Purple Ruellia
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Ruellia brittoniana
The Mexican Petunia, the Texas Petunia, or Purple Ruellia is a shrubby perennial with a woody base and dark green leaves with purple stems. Its dark purple flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. This shrub can survive brutal heat, humidity, and drought. It reseeds readily and spreads quickly. This plant is so tough and good at spreading with itself that it can become invasive if left unmanaged in warm, moist areas.
It can withstand drought but does best in medium to wet soil in full sun to part shade. It is almost entirely pest—and disease-free. Cut back stems after flowering to encourage new growth.
Height: 2'-3'
Spread: 1'-2'
Bloom: May-September
Light: Full Sun, Part Shade
Water: Low, Medium, High
Zone: 8, 9, 10
Origin: Mexico, the Caribbean, South America
Winter Shipping: We will continue to ship throughout winter. If you prefer, we are happy to hold your order until spring; please include that request in your shipping notes.
When you order plants from our nursery, you can expect them to arrive in the best possible condition. Our team carefully packs each order using sturdy, biodegradable packaging materials.
Your plants' appearance may vary depending on the season and their current growth stage. We may cut back the leafy growth of some plants to prepare them for shipment and transplanting.
5 Gallon and Up: Any plant purchased to ship over 5 Gallons will be shipped bare root. This means we will remove the plant from its original pot, remove the soil surrounding the roots, and wrap the roots with a biodegradable plastic bag. This reduces weight and the likelihood of damage during shipping.
Once your plants arrive, it is essential to plant them as soon as possible. This will help them rebound and thrive. If you cannot plant immediately, water regularly and keep the roots off heat-conducting surfaces.
Newly transplanted plants often require more water until their roots are well established. Plan to water them 1-3 times weekly for the first few months.
