Ruellia simplex (Mexican petunia)

Ruellia simplex, Ruellia brittoniana, Mexican petunia, Mexican Blue Bell

Botanical names: Ruellia simplex, Ruellia brittoniana

Common names: Mexican petunia, Mexican Blue Bell

Origin: Mexico

Dwarf ruellia plants never get over 1 ft tall and the flowers are bunched right in with the leaves on very short stems. Although the blossoms each last only one day, there are usually plenty of buds forming so that there is a succession of new blooms over long periods. The leaves of this ruellia are dark green and very slender. The flower resembles a Petunia in form. As with the other ruellias, this flower does well under quite a variety of conditions, including full sun to shade, as well as dry to damp. They are rather cold-tender and can sometimes be killed by a very hard freeze, but most of the time they come back from the roots.