Ruellia ciliosa - Sandhill Wild Petunia

The Ruellia ciliosa, commonly known as the Sandhill Wild Petunia, is a low, softly hairy perennial of the sandy pinelands and open ground of the south eastern United States. It forms a compact clump of oval, fringed grey-green leaves and carries lavender-blue funnel-shaped flowers through the warm months. It stays genuinely low, flowers over a long season and needs very little water, which suits it to bed fronts and low colour mass rather than to structural planting. It is used in median beds, pedestrian planting and mixed dryland ground layers. Specifications: Height: 0.2 to 0.4 metres Width: 0.4 to 0.6 metres Native to: The south eastern United States, on sandy pinelands and open ground Foliage: Oval, softly hairy grey-green leaves with fringed margins, held in a low compact clump; evergreen in warm climates Growth rate: Moderate Conditions: Soil: Prefers well-drained sandy or gravelly soils; tolerates poor and alkaline ground Light: Full sun to partial shade Water: Low; drought-tolerant once established Climate: Thrives in warm subtropical, Mediterranean and semi-arid regions with hot summers Additional Features: Flowers: Lavender-blue funnel-shaped flowers carried freely through the warm months, each lasting a day and replaced daily Uses: Median and roundabout bed fronts, low colour mass, pedestrian-scale planting, mixed dryland ground layer Spacing: Plant 0.4 to 0.5 metres apart for a continuous low mass Low Maintenance: Trim after the main flush to keep the clump compact; no feeding required Pest Resistance: Free of significant pest and disease problems Drought Tolerance: Good once established, flowering on low irrigation through the summer Wildlife Attraction: The flowers are worked by bees and butterflies through the flowering season Versatility: Works in full sun beds and in the lighter shade under open canopy trees The Sandhill Wild Petunia keeps flowering at the front of a bed right through the hot months on very little water.