Ruellia caroliniensis , or Wild-petunia, is very common in North Carolina, found in lawns and woodlands. This native wildflower is so common that, despite its beauty, it is sometimes considered a lawn weed. This unbranched perennial can grow to 2 to 3 feet tall. Its leaves are light green and tend to have a crowded appearance. Its purple flowers bloom in spring, summer, and fall. The unstalked flowers are in axillary clusters of three to four and usually only one or two are open on any given day. Even though wild petunia's flowers only last for a day, its long flowering period more than compensates. It seeds readily. Habitat : Dry to moist forests and woodlands
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
Less than 12 inches
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Leaf color
Green
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Rich green, oval leaves crowded together on stem.
Flower color
Blue; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Long Bloom Season
Flower shape
Trumpet
Flower detail
Unstalked flowers in axillary clusters of three to four from May-September. Usually only one or two of the light purple flowers are open on any given day. The flowers have a slender corolla tube and five, petal-like lobes. Seeds are borne on hooked projections.
Bloom time
Fall; Spring; Summer
Fruit detail
Hard mast-fruit June-October
Stem detail
Violet, trumpet-shaped flowers on short hairy stems from leaf axils.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Central and Eastern United States
Wildlife value
This plant supports Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) larvae which has two to three broods from May-October. Caterpillars eat the host plant's leaves while adults feed on the nectar of composite flowers including aster, chicory, gumweed, knapweed, and tickseed sunflower. Food source for songbirds.