Wild Petunia Ruellia caroliniensis
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Wild Petunia:
- Phonetic Spelling
- roo-EL-ee-uh kair-oh-lin-ee-EN-sis
- Description
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Ruellia caroliniensis, or Wild-petunia, is very common in North Carolina, found in lawns and woodlands. This native wildflower is so common that, despite its beauty, it is sometimes considered a lawn weed. This unbranched perennial can grow to 2 to 3 feet tall. Its leaves are light green and tend to have a crowded appearance. Its purple flowers bloom in spring, summer, and fall. The unstalked flowers are in axillary clusters of three to four and usually only one or two are open on any given day. Even though wild petunia's flowers only last for a day, its long flowering period more than compensates. It seeds readily.
Habitat: Dry to moist forests and woodlands
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ruellia
- Species:
- caroliniensis
- Family:
- Acanthaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central and Eastern United States
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant supports Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) larvae which has two to three broods from May-October. Caterpillars eat the host plant's leaves while adults feed on the nectar of composite flowers including aster, chicory, gumweed, knapweed, and tickseed sunflower. Food source for songbirds.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Description:
- Hard mast-fruit June-October
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long Bloom Season
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Trumpet
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Description:
- Unstalked flowers in axillary clusters of three to four from May-September. Usually only one or two of the light purple flowers are open on any given day. The flowers have a slender corolla tube and five, petal-like lobes. Seeds are borne on hooked projections.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Rich green, oval leaves crowded together on stem.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Violet, trumpet-shaped flowers on short hairy stems from leaf axils.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
