Ruellia, Desert Petunia, Florida Bluebells, Mexican Petunia, Mexican Blue Bells 'Purple Fountain'

Ruelliasimplex

Family
Acanthaceae (ah-kanth-AY-see-ee)
Genus
Ruellia (roo-EL-ee-uh)
Species
simplex (SIM-plecks)
Synonym
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Foliage
Herbaceous
Height
36-48 in. (90-120 cm)
Spacing
15-18 in. (38-45 cm)
Hardiness
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Danger
N/A
Bloom Color
Medium Purple
Bloom Time
Late Spring/Early Summer
Mid Summer
Late Summer/Early Fall
Blooms repeatedly
Other Details
Category
Tropicals and Tender Perennials
Water Requirements
Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping
Foliage Color
Where to Grow
Bloom Characteristics
Bloom Size
Other details
May be a noxious weed or invasive
Soil pH requirements
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Patent Information
Non-patented
Propagation Methods
By dividing the rootball
From herbaceous stem cuttings
Self-sows freely; deadhead if you do not want volunteer seedlings next season
Seed Collecting
N/A: plant does not set seed, flowers are sterile, or plants will not come true from seed
Regional

This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:

Surprise, Arizona

Altamonte Springs, Florida

Lakeland, Florida

Greenville, Indiana

Derby, Kansas

Slidell, Louisiana

Lancaster, South Carolina

Beaumont, Texas

Deer Park, Texas

San Antonio, Texas

Zapata, Texas

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Featured Videos

Gardener's Notes:

2
positives
0
neutral
0
negative
Sort By:
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L
L
Greenville, IN (Zone 6a) | November 2005 | positive

I esp. love the mound, I have pink, white, and purple, along with the taller purple and pink fountain. The only thing with the mounds is ...Read More

C
Lakeland, FL | August 2004 | positive

I love my Mexican Petunias. Mine are the non invasive type, not the more wild invasive variety. Mine have stems resembling hardwood bambo...Read More

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