Carolina Wild Petunia

Ruellia caroliniensis

Carolina Wild Petunia is native to most of Florida north to New Jersey and west to Texas. This is a perennial ground cover rarely rising over 12 inches with oval leaves and blue flowers. These can also be pink or white. We have a plant with blue and white flowers on the same stem…go figure!

There is another variety called Thickleaf Wild Petunia, Ruellia caroliniensis ssp. caroliniensis var. succulenta. This occurs in the Pine Rocklands of Dade Co. and Big Pine Key. It has a thicker leaf and a reddish purple tinge.

Both are not salt tolerant, yet do well in dry to moist soil with little organic matter. Some organic matter will make a nicer looking plant though. I have found that short term flooding, even if the plant remains underwater for two to seven days, will not harm it.

Full sun to Pineland shade is best. I often mix this plant with Twinflower as a boarder. The two blend together nicely and the Carolina Wild Petunia adds flowers that are more visible than the Twinflower.

Other boarder plants may include Sunshine Mimosa, Fogfruit, Browne’s Savory if moist, Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Florida Lily, Spiderwort, Gopher Apple and Tread Softly to keep pedestrians off the planting…just kidding. Keep the viney plants off the walkway to avoid tripping passerby.

This is an OK nectar plant for butterflies and may be used as a larval food for the Common Buckeye and introduced Malachite. I have not seen caterpillars on my plants though.

Click for more info, and here. Click for range of Carolina Petunia, and Thickleaf.