Ruellia Simplex is a pretty plant. It grows easily, has no known insect pests, attracts hummingbirds, moths and butterflies and blooms profusely from early spring to late fall. How awesome is that? What could ever go wrong with such a "perfect" plant? Well....well....
Also known as Mexican Petunias, this plant is highly invasive. If you are not diligent, the plants will take over! Not only can they grow from the billion or two seeds that spew from the pods, they easily shoot up from underground rhizomes. Those can be ten feet from the original garden plot. Plus, if you do not carefully destroy any trimmings, those can (and do) take root. That is how I got my "garden" of Mexican Petunias. I had one small plant in a pot. My brother had given it to me so it was sort of special. Once it got tall and lanky, I trimmed it down to about 4 inches and tossed the trimmings into the compost pile thinking they would rot and add nutrients back to the ground. Nope. They took root. Every...last...one...rooted. My compost pile became a sea of purple! There was no scooping that rich soil for the garden as the roots of the Ruellia Simplex had become a gnarled mess. At least, my "garden" had a healthy place to grow!
This plant is touted to have many uses in herbal medicine. I have not tried any so can not verify the outcome of using them but it is said to be used in treating everything from viral infections to cancer. Like I said...I cannot verify any of that but, at the rate this plant grows, it sure would be nice if something could be cured by using it. In the meantime, I will enjoy the beauty (while keeping its growth in check)!
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