They have no scent but are still very attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. In bright light, their stems will be purple, while plants kept in partial shade will have bright green stems (SF Gate). The plant can have a tendency to self-seed quite aggressively, with the seeds dispersing themselves as much as 10 feet away from the plant. Aside from removing dead or damaged stems, this plant doesn’t necessarily require pruning, but it depends on the type of look you like in your garden. Mexican petunias are incredibly tolerant of any watering conditions. Desert ruellia is not a fussy plant; its requirements are few. Very showy, they are attractive to butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Ruellia peninsularis Desert Ruellia Desert Ruellia is frequently planted along streetscapes and freeways, but its true beauty is best appreciated up-close and personal. Mexican petunias will propagate easily from stem cuttings in the summer months, but this is not something that most gardeners have to do, as the plants readily self-seed to supply the garden with an endless supply of new Mexican petunias. It stays compact, growing to a foot or so tall by as wide. It grows up to 4 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Desert Ruellia blooms more when in full sun, which is plentiful in the Phoenix area. If your soil is nutrient deficient, your Mexican petunia should still produce a good number of flowers, but you can help it along by adding a balanced fertilizer if you wish. This tough, heat-loving perennial is disease and insect resistant. You can also deadhead the plant if you want to prevent self-seeding. Tough plant that takes dry or wet soil. Sign up for a free trial and get access to ALL our regional content, plus the rest This feature has been temporarily disabled during the beta site preview. Pink flowers on and off. Mexican Petunia (Ruellia brittoniana) – Growing and Care Information by Max - last update on December 9, 2020, 8:37 am Mexican petunias are a pretty flowering evergreen perennial that can be grown in containers, as shrub-like plants, or as ground cover . The plant should be cut regularly for branching. This larger species of Ruellia has smaller flowers, which are violet purple. Ruellia Brittoniana Pink Ruellia Brittoniana Brittish Ruellia is a fast growing upright evergreen. Mexican petunias are a very hardy plant in many aspects, and they will tolerate a wide range of suboptimal growing conditions, but the one area in which they fall down is in very low temperatures. In freezing climates, prune back damaged foliage in early spring. Forms a naturally neat, mounded form. Sporadic flowering can occur throughout the season. He does not like smoke, gas products, drafts. Grows 3 feet tall, 1 feet wide, with lavender flowers in summer. This is the white version of the more common purple Ruellia. Aside from flower production, the other way Mexican petunias are affected by light is with the color of their stems. This Ruellia variety thrives in full sun or partial shade exposures and is durable and easy to care for plants. An improved dwarf variety that continues to bloom summer-long, without deadheading! Plant Desert Ruellia in full sun to maintain a dense form. The widely adaptable dwarf Mexican petunia (Ruellia brittoniana) has been named a Texas Superstar® by Texas A&M University.“I first observed Ruellia growing in the neglected space between a sidewalk and the street in San Antonio,” said Dr. Wayne Mackay, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station horticulture researcher at Texas A&M Dallas. During winter, you shouldn’t need to water the plant so long as there is sufficient rainfall. After the flower fades, it will develop into a pod resembling a bean pod, containing a cluster of seeds. Fast growing in partial to full sun, Ruellia can become invasive in moist garden soil, spreading by it's root system and reseeding easily. If the top layer of soil is already moist, then you don’t need to add any further water. Trees.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. If you have a Mexican petunia that is struggling to flower but has lots of lush foliage growth, then you may need to test your soil for nutrient imbalance. These flowers have a trumpet or bell shape, and rise high above the foliage of the plant, growing from dark purple-hued stems. If you want to encourage more flowers to appear, cut back the stems in early spring. Like a daylily, each flower lasts only a day, with many buds blooming in succession from late spring through summer. Each stem, which would have developed one flower, will respond by branching out several stems, which will each produce a flower. They grow rapidly and spread easily, even in conditions that would be less than ideal for many plants. Do not over-water as it leads to root-rot. It is so tolerant of soggy soil that it can be grown in up to 6 inches of water, along with other bog plants in shallow streams and waterlogged riverbanks. Get complete site access to decades of expert advice, regional content, and more, plus the print magazine. Height 3 to 4ft. Water in early morning or late evening when temperatures are cooler and direct sun will not cook off the moisture before it can seep down to the roots. this evergreen shrub has a naturally rounded form, with white-grey stems, small glossy green leaves, and deep blue flowers. Other common names are Desert Petunia and Baja Ruellia. Christmas Tree Economics: Are Baby Boomers Killing the Christmas Tree Industry? In the most extreme cases, you may need to dig up your plant and transplant it to a different soil. I. f you want to keep it under control in your garden, then allow the plant a little less water. Ruellia is a genus of flowering plants commonly known as ruellias or wild petunias. Borne solitary or in clusters at the tips of purplish stems, they rise above the foliage of lance-shaped, glossy green leaves. Katie Blue Dwarf Mexican Petunia is a lovely dwarf perennial that produces loads of bluish purple trumpet shaped flowers tucked in among the dark green glossy foliage from … They have also naturalized in Florida, where they grow so aggressively that they are able to choke out other plants that are native to the state. Texas Superstar plants, descriptions and details. Native to Baja California. Mexican petunias, also known as desert petunias, produce more flowers the more sunlight they have, so choose a sunny spot in your yard. The Mexican petunia (Ruellia rudiflora) is a lovely addition to the garden but has a tendency to take over once it becomes established. ARIZONA-SONORA DESERT MUSEUM PLANT CARE INFORMATION Dwarf Ruellia Ruellia brittonii DESCRIPTION: Dwarf Ruellia is a low-growing, herbaceous perennial with long, narrow, dark green leaves. Large lavender-blue flowers are backed by low, spreading mounds narrow, dark green foliage. These desert plants aren't rare; after a while, you'll notice that they are everywhere -- even on the highways and in public parks. Ruellia brittoniana 'Purple Showers'. Ruellia, Desert Petunia, Florida Bluebells, Mexican Petunia, Mexican Blue Bells 'Purple Showers' Ruellia simplex. These plants are hardy through USDA hardiness zones 7 to 11. This species is non-invasive, unlike Ruellia brittoniana, a moderate water plant with long, glossy leaves. Plant database entry for Dwarf Mexican Petunia (Ruellia simplex Bonita™) with 2 images and 14 data details. The only soil a Mexican petunia may have a problem with is very acidic soil, so if your plant is struggling to grow, you should consider checking the pH of your soil in case this is the reason. We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. They typically measure around 2 inches in diameter and have a delicate lilac-blue color. They flower year round here, and will get thicker if you … You can do this by watering the plant as soon as the top layer of the soil starts to dry out. They will survive both drought and flood, with no noticeable detrimental effects. If you want more of this plant growing in your garden, simply allow the flowers to turn to seed; they will drop to the ground and sow themselves where they land. View gallery. Southern Plains: January Garden To-Do List, Traveling Plants | Letter from the Editor, A Fool and His Garden | Letter from the Editor, Dahlias Don’t Ask Much | Letter from the Editor, It’s Just Business | Letter from the Editor. Propagation Sow seed in spring. Amend the planting spot with some mature compost, and remove all weeds four to five weeks before planting. You can test for moisture by touching the top of the soil, or you can simply judge from sight. Flowers may be purple, pink or blue depending on cultivar. Peak blooming occurs from spring to early summer, with sporadic flowering throughout the year. These are a favorite for anyone that does not have a green thumb and still wants to have a thriving, colorful plant in their yard! If you experience a fairly dry winter, then you can continue to water the plant whenever the soil appears visibly dried out. Mexican petunias are very heat-tolerant, so don’t feel the need to shade them to protect them from the heat. Ruellia brittoniana (Mexican Petunia) is a shrubby perennial boasting a profusion of petunia-like, vibrant lavender-blue flowers, 2 in. Ruellia peninsularis . The seeds have been known to travel quite a distance from the plant; this is helped by rainfall or watering hoses, which can carry the seeds further than usual. Soil drainag… CareDesert ruellia prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Water deeply, regularly during the first growing season to establish an extensive root system. Watering Pour 2 cups or 500ml every day only when the the soil begins to dry out. It will grow in almost any condition, including poor quality soil, but for best results, you should use a well-draining and fertile soil. … Double Knockout Rose - Varieties, Care & Planting Information, 10 Best Perennial Flowers For Your Garden, 8 Exciting Japanese Flowers - Photos, Uses, and Care Guides, 9 Mexican Flowers with Photos & Growing Guides, Mexican petunia, Mexican bluebell, Florida bluebell, Desert petunia, Britton’s wild petunia, Purple ruellia. Ideal for border or accent in hot, sunny gardens with lean, fast draining soil. They resemble petunia’s, as you would expect from their common name, but in fact, the Mexican petunia is not a petunia at all. In the summer it is better not to take out on the balcony or the garden. Avoid repeated pruning during the year. Desert Ruellia (Ruellia peninsularis) is a medium-sized shrub with light green foliage and purple flowers that appear spring through fall. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If you grow these plants in containers, you have the option of moving them throughout the year to a full sun position during summertime, then a more protected and potentially shaded position during cooler months. When allowed to grow in these conditions, they will produce an abundance of flowers. Ruellia is a very easy to grow shrub that reaches 3 to 4 ft in height with purple flowers that constantly bloom from Spring through the Fall. Acanthaceae : Form: Shrub Seasonality: Evergreen. Mexican petunias are a pretty flowering evergreen perennial that can be grown in containers, as shrub-like plants, or as ground cover. Interestingly, the stem of this plant becomes more purple when it’s in bright light, as opposed to when it’s grown in a shady area, where the stem stays fairly green. RECOMMENDED USE: Can be used as a colorful accent in sun or light shade; lightly clipped, it makes a nice border. Mexican petunias thrive in full sun. A perennial, the Mexican petunia grows to 3 feet in height and bears light purple flowers. Mexican petunias do not require feeding. Though Mexican petunias are highly adaptable to most soil types, they grow better in fertile soil that is well drained and capable of retaining the required amounts of moisture. Plant it in well-drained soil in a hole that is three times as wide as the rootball. The funnel-shaped flowers are the primary draw for many of the species and are sometimes called Mexican petunias. Quickly fills in as a ground cover. 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