Mother Nature is fairly stingy in her use of bioluminescence… plants and animals that naturally glow in the dark. Now, a biotech company called Light Bio has found another way to bring a sense of soft moonlight to our gardens with glow-in-the-dark “Firefly” petunias. These remarkable plants will soon be available at Tagawa Gardens!
Firefly petunias and their split personalities
During the day, Firefly petunias look like standard petunias. Their flowers are large, pure white, and plentiful.
But once the sun sets, they take on a whole new look. As long as they’ve received six to eight hours of full sun during the day and there aren’t any bright lights nearby at night, the flowers and foliage will begin to emit a soft glow. It’s obvious where these plants got their name!
People who’ve seen these plants at night describe them as “charming” and “something that could draw in woodland fairies.”
Where does the light in Firefly petunias come from?
The short answer: A mushroom, specifically the “Ghost mushroom,” native to parts of southeastern and coastal Australia.
Enzymes from the Ghost mushrooms are genetically combined with seeds of Firefly petunias, transferring the mushroom’s glow to all parts of the Firefly plant, including flowers, leaves, and stems. Even the roots of the petunias will appear to light up in the dark if the plants are grown in see-through containers.
Are firefly petunias hard to care for?
Firefly petunias are not divas, but here are some tips and tricks to help them glow in your garden. First, pay attention to their need for bright light during the daytime. Firefly petunias will put on their best show at night when they’ve been given six to eight hours of direct sun during the day. The more sunshine, the better the glow. And remember, any nearby bright lights, such as porch lights, street lights, and landscape lighting, will diminish how bright these petunias appear in the dark.
Firefly petunias need to be kept consistently moist, never soggy, and never dry. A moisture meter from Tagawa Gardens can help you learn how quickly the roots absorb moisture.
Weekly fertilization with plenty of nitrogen is a must. Tagawa Gardens carries several types of houseplant food that will help keep your Firefly petunias lush and full, packed with many glowing blossoms and buds.
You’ll want to keep your Firefly petunias deadheaded (free of fading blossoms) to encourage more flowers and keep them well-pruned to remove leggy stems to maintain bushy plants.
What’s next in glowing petunias?
For now, Light Bio, the company that created Firefly petunias, is limited to offering these white flowering plants that glow soft lime green at night…
…but they’re already working to create more bioluminescent plants. Light Bio researchers say you may soon see petunias that glow with different hues and patterns.
For the record, the USDA has researched the specific genetic engineering that created Firefly petunias and has determined the plants are not an invasive threat to native plants.
Want some Firefly petunias for your garden?
You’re in luck! Come to Tagawa Gardens’ debut of Firefly petunias on Saturday, April 12th at 9:00am. Please note: Firefly petunias are new to the market. Supplies are limited, and guests will only be allowed two plants each while supplies last.
Light up your landscape with Firefly petunias from Tagawa Gardens, and go with the glow!
