Ruellia, Desert Petunia, Dwarf Mexican Petunia 'Colobe Pink'

This is one of my plants I love to hate, because it crops up everywhere. It is easy to pull off, but you have to keep your eyes open for...Read More unwanted seedlings. At blooming time, everything's forgiven, as the pink display is just wonderful. I have mine planted in a mix with the white variety, and it is quite a pretty sight.

San Antonio, Tx. Addendum
"Bonita" forms clumps 6-10" tall and 12" wide, it is a super border and/or ground cover plant which beg...Read Moreins blooming profusely in mid-summer to late summer and continues into fall. The light pink, petunia-like, 1.5" blooms standout against the deep green sword-shaped foliage which is beautiful without any flowers. Once established, they are drought-tolerant, but perform best with regular waterings. These plants need no deadheading.

A few new plants may spring up from seed but after 3 years none have done so. After protected mine last year with white colored frost protection sheets purchased at a nursery and they are 1.5 feet in heighth and width. It has been named a Texas Superstar by Texas A&M University because it withstands hot, dry areas and needs no pesticidal sprays. In colder climates it must be grown as an annual.

We have "Texas petunias" here and they are the rage on the beach with dry sand. They spread and are said to be very intrusive. I bought t...Read Morehe bright purple one and a white one. I would like to swap for a light pink one. I live in Panama City near the coast. Dry and sandy. I want my yard to look like an english cottage garden, knee-deep with flowers/wildflowers. This is my first season and it is coming along. I depend on Lantana, wild varieties as well as the nursery versions of the ground cover. We hate to mow, no need to fertilize this dry sand and then have to mow. I planted Seminole pumpkins in a bed in the middle of the front yard and now the huge leaves are vining all over. Hope it kills all the weeds and grass.

I planted my first Mexican petunia last summer and it bloomed consistently until frost. Here in Eufaula, Alabama we are borderline Zones ...Read More8a and 8b and we get a number of freezes a year so it dies back to the ground. It came back but has not yet bloomed but the plant is larger.

This dwarf Mexican petunia does not exhibit the self-seeding problems that the larger varieties do (plants that are hard to remove once w...Read Moreell rooted coming up everywhere). Its dark green graceful foliage and light pink blooms make it attractive as a border or in clumps. It is not picky about sun exposure and does well in sun to shade. However, it blooms more prolifically in partial sun to full sun. It can withstand a light freeze, but will die back during extreme cold. If it does so, prune the injured areas or cut to ground level. It will resprout. I covered my plants this winter during our three freezes and they are twice the size they were last year.

Grasshoppers and locust love this plant. Sprinkle with Sevin dust as soon as you see any eaten leaves. Do not over water (yellowing leaves are a symptom of over watering). Although the flowers are not dense, the contrast between them and the foliage, makes them standout. Midsummer, fertilize with Super Bloom or a similar product to increase bloom production. Each season, these petunias spread in width and heighth. A great addition to any garden and a dought tolerant plant.