| Scientific Name: | Ruellia simplex |
| Common Name: | Mexican petunia |
| Family Name: | Acanthaceae |
| Origin: | Mexico |
| Hardiness Zone: | Zone 8b: (-9.4 to -7 °C) |
| Plant Type: | Annual (grown as), Herbaceous perennial |
| Mature Size: | 0.7 - 1.3m x 0.6 - 1.0m (height x width) |
| Habit: | Upright |
| Form: | Oval - vertical, Round |
| Texture: | Medium - coarse |
| Landscape Uses: | Attract birds, Attract butterflies, Bedding plant, Container planting, Rock garden, Waterside planting, Wetland - bogs |
| Exposure: | Full sun, Part sun/part shade |
| Soil or Media: | Bog, Humus rich |
| Leaves: | Simple, Opposite, Soft flexible, Glabrous, Lanceolate, Serrate, Undulate (wavy) |
| Flowers: | Flowers solitary, White, Blue, Violet, Purple, Pink, May-Jun-Jul-Aug-Sep |
| Fruit: | Capsule, Brown, Oct |
| Key ID Features: | |
| Leaves opposite, lanceolate, most 15-30cm long x 1.3-2.5cm wide, prominent veins on the underside, dark green (appears a metallic blue/purple under full sun); flowers commonly vibrant lavender-blue (pink and white cvs.), petunia-like, 3-4cm wide, each last one day. | |