12 Mexican Petunia~RUELLIA BRITTONIANA Perennial Well Rooted Plants Shrub Garden

Purple . petunia-like flowers appear continuously throughout the warm season on broad clumps of tall . upright . stems with narrow . elongated . dark green leaves. Plant towards the rear of a border or as an accent in a mixed container. Versatile and adaptable to varied conditions . from wet soils to waterwise gardens. An herbaceous perennial. Highly adaptable . but thrives in organically rich . well-drained soil . grows vigorously in wet soils and tolerates moderate drought. s best in full sun. Water deeply . regularly during the first growing season to establish an extensive root system . once established . reduce frequency. Prune back old foliage before new growth emerges in spring. Excellent free-ing plant in large containers. May be grown indoors as a houseplant. Excellent annual flowering plant for areas where it is not winter hardy. It may be effectively grown in bog gardens . as a pond marginal . and in beds and borders. Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep . extensive root system. Established plants are drought tolerant. s best in full sun. May be hardy to USDA zone 7 with winter protection. For a neat appearance . remove old foliage before new leaves emerge. 'Purple Showers' is a vigorous . upright . Mexican petunia (also called Mexican blue ) that typically grows in a clump to 3-4 feet tall. Tubular . petunia-like flowers freely from the leaf axils from late spring to frost on greenish-purple stems clad with . willowy . sword-shaped . green leaves.