Re: Mystery Plant

I'm not so sure it isn't just another color form of R.
brittoniana, as I have seen varying shades at Gary
Hammer's nursery in Los Angeles.  I don't have any
experience growing this species myself, as it is a
very poor performer without real summer heat.  The
Ruellia species that I grow are all adapted to our
cool summer/mild winters here near the San Francisco
Bay, although this past week of 90F plus temps would
seem to contradict our generally mild summers.

The species I would recommend is a fall into winter
blooming species from Brazil, R. macrantha.  It isn't
very commonly seen in gardens here, as most nurseries
don't stock it at its prime bloom season, in November
and December, when it can be covered with large 3 inch
long bright fuchsia colored flowers.  The year round
foliage and fairly large size and ability to bloom
well in bright shade and as a container plant make
this a plant worth growing, and it is easily rooted
from cuttings.  I like combining this with other
wildly colorful late fall bloomers such as Nerine
bowdenii and Schizostylis coccinea, perhaps with some
overhead Dahlia imperialis and Fuchsia boliviana, all
of which thrive here in Berkeley in my shaded garden,
and are reliable cut flowers for a Christmas bouquet.

--- "John C. Macgregor IV" <jonivy@earthlink.net>
wrote:

> Sorry, Joe,
> 
> It IS a Ruellia, but this one has mauve-pink flowers
> and longer,  
> narrower leaves than R. brittoniana.  It is almost
> as rampant and  
> invasive a weed as brittoniana, and it seeds
> profusely, but the two  
> species, grown side-by-side have never hybridized
> for me.  I have  
> been trying unsuccessfully for years to find a
> correct identity for it.
> 
> John MacGregor
> South Pasadena, CA 91030
> USDA zone 9   Sunset zones 21/23
> 
> 
> On Jul 24, 2006, at 7:13 AM, Joe Seals wrote:
> 
> > Ruellia brittoniana, MEXICAN PETUNIA.
> >
> > Joe
> >
> > Cali Doxiadis <gastouri@ker.forthnet.gr> wrote:
> >
>
http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/index-bloom3.html
> >
> > Can anyone help?
> > Cali Doxiadis
> >
> >
> >
> > Joe Seals
> > Santa Maria, California --
> > where the weather is always perfect
> > and my NEW garden will soon be blooming and full
> of birds and  
> > butterflies
> 
>
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