I have a plant called Mexican petunia, it grows to 3 or 4 ft high by EOSummer, blooming til frost. I don't have its Botanical name. I bought this small home in 2001 and stuck 3 cuttings from my previous home. This photo is second season for this garden. Would like to learn specie. I love them, my MP are now covering a 8 ft long area having been shortened in 2008. No trouble in 9 years of getting out of hand so far. Drought resistant zone 7B, dormant after freeze. Emerges mid spring.
Do you think it would survive in zone 5a? it looks beautiful.
it so I can send you postage for a couple cuttings or seeds
ann
So far according to folks on Daves Garden, no one has registerd growing it above 8 a,or b..forget which, but it may survive if mulched well and properly. I think that there are special rules as to when to mulch in areas that have hard and deep freezes due to danger of plants heaving from ground like water feezing in a container and swelling up. Hope this makes sence . If you want to try I'd be glad to send you enough for you to try. you could start them, say, in an 8 in pot, winter them in the house with reasonable light, and have them ready for the Spring garden and keep enough at end of year just in case, leaving the original roots in ground to see if they will make it through a winter. I like them enough to do that if I had to
If you want to do that, I will bubble envelope you a few slips or roots just for the heck of it if you will send me your addy.
Were you able to find the species name for your Ruellia, Mexican petunia plant? I would be interested in some starts if you have extras. I am in zone 9 so no problem with overwintering, and the drought resistant feature is what I am looking for in all new plants that I am getting now. I am also keeping my fingers crossed that it will not be too aggressive here - the spot I have in mind is the bottom edge of a bed so hopefully it will be easy to keep under control. I have a few things on my trade list (I have other plants not listed since I am not an active trader) - let me know if you would like any trades from them, or I can send you postage if that is ok.
I had this plant in Bakersfield, Calif. It was invasive, but I loved it anyway. I'm not sure what zone I was in but we got really cold there. We even had a freeze that killed alot of trees exp banana trees, fruit trees and some roses. Wonder if it will grow here in zone 6b??
soilsandup, I'll D-mail you.
Marti001, probably with some mulching. I just realized that I didn't mention that it does go dormant after the first hard frost, and dies back to come back in spring. propogates by root runners and cuttings.
Desert Petunia, Florida Bluebells, Mexican Petunia, Mexican Blue Bells 'Mexican Carpet'
Ruellia tweediana
I'm zone 7a and it does well in my garden.
DD
It will not live in my zone 5. I take cuttings in the fall and keep it inside for the next spring.
If you have extra, I would love to have some. I have just the spot for it and it can just take over if it wants to.
My cousin lives in Tazewell Tennesse and is in 6B. It does well for her and comes back every spring.
dmtom
'''thanks for naming one of my favorites for me. I kinda like the name Ruellia tweediana. Puts me in mind of favorite cartoon hero, Tweetybird ; )
DD we're practically neighbors, I'm just a skip and a hop south of the Red River Valley.
irisluvr0252, that's a good idea. I winter all potteds in the garage and try to keep a pot or so of my favorites just in case.
Marti001 send me a d-mail. OK?
Iris, that will be good news for some Tennesse gardeners.
Thanks all of you.
i reopened this thread in case someone else wanted some starts for postage as right now my garage is too full to make many more trades. { :-(
I like them so much I want them to be available toany one who wants some.
I would love some. I get having too much. I have not enough watering pressure and live in the desert so it is a must in summer heat. I have too many seeds.
It freezes here but it would be like half of my yard, dormant for about 3 months.
Dawn
Hello Dawn, you say you'd like some so send me a d-mail if yu do want some Mexican Petunias. OK?
tia
Leona/lee
Yes thanks I did send you a dmail.
Im in zone9a and I have these all the time. They freeze to the ground but come back both from the root stock and from seeds. I have plenty of both if anyone ever needs them, just D mail me. I think if your ground freezes they may not come back but they will come from seed and grow and bloom the first season so save your seed if you are worried about them not coming back. Cam
I can't wait to plant mine. They have been sitting in pots in the house waiting for March or April to plant them. I'm excited. Steadycam, got seeds for SASE, so I can multiply them quicker?
Yes, send me SASE to 2415 Oxford Street, Houston, TX 77008
Ok will do. I need to find a nice area that I can block off from self sowing. I used that black rolled roof paper to put between beds that I don't want to spread into areas.
Thanks,
Dawn
I have a mass planting in an area between my side walk and t he neighbor's driveway. It is surrounded on all sides by concrete and it is also mulched well. In another bed I have them mixed with other plants but also mulched really well so dont get much self sowing. They have spring loaded seed pods so when it rains or you water them, this triggers the pods to pop and if you are standing nearby, the seeds will sting your legs when they hit you. Pretty powerful spring so seeds can shoot about 2-3 feet!! Another name for these is purple showers and here the wind blows the day's blossoms off by around 2 PM so the sidewalk is covered with purple every day. Great plants but most people consider them weeds. I also have the pink ones and would love to get the white ones which are not as common.
Can I get some pink ones too please, if you can spare some trigger loades seeds.
I have a side of my driveway that nothing gets planted in...Weeds run rampant..It would be great there. I have no watering system at this point but can reput one in.
These plants are very drought tolerant. Mine get by without watering until around first of August when we have had no rain.
After they are established I assume. Do the roots grow shallow or deep? Do you plant yours in direct sun or where do they perform the best?
Here they form a strong root clump and I cut them to the ground when they get seedy. They will grow in sun or shade but they are at their best in full sun. Once established you can't kill them. You can pull or dig them up if you dont want them but kill them? No.
Cam I have some seed from last season of the ruellia 'Katie' white, which is the low-growing mounding variety if you'd like some.
I would like some. Me, me. lol
hellnzn11 - lol! Let me see how much I have left and I will get back to you. :)
Yes, Caryana. Save me some white ones, please. If you dont have enough for two people, I can wait. LMK. Cam
I have a packet with about 30 seeds in it which is smaller than I usually prefer to send but I'll have more in a few months I can guarantee! Ruellia isn't shy about seed production. :)
Cam I will gladly send you some when I have more seeds. I owe you a PV after all!
Oh I can wait. I have 4 live cuttings that tv sent me. I will just live with that. No worries. I just did not know so I thought I'd ask. No worries thanks.
Dawn
Dawn later this spring I'll probably post on the seed-sharing forum again. :)
Oh no prob. thanks.
