Petunia Juss. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Harvard University Herbaria and Australian National Herbarium
- Wiktionary. petunia (etymology)
- Wikipedia. Petunia
- Trinklein, D. Petunia: Better Than Ever. Missouri Environment and Garden, University of Missouri, 19 March 2012
- Illinois Wildflowers. Garden Petunia (Petunia x hybrida)
- Guo, Y. and Warner, R.M. Dissecting genetic diversity and genomic background of Petunia cultivars with contrasting growth habits. Horticulture Research 7, 155 (2020)
- Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home and Garden Information Center. Petunia
- Royal Horticultural Society. Petunia Surfinia Series (plant profile)
- ASPCA. Petunia (Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants)
- Ball Horticultural Company. There’s a buzz about black (press page)
- Greenhouse Grower. Petunia ‘Black Velvet’: 2010 Medal of Excellence and Editor’s Choice Nominee
