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Prairie Petunia

Ruellia humilis

Other common name(s):

Fringeleaf Wild Petunia, Hairy Ruellia, Low Wild Petunia, Low Ruellia, Fringeleaf Ruellia, Fringe-leaf Wild Petunia

Family:

Acanthaceae (Acanthus Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Texas-Louisiana Coastal Marshes
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

1
to
2
ft.

Spread

1.5
to
2
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Moist

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Purple

Bloom Season

Summer

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies

Maintenance

Blooms in the heat of summer if given a little extra water. Propagation: Root division, Seed.

Comments

Bloom May-September. Showy blooms vary from a light lavender to purple. Reseeds readily. Larval Host: Buckeye, Common Wood Nymph. Nectar: butterflies.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Synonym(s): Ruellia ciliosa var. longiflora, Ruellia humilis var. calvescens, Ruellia humilis var. depauperata, Ruellia humilis var. expansa, Ruellia humilis var. frondosa, Ruellia humilis var. longiflora

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) Miller, George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd Ed., 2013, pg 53. 3) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=RUHU. 4) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Ruellia+humilis&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 5) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=91&locationType=County&mapType=Normal, 6) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=565466#null

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