Ruellia simplex C. Wright

Britton's Wild Petunia; Mexican Bluebell

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Britton's Wild Petunia is an introduced herbaceous perennial in the Acanthus family (Acanthaceae). It is native to Mexico, the West Indies, and Central and South America. In Alabama it is cultivated as an ornamental and has escaped in the southern half of the state. Britton's Wild Petunia occurs in wet roadside ditches, around the margin of ponds and lakes, along streams, and in urban forests. It is a perennial from elongate rhizomes. Stems are erect, to 3 feet in height, green or purplish in color, glabrous, and can become woody towards the base. Leaves are opposite, petiolate, linear lanceolate in outline, glabrous, with entire or undulate margins. The leaves have prominently raised veins on the lower surface and are dark green or purplish in color. Flowers are produced in a few-flowered thyrse or panicle from the axils of the upper leaves. The calyx is deeply 5-lobed and green in color. The corolla is funnelform with 5 rounded lobes. Flowers are typically purple in color, but cultivars are available in blue, pink, or white. The fruit is a capsule containing 4-20 seed. Britton's Wild Petunia prefers a moist to wet soil with full sun, but is adaptable to other conditions. It can be propagated by cuttings, seed, or by dividing larger clumps. Britton's Wild Petunia is listed as an invasive species in several states as well as counties in Asia and Africa. When used in the home landscape choose sterile cultivars and contain the plant to pots to prevent spread by rhizomes. Care should be taken to properly dispose of any discarded clippings.—A. Diamond

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Not Native FAC (NWPL) FAC (DEP)

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