Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Acanthaceae

Genus:

Ruellia

Species:

Ruellia caroliniensis

USDA Symbol:

RUCA4

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

90 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct

Bloom Colors:

lavender, purple, blue

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

butterflies, bees, hummingbirds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown following fire; common in fire-maintained longleaf pine savannas and sandhills.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

prefers open woodlands and sandy soils

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate readily without pretreatment. Self-sows prolifically in garden settings.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI