Thickleaf wild petunia
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Ruellia succulenta
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Acanthaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Wildflower and rock gardens. |
Ecological Restoration Notes: |
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It can be used as one of many understory herbs in pine rocklands. |
Availability: |
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Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries. |
Description: |
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Small herbaceous wildflower. |
Height: |
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About 4-8 inches in height. Spreading or erect, but often as broad as tall. |
Growth Rate: |
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Moderate. |
Range: |
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Endemic from the Monroe County Keys north to Miami-Dade and Collier counties, and very rare or extirpated in Broward, Lee and Charlotte counties. Common in the pine rocklands of Miami-Dade County. In the Monroe County Keys, disjunct from Miami-Dade County to the pine rocklands of Big Pine Key. In Broward County, recorded only from Hillsboro Pineland Natural Area. |
Habitats: |
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Pinelands. |
Soils: |
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Moist, well-drained limestone or sandy soils, without humus. |
Nutritional Requirements: |
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Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils. |
Salt Water Tolerance: |
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Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water. |
Salt Wind Tolerance: |
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Low; salt wind may burn the leaves. |
Drought Tolerance: |
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High; does not require any supplemental water once established. |
Light Requirements: |
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Full sun. |
Flower Color: |
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Blue or rarely pink. |
Flower Characteristics: |
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Showy, 1 to 1 1/2" wide. |
Flowering Season: |
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All year. |
Fruit: |
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Inconspicuous green capsule. |
Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Provides food for birds. Possible larval host plant for the common buckeye (Junonia coenia) and introduced malachite (Siproeta stelenes) butterflies. |
Horticultural Notes: |
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Can be grown from seeds, cuttings and divisions. |
Comments: |
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The leaves are sometimes reddish purple. It will spread from seed in the garden, but is not aggressive. |
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James Johnson, 2014 In habitat, Everglades National Park, Florida
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James Johnson, 2014 In habitat, Everglades National Park, Florida
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George D. Gann, 2013 In habitat, Miami-Dade County, Florida
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