As its common name of “perennial petunia” implies, Ruellia humilis does look like an unimproved petunia, although it is no relation to the petunia since it belongs to the acanthus family.
To me, the blooms are more attractive than those of the petunia, even if they are only about 1 ½ inches across. The colour is said to be lavender to light purple, but from the ones I have seen (all in cultivation - although it is a native North American plant), I would say the colour is pale blue.
This plant was discovered by Thomas Nuttall, a very interesting character. He left his professorship at Harvard to travel across the continent, sometimes getting rides from fur traders, to find new plants.
He seemed to have been the personification of the scientist who is bright but completely impractical. For instance, he is said to have ruined his rifle using it to dig up plants. He got lost regularly. Sometimes natives brought him back. Once, for three days, he ran away from a search party trying to rescue him.
A friend of mine, Glen, started Ruellia from seeds and ended up with a couple of extra plants which he gave me. They were almost killed not long after they were planted.
Here is what happened. To my delight, a painted turtle appeared in the garden. I could watch her from the living room window going back and forth in the garden. Then, still better, I realized it was looking for a place to bury her eggs.
She tried out 3 or 4 spots but, in the end, decided to dig right where I had planted the Ruellias! The soil, not being as compacted was easier to dig, I suppose.
To save the plants I would have had to shoo off the turtle, and I preferred a turtle to a Ruellia. Unfortunately, the next morning the turtle was gone, never to to be seen again. I did not want to disturb her eggs, so I left the Ruellia fend for itself.
The turtle eggs never hatched, but the Ruelllia eventually made it. It was not very strong for the first two years after being assaulted by a turtle.
Ruellia humilis is an undemanding plant with respect to exposure (full sun or some shade) and type of soil. However it cannot compete with other plants in rich moist soil.
It is best propagated by cuttings (but mine as I said was started from seed) and is native to central North America (zone 4 to 8). Since it is native to Wisconsin, I suppose it could be native here in Ontario. At Roche Fleurie it is about one foot tall. It is a trailing plant.
In nature, it is found in areas with poor soil where there is little competition. It is said to bloom all summer. Mine blooms for two to three weeks in July.
It is an attractive plant. I hope that as it gets better established it grows bigger and more floriferous. It might spread out eventually as some writers describe it as aggressive, which it certainly has not been here.
To me, the blooms are more attractive than those of the petunia, even if they are only about 1 ½ inches across. The colour is said to be lavender to light purple, but from the ones I have seen (all in cultivation - although it is a native North American plant), I would say the colour is pale blue.
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| Ruellia humilis |
This plant was discovered by Thomas Nuttall, a very interesting character. He left his professorship at Harvard to travel across the continent, sometimes getting rides from fur traders, to find new plants.
He seemed to have been the personification of the scientist who is bright but completely impractical. For instance, he is said to have ruined his rifle using it to dig up plants. He got lost regularly. Sometimes natives brought him back. Once, for three days, he ran away from a search party trying to rescue him.
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A friend of mine, Glen, started Ruellia from seeds and ended up with a couple of extra plants which he gave me. They were almost killed not long after they were planted.
Here is what happened. To my delight, a painted turtle appeared in the garden. I could watch her from the living room window going back and forth in the garden. Then, still better, I realized it was looking for a place to bury her eggs.
She tried out 3 or 4 spots but, in the end, decided to dig right where I had planted the Ruellias! The soil, not being as compacted was easier to dig, I suppose.
To save the plants I would have had to shoo off the turtle, and I preferred a turtle to a Ruellia. Unfortunately, the next morning the turtle was gone, never to to be seen again. I did not want to disturb her eggs, so I left the Ruellia fend for itself.
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| Painted Turtle |
The turtle eggs never hatched, but the Ruelllia eventually made it. It was not very strong for the first two years after being assaulted by a turtle.
Ruellia humilis is an undemanding plant with respect to exposure (full sun or some shade) and type of soil. However it cannot compete with other plants in rich moist soil.
It is best propagated by cuttings (but mine as I said was started from seed) and is native to central North America (zone 4 to 8). Since it is native to Wisconsin, I suppose it could be native here in Ontario. At Roche Fleurie it is about one foot tall. It is a trailing plant.
In nature, it is found in areas with poor soil where there is little competition. It is said to bloom all summer. Mine blooms for two to three weeks in July.
It is an attractive plant. I hope that as it gets better established it grows bigger and more floriferous. It might spread out eventually as some writers describe it as aggressive, which it certainly has not been here.
There can't be many plants that can lay claim to being assaulted by a turtle.
ReplyDeleteYou are right. It must be a very select club - especially surviving the assault!
DeleteGreat story of your plant and the turtle.
ReplyDeleteI wish the turtle had stayed but the pond is probably too small to accommodate it.
DeleteAmazing to have a turtle in your garden, I think it is lucky your plant survived!
ReplyDeleteI don't think she would have caused much problem (this type of turtles spend most of their ives in water). However she left as she came. Her visit lasted perhaps 12 hours.
DeleteThe ruellia is a lovely colour and the turtle visit was exciting. Such a pity the eggs didn't hatch. Do you have many turtle visits?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, that was the only occurrence that a turtle visited. Eventually, I dug very carefully to see if the eggs were still there and found they were rotten.
DeleteI do grow this plant and am fond of it. For me the color looks more like lavender. One thing I noticed, though, is that it can be easily shaded out by taller neighbors. Too bad about the turtles.
ReplyDeleteI expect there might be slight color variations. Or I might not remember exactly what color it is. You cannot trust a photo for color.
DeleteI'm familiar with it, but I don't grow it. It sounds like it's common in the "central sands" region of Wisconsin, where the soil is a little more challenging. It's amazing how soil type and quality can vary so much in such a short distance. I really like the color of the Ruellia. How fun to have a turtle visit your garden!
ReplyDeleteI had not heard of this plant before Alain .. it is beautiful ... not only the delicate flower but the foliage as well.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing event to have the turtle in you garden but to zone in on that particular plant, that was a pity. Glad it recovered too bad about the turtle and her eggs though.
Joy : )
Freezing rain storm coming to Kingston by tonight .. BIG sigh !
Perhaps the unhatched eggs eventually gave your ruella some fertilizer. I have never seen this plant before either, it is a keeper.
ReplyDeleteI have the same ruellia in my garden and I love it! I have three native box turtles but I don't know if they've ever assaulted my ruellia. I have two males and a female and there appears to a be a nasty love triangle going on. I think they're too busy dealing with each other to bother my plants. ;o)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story. I loved reading about the eccentric Nuttall, just the sort of story I love.
ReplyDeleteAnd a pretty Ruellia ruined by a turtle sounds wonderful. Here it would be the neighbour' s cat, very prosaic and boring.