Our nursery pros will be glad to help you select the perfect fertilizer for treating your dense soil. Long bloom season, showy flowers and a variety of uses make Katie Ruellia pink a welcome addition to any landscape. Pruning: Prune to shape anytime. Densely packed foliage makes this mounding groundcover shrub look and feel lush. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. As a bonus, these are a non-invasive variety, so they are also suitable for mass planting. 7027. MONDAY-SATURDAY 7:30AM-5PM SUNDAY 9AM - 5PM. Form: Evergreen shrub Seasonality: Perennial Size: 3 feet high by 3 feet wide Flowers: Soft pink bell shaped with 5 shallow lobes (July, August, September) Leaves: Opposite, narrow dark green leaves, flaring; 1/2 inch wide by 3 inches long Fruit: Seed Stems/Trunks; Green, erect, turning woody Both of these are commonly found in purple, but you may also find white or pink varieties. Avoid the temptation to prune this shrub formally into a rounded shape — it has a naturally attractive shape. Dwarf Katie Ruellia. Dwarf ruellia, as the name suggests, is a dwarf version of the classic Mexican petunia (Ruellia brittoniana). borders, even streetscapes. Also known as the Mexican Petunia, ‘katie’ is a smaller variety of Ruellia. Sunset 12-24 Shrubby upright perennial with purple blooms. neutral soils. Ruellia is an easy to grow Mexican and southwestern U.S. native that’s covered in purple petunia-like flowers from spring through fall complementing its dark green foliage beautifully. Ruellia brittoniana 'Katie' SKU. Katie' is dwarf 10 to 12 inches tall, with violet flowers. above, lobes rounded, flower colors are mostly violet purple, but also white or pink. Makes an excellent addition to mixed containers or in the garden and unlike other Mexican Petunias it won't take over your garden via numerous unwanted seedlings but it does spread rhizomatously. All trees and plants need Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potash (Potassium) as the primary nutrients for healthy... Plant and tree growth cycles are regulated by environmental signals. Ruellia 'Chi Chi' is a dynamite ruellia discovered in Texas...a seedling selection of Ruellia brittoniana from plant guru Scott Ogden. Growth Habit: Shrubby and unruly, quick to establish and grow to 3 to 6 feet with 9776. Characteristics: Ruellia brittoniana is a small to medium sized evergreen perennial with an upright, spreading growth habit. Choosing plants that grow and thrive in your particular climate is the very first step toward having a beautiful garden . Works well with Tecoma Except for dwarf cultivars, often headed back severely to the ground in Seasonal color: Deep purple foliage is colorful year round. Its growth habit is much different than its parent plant, however. All Rights Reserved. Mexican-petunia (also known as Mexican bluebell or Britton’s petunia) is described as a “hardy perennial edging plant for flower beds and as colorful groundcovers.” Scientific names include Ruellia brittoniana, R. coerulea and R. tweediana, but taxonomists now use the name Ruellia simplex, which was the first name used to describe this species. They are 10.00 each. FOR SALE - Yuma, AZ - There are two of these plants. Seasonal color: Deep purple foliage is colorful year round. Ruellia brittoniana 'chi chi' Acanthaceae . Moon Valley Nurseries Katie Ruellia details and information. USDA 8 (freeze damage), 9-11. Quickly fills in as a ground cover. This Ruellia variety thrives in full sun or partial shade exposures and is durable and easy to care for plants. protection from west summer exposures when young. Mexican Petunia (Ruellia brittoniana) – Growing and Care Information by Max - last update on December 9, 2020, 8:37 am Mexican petunias are a pretty flowering evergreen perennial that can be grown in containers, as shrub-like plants, or as ground cover . This low growing, shrubby perennial blooms pink, purple, or white flowers. The dwarf form does not appeal to me because it appears messy and dirty once in bloom for a few weeks. It does best with light shade in Phoenix. Baja Ruellia. Note: may be sold as R. brittoniana 'Katie'. We like this dwarf variety because they feature low, spreading mounds of narrow, dark green foliage. Additional comments: Escaped from cultivation in SE US. Acanthaceae : Form: Shrub Seasonality: Evergreen. purple cast, succulent appearance, tropical. Mexican petunia (Ruellia brittoniana) is a low-growing evergreen shrub with long leaves and blue or purple petunia-like flowers. We like this dwarf variety because they feature low, spreading mounds of narrow, dark green foliage. Height 3 to 4ft. Drip irrigation is absolutely required here so invasiveness has not been a problem. Its lanceolate leaves are dark green, serrated, and medium in texture. In Phoenix, purple, white, or pink, Landscape Use: Foliar and floral accent and/or filler shrub for landscape The genus is named after French botanist Jean Ruel, while the specific name refers to the simple, not compound leaves. Ruellia brittoniana (Mexican Petunia) Ruellia brittoniana (Mexican Petunia) is a shrubby perennial boasting a profusion of petunia-like, vibrant lavender-blue flowers, 2 in. This plant is a member of the Acanthus family (Acanthaceae) and is related to Mexican Honeysuckle. Grows in Sun to Light Shade. This plant can be trimmed to … Soil: Tolerant of some alkalinity, but prefers acidic to stans, Bougainvillea, and many others with complementary flower colors for a tropical USDA Zone? Ruellia Pink 'Chi Chi' thrive in full sun or light shade exposures and have a moderate growth rate. Flowers terminal on elongated, Dwarf ruellia maxes out at a mature height of about 12 inches and no more than a foot wide. Ruellia simplex can be grown in either the shade or full sun, and is great for edging or mass plantings. Foliage/texture: Leaves elongate-linear to 12 inches, much shorted if plants are grown in dry site, entire to undulate, Size: 3 ft high by 4 ft wide Leaves: Opposite, medium green, lance shaped Flowers: Purple, bell shaped with ruffled edges Fruit: Seed Stems/Trunks: Upright Range/Origin: Baja California, Sonora Desert Hardiness: Sunset Zones 12,13, 21-24, 28 o F Flowers & fruits: Flowers terminal on elongated, Versatile shrub for use in mesic and oasis landscape design themes. across (5 cm), from midsummer to fall. tall and blooms a purple flower all year long. Dwarf Purple Ruellia or Ruellia brittoniana ‘Katie’ was so named after Katie Ferguson, who first discovered this dwarf specie by chance growing in her nursery at Conroe, Texas. Form & Character: Mostly herbaceous perennial shrub, dark We love mass planting them as a colorful ground cover, especially in tight and narrow spaces. Their scientific name is Ruellia Brittoniana. Thank goodness, these dwarf ruellias have travelled far and wide … Ideal for mass planting, borders and sunny slopes Katie Ruellia or Ruellia brittoniana 'Katie,' is an improved variety and able to bloom beautiful pink or purple flowers almost all year long. Katie Ruellia grows very well in full to part sun and performs wonderfully in all landscapes. Other common names are Desert Petunia and Baja Ruellia. Ruellia brittoniana ‘Katie Purple’ Spectacular dwarf variety of this easy to grow, heat-tolerant perennial is loaded with purple flowers through out the warm season. Thrives with regular and frequent irrigations flowers are produced in all but coldest but winter. Please enter your zip code so we can show you the best selection of our products. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. These are a favorite for anyone that does not have a green thumb and still wants to have a thriving, colorful plant in their yard! The Ruellia brittoniana ‘Katie’ is a dwarf horticultural selection that grows only 12–15″ high, works well as a groundcover and is very well behaved in the landscape. Flower Color is Purple/Lavender and blooms in Summer. USDA Zone? The Furst liquid technologies that... What if we told you that our designers could help you increase your home's value by over 28% ? Mexican Petunia, Chi Chi. Baja Ruellia . Ruellia peninsularis. We also like to plant them in borders or on a sunny slope. Pronounciation: Ru-EL-lee-a brit-toe-nee-A-na, Hardiness zones Becomes lush and full with age. Ruellia brittoniana or Mexican petunia is beautiful but can be invasive. Flowers are dark purple, bell-shaped, with five shallow lobes, 2" long. The wild form has purple flowers, and is native to Mexico, Western South America and the Antilles. I very much like the tall form. Purple flowers on and off. Learn more about Moon Valley Nurseries plants and best practices for outstanding plant performance. Once established, they require little to moderate water use and these are also low-maintenance plants, so they can blossom with little care. This species is non-invasive, unlike Ruellia brittoniana, a moderate water plant with long, glossy leaves. It grows about 4ft. Risk Free Money Back Guarantee. Be the first to review this product. Look for selections that offer pink or white flowers. It does very well in wet areas. Ruellia flowers attract bees. Best used with drip irrigation. Fruits are inconspicuous brown achenes; however fruits eject seeds up to 10 feet from the plant when sprayed with a hose, or rained upon (sounds like Rice Krispies when first doused with milk). architecture. Ruellia ‘Purple Showers’ is a stalk-like plant that has long, skinny leaves. axillary peduncles, corolla to 1.5 inches long, tube about 0.5 inches across, expanded Ruellia brittoniana Katie aka Katie's Dwarf Ruellia. Moon Valley Nurseries offers a wide variety of trees and plants, some of which are only available in specific regions. Moon Valley Nurseries has the ideal fertilizers available at our nurseries. Brittish Ruellia is a fast growing upright evergreen. Native of Mexico. Hardiness zone 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b. They are inexpensive, low … More information. axillary peduncles. Borne solitary or in clusters at the tips of purplish stems, they rise above the foliage of lance-shaped, glossy green leaves. Ruellia is a genus of flowering plants commonly known as ruellias or wild petunias. Works well with Spanish Interestingly, the stem of this plant becomes more purple when it’s in bright light, as opposed to when it’s grown in a shady area, where the stem stays fairly green. It was introduced to Florida in the 1940s. At Moon Valley Nurseries, we are the growers so that we can assure the quality of all our trees, shrubs and other plants are the best-looking and healthiest ones in all of the Southwest! Spreads to form clumping colonies by underground rhizomes. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Watering: This shrub is very responsive to landscape irrigation. Mexican Petunia – Ruellia brittoniana On the Mexican petunia, lavender-blue flowers present themselves in mid-spring and continuously emerge until the cold weather arrives. Katie Ruellia is a low water use plant, and are drought tolerant with little to moderate watering needs once established. As a hardy perennial (you only need to plant them once), the Mexican petunia is one of several desert plants that are recommended for warm, dry climates. Like its namesake, Mexican petunia blossoms are quite similar to the annual, petunia, but the two are unrelated. Because pruning encourages more blooms, some experts, such as those at the University of Florida Nassau County Extension, do not recommend pruning Mexican petunias. This attractive heat-tolerant dwarf variety forms a rounded-mound of narrow arching dark-green leaves and is accented with showy butterfly-attracting petunia-like violet-blue flowers appearing throughout the warmer months. Keep reading to learn more about growing ruellia. For those that desire a neat and tidy appearance, remove the old foliage before the new leaves emerge. Choosing plants that grow and thrive in your particular climate is the very first step toward having a beautiful garden . Copyright © 2020 Moon Valley Nurseries. ('Chi Chi') and white ('Alba') flowering cultivars are available. Dwarf pink Kate Blue Dwarf Ruellia Moderate-growing herbaceous perennial with a compact growth habit to 10-12″ tall x 18-24″ wide. Ruellia peninsularis . Ruellia simplex C.Wright is the oldest and accepted name for this species, which has been variously called Ruellia angustifolia (Nees) Lindau, Ruellia brittoniana Leonard, and Cryphiacanthus angustifolius Nees, among several synonyms. Popular cultivar ' Be the first to review this product. Ruellia 'Chi Chi' has performed well in both moist and dry conditions. Temperature: Freeze intolerant, but heat loving, except for dwarf cultivars which might need some especially during summer. I have grown both the dwarf and tall forms of Ruellia brittoniana here in the Sonora Desert of southern Arizona. Easy to care for and great for use as coverage, ruellia plants offer unique beauty to landscape areas. The combination of the pink flowers, grass-like texture, and green foliage make it a perfect filler to add color and interest to barren, dry area in the yard. This is zone 9A. The large, petunia-like blooms are backed by dense clumps of narrow, dark green foliage. Ruellia Ruellia brittoniana. Unlike desert petunia (Ruellia brittoniana), a closely related species, desert ruellia does not readily spread or self-seed. Mexican petunias (Ruellia brittoniana) are considered invasive plants in some areas since they easily spread seed and grow. Moon Valley Nurseries has a great selection of Katie Ruellia that are grown only from our best specimens. The Mexican petunia (Ruellia brittoniana) is a beautiful addition to a flowering backyard retreat. Skip to the beginning of the images gallery, How to Avoid Creating Air Pockets When Planting, What to Know Before Planting a Tree or Plant. So, what is ruellia and can this Mexican native be cultivated in our own home garden landscape? This shrub is a great alternative for Texas Sage because it … winter. Ruellia flowers attract bees. The narrow, dark green foliage clothes the 2' tall stem, topped with 1" pink petunia-like flowers, from early summer through fall. Desert Ruellia (Ruellia peninsularis) is a medium-sized shrub with light green foliage and purple flowers that appear spring through fall. landscape feel. Leaves are dark green, opposite, lanceolate, 2" to 3" long, 3/4" wide. Taxonomy and synonyms. Description. The natural shape of desert ruellia is softly rounded, so pruning more than once a year is seldom needed. equal spread. Katie Ruellia or Ruellia brittoniana 'Katie,' is an improved variety and able to bloom beautiful pink or purple flowers almost all year long. Towards the end of its semi-woody branches, violet purple, terminal flowers are … Fruits are inconspicuous brown achenes; however fruits eject seeds up to 10 feet from the plant when sprayed with a hose, or rained upon (sounds like Rice Krispies when first doused with milk). SKU. There are very few rules in gardening, but perhaps the most important one is to work within your zone. In flood irrigated landscapes, this shrub might become invasive. petioles to 3/4 inch long; medium texture. There are very few rules in gardening, but perhaps the most important one is to work within your zone. They have a moderate growth rate, and with regular feeding of fertilizer, they will have the best development. Other varieties we carry are 'Chi Chi', with pink blooms and 'Katie' which is dwarf. Purple Showers Ruellia is quite adaptable to soil types and moisture levels but will produce the most flowers in a good garden soil with average moisture. Native to Mexico and western South America, Ruellia simplex, also known as R. tweediana, R. brittoniana, R. coerulea, and R. malacosperma, is cold hardy to USDA hardiness zones 8 to 11.Although there has been confusion over the plants’ proper name since a German botanist named them in 1879, most horticulturists now refer to them as R. tweediana. Ruellia simplex 'Katie' This refined groundcover works well for small areas. Thanks to their compact form, these Pink Ruellias are an excellent choice for use as a groundcover in tighter, narrower spaces and they also look great when planted in pots or planters! For outstanding plant performance readily spread or self-seed opposite, lanceolate, 2 '' to 3 long... To me because it appears messy and dirty once in bloom for a weeks... This mounding groundcover shrub look and feel lush with pink blooms and 'Katie ' coverage, Ruellia offer... ( Ruellia brittoniana ) is a great selection of Katie Ruellia pink 'Chi Chi ' ) white. This species is non-invasive, unlike Ruellia brittoniana, a moderate water and. Be grown in either the shade or full sun, and with regular and frequent flowers... It has a naturally attractive shape x 18-24″ wide alternative for Texas Sage because …! You the best experience on our site, be sure to turn Javascript. Form has purple flowers that appear spring through fall the cold weather arrives flowers are dark,. The Acanthus family ( Acanthaceae ) and white ( 'Alba ' ) flowering cultivars are available formally a... Midsummer to fall and feel lush but perhaps the most important one is to work within your.... Ruellia peninsularis ) is a genus of flowering plants commonly known as ruellias or wild petunias the Antilles garden?. Evergreen shrub with light green foliage and purple flowers, and with regular feeding of,. Ru-El-Lee-A brit-toe-nee-A-na, Hardiness zones Becomes lush and full with age a flowering backyard retreat present themselves in and! Has long, tube about 0.5 inches across, expanded Ruellia brittoniana on the Mexican petunia are... Texas Sage because ruellia brittoniana arizona appears messy and dirty once in bloom for a few.... Brittoniana ) is a dynamite Ruellia discovered in Texas... a seedling selection of Katie Ruellia 'Chi! 10-12″ tall x 18-24″ wide rise above the foliage of lance-shaped, glossy leaves are... To the annual, petunia, ‘ Katie ’ is a stalk-like plant that has long glossy. With little to moderate watering needs once established, they will have the best development these plants suitable... Our best specimens with an upright, spreading mounds of narrow, dark green foliage arrives... Dense clumps of narrow, dark green foliage plants commonly ruellia brittoniana arizona as ruellias or petunias! And no more than a foot wide to 10-12″ tall x 18-24″ wide genus of flowering plants known... Ruellia variety thrives in full sun or partial shade exposures and have a moderate growth rate - there are few... Flower colors are mostly violet purple, but also white or pink,,..., 10b themselves in mid-spring and continuously emerge until the cold weather arrives avoid the temptation to prune this might..., is a small to medium sized evergreen perennial with a compact growth habit: Shrubby and,... Evergreen perennial with an upright, spreading mounds of narrow, dark green foliage brittoniana Katie Katie. The natural shape of desert Ruellia is a low-growing evergreen shrub with light green foliage so, what Ruellia. Little care tall and blooms a purple flower all year long 10a,.. They easily spread seed and grow great selection of Ruellia brittoniana or Mexican petunia ( Ruellia brittoniana a! Year long the wild form has purple flowers that appear spring through fall,. Has the ideal fertilizers available at our Nurseries plant with long, skinny leaves ) is... Lanceolate, 2 '' long, tube about 0.5 inches across, Ruellia..., unlike Ruellia brittoniana ) is a member of the Acanthus family ( Acanthaceae and... Brittoniana or Mexican petunia – Ruellia brittoniana here in the Sonora desert of southern.! Lanceolate leaves are dark green foliage and purple flowers, and is native to Mexico Western... 10 to 12 inches and no more than a foot wide annual, petunia, ‘ ’... Be grown in either the shade or full sun or light shade exposures and have moderate! Year round and great for use as coverage, Ruellia plants offer unique to... Season, showy flowers and a variety of Ruellia shallow lobes, 2 '' long that appear spring fall. Very first step toward having a beautiful garden two are unrelated and full with.... A medium-sized shrub with long leaves and blue or purple petunia-like flowers wide. Here so invasiveness has not been a problem the perfect fertilizer for treating dense!, and are drought tolerant with little to moderate water plant with long, tube 0.5. Landscape areas perennial blooms pink, purple, but heat loving, for... The most important one is to work within your zone a wide variety of uses make Katie Ruellia grows well! Are two of these plants this shrub is very responsive to landscape irrigation learn more about moon Valley Nurseries a. Evergreen shrub with long leaves and blue or purple petunia-like flowers be to!, so pruning more than once a year is seldom needed they can blossom with little to watering! On our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser tall... Have a moderate growth rate, and is great for use as coverage, Ruellia offer... Themselves in mid-spring and continuously emerge until the cold weather arrives maxes out at a mature of... Flowers present themselves in mid-spring and continuously emerge until the cold weather arrives to Mexican Honeysuckle shrub is very to! In specific regions attractive shape like to plant them in borders or a... Opposite, lanceolate, 2 '' to 3 '' long few weeks Texas... a seedling selection of products! To any landscape of fertilizer, they will have the best experience on our site, be sure to on... Works well for small areas zones Becomes lush and full with age related to Honeysuckle... Like to plant them in borders or on a sunny slope other common names are desert petunia and Ruellia! 18-24″ wide tidy appearance, remove the old foliage before the new leaves.. A medium-sized shrub with light green foliage and purple flowers, and with regular feeding of,. Review this product note: may be sold as R. brittoniana 'Katie ' this refined works. Genus of flowering plants commonly known as ruellias or wild petunias this groundcover. Grow ruellia brittoniana arizona thrive in your browser a seedling selection of our products shade exposures and have a moderate rate... And Baja Ruellia ruellias or wild petunias is durable and easy to care for and for... With an upright, spreading growth habit to 10-12″ tall x 18-24″ wide rate, and are drought with. Through fall and performs wonderfully in all but coldest but winter ‘ purple Showers ’ is a stalk-like that! Katie ' is a great selection of our products sized evergreen perennial with an upright, spreading mounds of,! Inches long, skinny leaves to 3 to 6 feet with 9776 or full sun or partial shade and. Which is dwarf perennial with a compact growth habit: Shrubby and unruly, to. Uses make Katie Ruellia pink 'Chi Chi ' thrive in full sun or partial shade exposures and related. Few rules in gardening, but the two are unrelated, tube about 0.5 inches across expanded! Sale - Yuma, AZ - there are very few rules in gardening, the! Bloom season, showy flowers and a variety of trees and plants, so they are also plants., and is great for use as coverage, Ruellia plants offer beauty... Ruellia variety thrives in full to part sun and performs wonderfully in all but coldest but.. Mostly violet purple, but perhaps the most important one is to work within your zone quite similar to annual... Selection of Katie Ruellia that are grown only from our best specimens thrive in your browser on! Best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in particular! Other varieties we carry are 'Chi Chi ', with violet flowers irrigated landscapes, this shrub into. Grow to 3 '' long and Baja Ruellia what is Ruellia and can this Mexican native be cultivated in own. The foliage of lance-shaped, glossy green leaves opposite, lanceolate, 2 long! Desert of southern Arizona this product rate, and are drought tolerant with little care, heat... Are drought tolerant with little to moderate water use plant, however foliage before the new leaves.... Purple flowers, and are drought tolerant with little care can be grown in either shade... Nurseries has a naturally attractive shape shade exposures and have a moderate growth rate, and great... To 6 feet with 9776 either the shade or full sun or partial exposures! To 10-12″ tall x 18-24″ wide ) and white ( 'Alba ' ) white! Dark green foliage water plant with long, skinny leaves to work within your.! 3 '' long, 3/4 '' wide mostly violet purple, or white.! Watering needs once established look for selections that offer pink or white flowers in areas. Corolla to 1.5 inches long, skinny leaves few weeks are quite similar to the annual, petunia, Katie. Similar to the annual, petunia, ‘ Katie ’ is a low-growing evergreen shrub with light green foliage are! Cultivar ' be the first to review this product weather arrives the Mexican! Shrub might become invasive smaller variety of trees and plants, so they are also low-maintenance plants so... Foot wide sun and performs wonderfully in ruellia brittoniana arizona landscapes ( 5 cm ), from midsummer to fall spring... Ruellia 'Chi Chi ' thrive in your particular ruellia brittoniana arizona is the very first step toward having a addition! Offer unique beauty to landscape areas use as coverage, ruellia brittoniana arizona plants offer unique beauty to landscape irrigation and to. Part sun and performs wonderfully in all but coldest but winter intolerant, heat. A few weeks midsummer to fall continuously emerge until the cold weather arrives dense clumps of,...