The ruellia brittoniana It is a perennial plant that belongs to the Acanthaceae family, it is also known as Ruellia simplex, Ruellia angustifolia and commonly as Mexican Petunia.
It is a small plant and native to Mexico. It is a plant with beautiful flowers, which are frequently adorned with the presence of multicolored butterflies.
Features
The ruellia brittoniana or simplex, it is a rimatoza perennial, easy to grow and grows quickly. Older species have somewhat woody stems; while the youngest are green. Its branching emerges from the ground presenting several stems dressed with opposite dark green leaves, lanceolate and linear, which can reach 30 cm in length by 2 cm in width, most of them are not glabrous.
Its tubular flowers are trumpet-shaped, blue-violet in color, its corollas separate into 5 lobes and have four stamens. Claviform fruits are green capsules or tinted purple when young. Later, when they are ripe, they turn brown and when they explode, they release their seeds.
Planting and care
They are easy to grow plants, adaptable to various types of soil and climate. Nevertheless, It is recommended that you grow it in pots because they are not resistant to coldto the point that temperatures below 5º could be fatal. Preferable if you grow them under excellent light, but taking care not to expose them to direct sunlight during the hottest hours in the summer period. They are fast-growing plants, charming for their abundance of flowers.
Between spring and summer you must water the plant, but always make sure that the soil surface dries up between one watering and another. This species does not require much watering, because it is quite resistant to short periods of drought. Therefore, during the fall and winter, it is recommended that you reduce watering significantly.
Since this plant does not tolerate stagnation of water, you must use coarse sand that is rich in organic matter capable of helping it drain sufficiently. If necessary, place pieces of clay in the bottom of the pot, to facilitate the drainage of excess water. It is recommended that you use clay potswhich help excess water evaporate quickly.
In the spring and throughout the summer, it is advised that you fertilize Ruellia simplex, if possible every three weeks with a liquid fertilizer administered with irrigation. In autumn and winter fertilization should be suspended. Make sure that the fertilizer used contains macroelements and microelementsto ensure a balanced growth of the Ruellia.
Regarding the care of its branches and leaves, they grow in a disorderly way, so it is necessary that you intervene to correct the situation of the plant. You should also cut the withered or dry leavesto allow new leaf shoots, while avoiding leaf diseases.
Regarding when and how the Ruellia cut should be made. It is recommended that you do it in spring, making cuts below the knot of about 10 cm. Always try to choose strong and healthy plants. Cut in an oblique direction, this will allow more surface area for rooting. Also with this cutting technique you will prevent water from accumulating on the surface.
After you remove the lower leaves, you proceed to place the cuttings obtained in a box or pot, in a compound of sand and peat, pierce the soil and compact it very carefully.
The box or pot is lined with a crystalline plastic sheet and placed in the shade, at an ambient temperature of 18 to 21 ° C, trying to keep the soil slightly moist at all times. Daily you must remove the plastic to control the humidity of the soil. The appearance of the first shoots is a sign that the cut has taken root.
