Join / Renew / Gift Donate Shop Member Portal Language

Search
npsot_bluebonnet_full_color

Native Plant Society of Texas

Prairie Petunia

Ruellia humilis

Other common name(s):

Fringeleaf Wild Petunia, Hairy Ruellia, Low Wild Petunia, Low Ruellia, Fringeleaf Ruellia, Fringe-leaf Wild Petunia

Family:

Acanthaceae (Acanthus Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Texas-Louisiana Coastal Marshes
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

1
to
2
ft.

Spread

1.5
to
2
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Rocky, Limestone, Moist, Dry

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Purple

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Pollen, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Moths, Bees

Maintenance

Blooms in the heat of summer if given a little extra water. Reseeds readily. A good choice for a pollinator garden, prairie or meadow, rock garden. Not particularly common. Usually restricted to dry open ground, and prairies or prairie remnants. Like most prairie plants, it is adapted to periodic fire and disturbance. Propagation: root division, seed.

Comments

Bloom May-September. Usually upright, sometimes sprawling, with a compact, leafy, bushy appearance. Pubescent leaves have an oval shape. Flowers have five petals, fused into a tube or funnel, then separating into rounded, spreading lobes. They occur as solitary or in crowded clusters in the axils of upper leaves. The fruit is a brownish, 2-chambered capsule. Larval host: Buckeye, Common Wood Nymph.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Ruellia ciliosa var. longiflora, Ruellia humilis var. calvescens, Ruellia humilis var. depauperata, Ruellia humilis var. expansa, Ruellia humilis var. frondosa, Ruellia humilis var. longiflora

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) Miller, George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd Ed., 2013, pg 53. 3) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=RUHU. 4) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Ruellia+humilis&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 5) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=91&locationType=County&mapType=Normal, 6) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=565466#null, 7) https://www.newmoonnursery.com/plant/Ruellia-humilis#:~:text=CULTURAL%20%26%20MAINTENANCE%20NEEDS%3A%20Ruellia%20humilis,not%20considered%20to%20be%20aggressive. 8) https://noddingoniongardens.com/ruellia-humilis/#:~:text=Propagation%20Notes%20Ruellia%20humilis&text=Seed%20%2D%20Collect%20late%20in%20fall,high%20February%202016%20germination%20rate.

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Stem Cutting Dip the stem ends in rooting hormone. Hold the rooted cuttings in a cold frame until spring. Cuttings can be taken in late spring or early summer. For cuttings, use a sharp knife to take a 4-6 inch cutting, 1) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=RUHU 2) https://earthone.io/plant/ruellia%20humilis?srsltid=AfmBOooliDNHvvRWDcKQaFIAaShQF16MlYcNKyzgjqGslmlO_CDgoXNJ
Seed No Treatment Direct sow in late fall, planting just below the surface of the soil. Keep the soil lightly moist until germination, which usually takes 4-6 weeks. Water seedlings regularly until they become established. After the flowers fade, small seed pods will form. When ripe, the seed pods will begin to turn brown; remove them and spread them out to dry away from direct sunlight. Keep in mind that the pods often explode and expel their seed as they dry, and may need a light covering to contain the seed. Separate the wild petunia seed from the pods and store the seed in a cool, dry place. 1) https://www.everwilde.com/store/Ruellia-humilis-WildFlower-Seed.html#:~:text=HOW%20TO%20GROW,addition%20to%20a%20rock%20garden. 2) https://noddingoniongardens.com/ruellia-humilis/#:~:text=Propagation%20Notes%20Ruellia%20humilis&text=Seed%20%2D%20Collect%20late%20in%20fall,high%20February%202016%20germination%20rate. 3) https://www.wildflowerfarm.com/ruellia-humilis-wild-petunia.html
Seed Stratification For spring planting, mix the wild petunia seeds with moist sand and store in the refrigerator for 60 days before planting The Ruellia Humilis seeds can also be started indoors 6-8 weeks before planting in spring. Keep seedlings lightly moist, and transplant them as soon as they have developed several leaves. Water seedlings regularly until they become established. After the flowers fade, small seed pods will form. When ripe, the seed pods will begin to turn brown; remove them and spread them out to dry away from direct sunlight. Keep in mind that the pods often explode and expel their seed as they dry, and may need a light covering to contain the seed. Separate the wild petunia seed from the pods and store the seed in a cool, dry place. 1) https://www.everwilde.com/store/Ruellia-humilis-WildFlower-Seed.html#:~:text=HOW%20TO%20GROW,addition%20to%20a%20rock%20garden. 2) https://noddingoniongardens.com/ruellia-humilis/#:~:text=Propagation%20Notes%20Ruellia%20humilis&text=Seed%20%2D%20Collect%20late%20in%20fall,high%20February%202016%20germination%20rate.

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason