Ruellia/Mexican Petunia: Make it Stop!

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RBLick Longboat Key, FL(Zone 10a) Sep 26, 2016

Hello--

Though the daily purple flowers (spring/summer/fall) and low-maintenance of the ruellia are attractive here in SW Florida, even the so-called "sterilized" strain of this plant is invasive, and it's a losing battle trying to keep my hedge of ruellia plants in check. There is one section where I had a clump of these planted for @8 months, and then moved them to re-landscape the area. Every week I am out there pulling up new ruellia growth from this vacated area.

I am not a fan of the Roundup-type products, and especially not with all of the vegetables and citrus trees we have planted in close proximity in our yard. I've never messed with weed mat; would that be a viable option? I would pull back all the mulch covering the area that was formerly occupied by ruellia, lay weed mat over, cover with dirt, and then replace the mulch on top of that. Would that be the end of my unwanted ruellia growth?

Thank you.

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kittriana Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a) Sep 27, 2016

Ruellia throws its seeds, chuckl. Surrounding them with concrete in Florida might not work- the rains...have seen them air sprout. We just mow. Hide them in full shade, mow, pull, built a pond below them so they gather downhill, and mow. Never water, ever, and they are still grateful. Thats why they call them weeds down south of us,chuckl. If you find a solution, let us know!

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RBLick Longboat Key, FL(Zone 10a) Sep 27, 2016

Hello Kitt--

Thanks for your message. Actually, this is a strain of ruellia (officially called "Purple Showers") that has been modified by the U of Florida so it does not throw seeds. I thus planted a large amount to form a hedge across my front & back yards not realizing that while it won't throw seeds, it is still invasive in the sense that will constantly send up shoots all around it. It is VERY hard to keep in check, and it's in fact impossible to eradicate from the above-mentioned area where I tried to remove a clump of it when I partially redesigned my landscape.

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