Red Ruellia, Flower of Caipora. This is a rare winter blooming tropical ruellia with showy 2 inch wide scarlet flowers. Unusual for a ruellia, this is a vining shrub. Pinching out shoot tips will cause it to throw out lateral stems to form a more bushy plant to 3 feet. But, it also can be trained up a support to grow more vinelike. It blooms on older ripened growth. So give it time, light shade, adequate moisture, and warm temperatures. It sports 5 inch short-petioled elliptic leaves. Native to Bahia, Brazil, where it is found in moist forests.
