Scientific Name:
Ruellia brittoniana
Pronunciation:
roo-EL-ee-uh brit-toh-nee-AY-nuh
Common Name:
Mexican petunia
Family Name:
Acanthaceae
Plant Type:
Annual (grown as), Herbaceous perennial
Key ID Features:
Leaves dark green (appears a metallic blue/purple under full sun); lance-shaped, up to 30cm long x 2cm wide, prominent veins on the underside; flowers purple to pink, petunia-like, about 4cm wide.
Habit:
Upright
Form:
Oval - vertical, Round
Texture:
Medium
Mature Height:
0.7 - 1.3m
Mature Spread:
0.6 - 1.0m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
Mexico
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 8b: (-9.4 to -7 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Humus rich
Landscape Uses:
Attract butterflies, Bedding plant, Container planting
Additional Info:
Google. Compare to R. simplex.
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Opposite
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Colour in Summer:
Dark-green
Shapes:
Lanceolate
Apices:
Acute
Margins:
Serrate
Inflorescence Type:
Flowers solitary
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
5
Corolla Shape:
Campanulate
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White, Blue
Flower Time at Peak:
Aug, Sep
Fruit Type:
Capsule
Fruit Colour:
Brown
Fruiting Time:
Oct
Additional Info:
Not showy
Bark Morphology:
Smooth
Bark or Stem Colour:
Red
Organ Modifications:
Rhizomes
Propagation:
Seed
Pest Susceptibility:
Bacterial leaf spot, Fungal leaf spot, Root rot, Rust (Pest resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant)
