Garden Portraits..........June

Ruellia angustifolia syn. R. brittoniana.............Mexican Petunia

A native of Mexico, family name Acanthaceae, this fast growing evergreen forms colonies of stalks up to
  3 feet and bears it's flowers over a long period.
Each flower lasts a day but they do keep coming if given plenty of water and a free draining soil.
Butterflies and bees love the flowers.

 When grown under hot sunny conditions the foliage assumes a metallic bluish cast that creates the perfect backdrop for the the scores of vibrant purple/blue flowers that appear with the onslaught of hot summer weather.

 Happily growing in our Jungle Corner here at Corijo Azahar, the Mexican Petunia or Mexican Bluebell as it is often called,  can be some what invasive if grown in ideal conditions and allowed to self seed everywhere.

In Florida it is classed as a top-ranking invasive but here, the purple flowers on the burgundy coloured stems pleasingly shine out among the greenery beneath a Chirimoya tree.

Varieties with white, pink and shades of blue flowers are also available.