Western Wild Petunia (Ruellia nudiflora var. occidentalis)
Description: The Western Wild Petunia’s (Ruellia occidentalis, USDA RUOC4) claim to fame is its lovely violet flower trumpets, a hummingbird favorite! Seldom growing more than a foot tall, this rare plant is perfect for dry, hot locations such as rock gardens and dry sandy or rocky soils. Ruellia humilis also thrives in well-drained loam. Wild Petunia self-seeds with seeds that explode, making it able to hold its own with larger, aggressive plants.
Family: Acanthaceae
Synonym(s): Ruellia nudiflora var. occidentalis, Ruellia strictopaniculata, Ruellia tuberosa var. occidentalis
Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Size Class: 1-2 ft.
Bloom Color: Purple
Bloom Time: Aug, Sep, Oct
Water Use: Low
Light Requirements: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Notes: Showy lavender-purple flowers on the dense, neat, almost rounded form of Western Wild Petunia make a good addition to any garden or wildflower meadow for a long season of color. Easy to grow and fast from seed.
ATTRIBUTION: All of the Texas Wildflower images in this post are copyrighted and are the exclusive property of Terry B. Kahler. Reproduction without explicit written consent is prohibited. Some of the information contained in this section was taken from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center website and is being used under their terms of use. Redistribution from this site is prohibited. Additional information contained in this section was taken from the USDA website including the USDA code.
