Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Acanthaceae

Genus:

Ruellia

Species:

Ruellia pedunculata

USDA Symbol:

RUPE4

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul,aug,sep

Bloom Colors:

lavender, purple

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from rootstock following fire; common in fire-maintained pine savannas and prairies.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

native to tropical and subtropical regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate readily in warm conditions without pretreatment.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI