| Carolina wild petunia
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| Ruellia caroliniensis
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| Acanthaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Wildflower gardens. |
Ecological Restoration Notes: |
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An uncommon understory herb in mesic flatwoods. |
| Availability: |
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Widely available in central Florida. Available at native plant nurseries in northeast and South Florida. |
| Description: |
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Small to medium wildflower. |
| Height: |
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Typically 6-15 inches in height. Usually erect and taller than broad. |
| Growth Rate: |
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Moderate. |
| Range: |
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Eastern and central United States west to Texas and south to Broward and Collier counties. Perhaps extirpated in Broward County. |
| Habitats: |
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Pinelands. |
| Soils: |
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Moist, well-drained 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 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 pink. |
| Flower Characteristics: |
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Showy. |
| Flowering Season: |
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Spring-summer. |
| Fruit: |
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Inconspicuous capsule. |
| Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Larval host plant for common buckeye (Junonia coenia) and white peacock (Anartia jatrophae) butterflies. It also attract pollinators.
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| Horticultural Notes: |
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Can be grown from seeds, cuttings and divisions. |
| Comments: |
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It will spread from seed in the garden, but is not aggressive. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page. |
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George D. Gann, 2017 In cultivation, Florida
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Susan Lerner, cultivated at Pan's Garden, Town of Palm Beach, Florida, USA.
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Susan Lerner, cultivated at Pan's Garden, Town of Palm Beach, Florida, USA.
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