I have what I believe to be Mexican Petunias. When they are low to the ground, they look just like pictures of Mexican Petunia I've found on internet. And last year I saw some at a nursery and also thought "that's it!" and the label said Mexican Petunia. So fine. However -- mine grow taller, like little palm trees -- maybe up to a foot (so far!). And so far I haven't seen even one photo that looks like that! And that confuses me.
What do y'all think? A certain variety? Wrong growing conditions? Or just normal?
And finally -- since I have heaps -- is this something I can bring to the San Antonio round-up? They seem shallow-rooted, but I don't know if they take kindly to transplanting.
Thanks!
LiseP
Mexican petunias
Hey Lise, there are two different kinds of mexican petunias. One is short the other is tall. Here are the links to them....
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/38178/
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/88401/
BTW, they are both quite invasive here in our part of the country. The tall one spreads by underground runners and sometimes travels great distances before it pops up somewhere else. The shorter one spreads a little by runners, but really reseeds A LOT. I have found plants growing in my backyard that had to come from seeds from plants in the front!
Now that I've sold you on them, LOL, I have plenty to share if you want more of either variety : ). If I remember right, you're coming to the swap Saturday, right?
Tonya
Thanks, Tonya. I was just over on the 'swap' list and saw your post there, that you have both long and short varieties to share, so that sort of answered my question! And then I came back here and you'd answered it again for me, lol. Thanks for the additional info. I'm not sure i need more of those plants though -- I agree they are pretty invasive and I probably have enough already (or will soon!). I wish my tall ones were short ones though, I like the short ones better.
Yep, I am coming on Saturday! My haves:
-I did manage to dig up 2 Texas mountain laurels with their complete tap root (out of about 5 that I tried to dig!), so I'll have those for anyone that wants to see if they get lucky with them.
-I also have an oak tree that my neighbor started from an acorn years ago before she moved away and left it to me. I have no yard big enough for an oak tree, but would like to see it get a good home.
-mother of 1000s (1)
-mother-in-law tongue (few pieces)
-aloe (few pieces)
-some clumps of bedding grass (zebra grass, I think? -- look like small spider plants) - will try to get it identified.
-poss some seeds and rose food
I tried to put this list with the other lists and realized I wasn't a member of that group, didn't feel like fiddling with membership stuff at the moment, so will just list my stuff here, such as it is.
See you Saturday!
LiseP
Much to my surprise I noticed that Katie (or Katy) Ruella was not a name included for either of the "Mexican Petunias". Why is that? When I acquired my original plants some 10 or 12 years ago in Victoria TX I was told that that was the name of the short ones. Is that wrong or what? I'm really curious.....
Ann
There's a pink short one "Katie's Pink" Ruellia and a blue one. Not sure of the name on that one. Then there's the tall one, Mexican Petunia or Ruellia. I have both. They both pop their seeds from the pods and fly great distances and reseed. I have one of the tall ones growing in a rock pile in my backyard that established itself from the ones I had in the front yard a couple of years ago! I have found they are less invasive if they're grown in shade. They're easy to pull and they transplant well. All you really need to transplant them is a piece of the root. Don't really need the plant at all. I keep the tall ones because the bees love em, but I have them in a very shady location so they don't get too out of control.
We had a seed blow over from our neighbor's yard and start growing between some bricks. We had filled the area in with bricks because nothing would grow there. we actually let it go because they looked better than the brick and you didn't have to worry about them spreading underground because they are surrounded by concrete. so far it has proven to be pretty good control, but a few seeds have blown a couple of other places. In our case it hasn't been invasive, but it easily could be.
Ann, I've heard it called Katie ruellia, too. Hmm, you never know with names of plants, do you? They seem to have so many.
Yes, the small one is known as Katie. I have it in the blue/purple and also in a white. I have the taller ones in a blue/purple and I have another type that is trailing and looks good in hanging baskets. The leaves are velvety soft and the blooms are purple. The downside about keeping it in a hanging basket is the seed pods pop and spray seeds far and wide. At least they are easy to uproot and replant elsewhere. I do like these guys for their carefree nature.
When they start to look kinda leggy, do you cut them back? I think we have the short variety.
I've never cut them back but suspect you could. I just hate to cut off the blooms which for me are on the top.
This is the Katie Ruellia. It stays real short, growing under a foot tall. No need to cut them back...
Thanks for all the info.
I have had the tall purple, short purple, and now have, also, the short pink which I find I like most of all but then I'm a "pink" person. I have always cut mine back when they got sorta leggy looking and they just took off from there when the weather is warm enough. The tall ones get so tall and then bend over to the ground and wherever a "joint" touches the ground, up comes a new plant. I have always liked the ruellas and the short ones make a good gotogether w/roses and their exposed bare limbs.
Ann
I snap mine off when they get too tall and leggy, and they regrow nicely. I had some tall ones pop up that I thought were mutated seeds from the small ones but maybe they came from a neighbor. They easily grew 4' tall and were a pain to get out. They sent runners all over. The short ones don't do that for me. They seed all over, but haven't been a problem.
There are also red ones, not as invasive and really different plants. I like them, but they are not hardy for me.
Katie (the dwarves) comes in blue, pink, and I hear white, although I've never seen a white one.
I was given seeds for the red one ( Rajun Cajun I believe it was called) but never got a bloom last year, maybe this summer. Back in my young and foolish(er) days, I harvest some Ruellia seed. Laid it on the kitchen counter and forgot about it. When I got in that night, I noticed black spots all over the kitchen counter and floor. Thought I had BUGS till I put my glasses on and remembered the seed pods. They had literally exploded. Later, I would put them in a bowl with a saucer on top and if the house was quiet, you could hear them pop. Pretty neat!
i just planted a katie white yesterday and now I read this.. Im sorta scared now of what it might do to my new bed I just got built.. I got it for 50 cents as a close out 2 yrs ago.. I counter sunk the pot in a bed already here and it held on.till I had place for it.. Ill see what it does and it it goes too crazy out it comes ...lol.
I don't have the problem with the smaller (Katie varieties) ones as with the tall ones. They just produce babies by seed and they're extremely easy to pull up and relocate, give away, or put in the compost pile.
Poster, Your story of the exploding Ruellias reminded me of one fall when my daughter and I volunteered at the local native plant garden and were given the task of watering the beds. It had been a very dry summer.We turned on the hose and pretty soon it sounded like someone was making popcorn. It took us a while to figure out that the Katie Ruellia was literally popping out the seeds everywhere.It cracked us both up to see those seeds flying everywhere!
The tall ruella - Mexican Petunia - can be mown over. I've seen this down annually in early winter with a bed of "purple shower" ruellas. The bed is simply a small spot of lawn stripped of grass. The plants emerge in the spring with a vengeance. I think the appearance of the resulting stand of flowers actually is an improvement over what would have been, absent the mowing job. I didn't think of something like this with my own ruellas. I recommend taking a sickle to the plants at the end of November.
I really do think the tall Mex. petunias are pretty and would allow them to grow in a confined area. They're great for dry areas and can take our hot sun. The bees and hummers like them, too. They also do well in shade and they're not quite as invasive. I just pull up what I don't want in the early spring.
The Katie white is, in my experience the least prolific. I would certainly not worry Blkraven. Mine has never spread...
Podster, thats good to know.I have a really hard time just getting my beds made and am trying to make it so that once they are planted I have miniumn effort to maintain them. I dont need things Im going to have to fight to keep under control ya know??...lol..
I do understand... Katie purple is having its' way with me. But I like it so let it get after it. What the heck were you doing up in the wee hours? lol
its my meds making me crazy again..and no its not cause Im crazy that I take the meds...lmao... I was in a motorcycle accident 4 yrs ago and was almost killed. Lots of damage to say the least when you get kissed by a pick up doing 45mph. Im on disability because of it and my pain meds sometime wack my system out and dont let me sleep.. it was one of those night last night..lol..
Sorry to hear that. Hope you are perking better today. I haven't ridden in years. Have always kept my MC license with hopes but as I get older, I find I value my hide more and more.
I was chuckling at you being up at that time. I was knocked out. I got a new chainsaw and spent yesterday afternoon "bonding" with it. I love it but I was some pooped.
well if you get the itch to ride you can borrow my bike. I dont mind. its nothing fancy a 650 Vstar but I still enjoy it when I m up to riding..
Thanks for the generous offer. These east TX roads are great for riding till you meet someone in your lane or a cow grazing on the yellow line or a pair of ranchers stopped (blocking both lanes) visiting. DH says we'll just take the top off the jeep and lay the windshield down and pretend we are flying... lol
Just now saw my first hummingbird of the season. Ever so handsome a boy... Hooray!
I just saw my first hummer of the season this afternoon. They sure took their time this year!