Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 6" tall
Culture: Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Mexico
'Katie' Ruellia is a drought tolerant, durable perennial that handles heat, humidity, and a wide range of soil conditions. Continually blooming through warm months, its bluish purple, petunia-like funnel-shaped flowers nestle in a background of narrow, green leaves. The shape and color of the flowers give it its other common name of Mexican Petunia. Easy to grow and maintain, they are shade tolerant but flower best when grown in sunny areas. If they get too tall or leggy for your preference, just cut them back to a few inches above the ground and they will quickly regrow and soon return to flowering. It is considered disease, insect and deer resistant and is also usually evergreen in frost-free areas.
Katie Ferguson of Texas found this dwarf form of the Mexican native ruellia and it took Texas by storm, although nothing like the really big storms such as Ike, Brett, and Alicia. Ruellia 'Katie' makes a 6" tall x 12" wide clump with lance-shaped green leaves. All summer, Ruellia 'Katie' is covered with 1.5" purple flowers. In good soil, it will reseed true. This is one fabulous plant!
