Mexican petunia
Ruellia simplex C.Wright
Also called Britton's wild petunia. Synonyms: Ruellia brittoniana, Ruellia tweediana.
Tough, fast-spreading perennial with purple petunia-like flowers. Seeds and rhizomes let it overrun wetlands; a Category I invasive in Florida.
Listed as invasive in FL. The planner flags it (OL-INVASIVE) for sites in those jurisdictions. Details and sources.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 0.6–0.9 m (2–3 ft) tall and 0.5–0.9 m (1–3 ft) wide; fast growth, about 2 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.45) from the #1 install size.
Bloom
Violet flowers, May–Oct (northern-hemisphere months; timing shifts with region and season).
| Plant | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexican petunia : May–Oct |
Design notes
- University-bred sterile dwarf selections exist; verify sterility before specifying in Florida.
- Native alternatives: Stokes' aster, blue porterweed or wild petunia (Ruellia caroliniensis).
Regions
Native range: Mexico, the Caribbean and South America.
Not recorded as native to any of the three pilot regions.
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
Related plants
Plan with Mexican petunia
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.