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Elegant Ruellia Ruellia elegans

Phonetic Spelling
roo-EL-ee-ah EL-eh-ganz
Description

Ruellia elegans, or Red Ruellia, is native to Brazil with bright red trumpet shaped flowers that appear on 6 to 8 inch wand-like stems. The upper petals tend to flare out and back, while the lower one curls out and downward. The blooms attract butterflies and hummingbirds and last from May until frost. The plant tolerates a light frost, but dies back at about 28 degrees. It forms a 12 inch high by 24 inch in diameter mound of soft green, semi-fuzzy foliage. The plant is described as an annual, but because it reseeds and spreads rapidly, it is sometime thought of as a perennial.

Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems:

Bacterial leaf spots, fungal leaf spots, rust, root rot.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#hummingbird friendly#butterfly friendly#perennial#annual
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#hummingbird friendly#butterfly friendly#perennial#annual
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Ruellia
    Species:
    elegans
    Family:
    Acanthaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Annual
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Eastern Brazil
    Wildlife Value:
    Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 8 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Annual
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Semi-evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Clumping
    Mounding
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Red/Burgundy
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Long Bloom Season
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Funnel
    Trumpet
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    Bright red trumpet shaped five-petaled 1 to 2 inch flowers.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Semi-evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Description:
    It forms a 12 inch high by 24 inch in diameter mound of soft green, semi-fuzzy foliage.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    Flowers appear on 6 to 8 inch wand-like stems.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Hummingbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Heat
    Humidity