Ruellia, Desert Petunia, Florida Bluebells, Mexican Petunia, Mexican Blue Bells 'Blue Shade'

I have this ground cover under a Philodendron for well over five seasons. It pretty much stays in the one spot spreading a very small amo...Read Moreunt each season. It get mostly filtered shade, at some points gets some pretty direct sun, but not for more than an hour a day. It makes it through the freezing temperatures with minimal damage if any at all, but I believe it is because it always has a blanket of leaves from the Turkey Oak on it. If it does freeze it will always come back. I've never found it to be invasive at all.

Great for filling in empty spaces. I filled one side of my yard with them, and though they took over the area, the result was striking. ...Read More A day doesn't go by that someone walking by doesn't tell me how unbelievably pretty they are. I don't have to mow that area of the lawn any more-it's become a ground cover, a large mass of nothing but vivid purple. It's January, and it's just now stopped blooming.

Way too invasive for me! I have been trying to get rid of this plant for two summers. It is a beautiful, striking plant, foliage and bl...Read Moreoom, but was taking over my gardens. Spreads by roots and also by seed -- indestructable! Be sure you want it before you plant it.

San Antonio, TX
Blue shade is an excellent ground cover that is a naturalized native plant in Texas. Mine are planted where they r...Read Moreeceive morning sun and mottled afternoon shade. They die to the ground in the winter if hard freezes occur, but appear again in the spring. I have found that they will spread more rapidly and in the directions you want them to go if you water out a distance from the plant (about 6 inches) in the spots you want them to reach. Last summer, I had fun experimenting with this technique. An easily transplanted and/or propagated plant (by stem cuttings), I have been sharing them with neighbors, relatives and friends. They are easily thinned (do not have deep, hard to pull roots as do many ruellia) when they start taking over a flower bed and you may wish to prune them from around other plants that they start to cover. Not picky about soil, not needing a lot of water, appearing to be insect pest free, fast growing, nice foliage and beautiful flowers make this an excellent ground cover.