The Ruellias are one my favourite perennials. The 'elegans' are the leggy ones while the 'brittoniana' are shorties. Both bloom almost daily and add so much gaiety to any garden.
Ruellia elegans
This is the taller version. They tend to be floppy and need some staking while some of the branches can be allowed to drape elegantly over a tall pot for a striking visual impact.
Close-up of Ruellia elegans
and bud.
They bloom in clusters.
They can be planted in the ground or in containers. Here they are planted next to a row of Baphia nitida hedge.
These undemanding plants thrive without much care.
They flourish despite neglect. In fact this clump was unceremoniously extruded from its pot and dumped with its naked rootball on to the ground, yet it is thriving.
What
they cannot do without in our hot tropical clime is water. Copious
amount is needed to slake their thirst otherwise they would easily wilt. However, as soon as they get a through drenching, recovery is rapid in no time and they look none the worse for wear.
Propagation is by stem cuttings or root clump division.
Ruellia brittoniana
These are the dwarf species. I have them in three hues; pink, lavender and white. Propagation is by root clump division and from seeds. In
fact they self-sow freely and in no time, baby plants are seen
everywhere.
delicate pink
lavender
bridal white
This plant share the same container with Philondendron xanadu and ivy.
A pot of Ruellias of different hues with the white ones on the other side.
Snails are very fond of their leaves and make lovely meals out of them. After
their chow down, the plants are reduced to mere stalks, being
completely denuded of foliage. In frustration, I potted them thinking
that heights might deterred those pesky molluscs but alas no heights are
too lofty for them. I've seen them scaled up to the second level of the
house.
With such voracious apetites, the snails are on a ...
continuous chow down.
Floating dwarf Ruellias with teeny-weeny ivy leaves.
Great post, and the ruellia flowers are extremely beautiful, and the photos are excellent like always, in particular the Ruellia brittoniana lavender and bridal white with the water droplets. Those snails are naughty pests aren't they but also too cute. Love the floral water display - very pretty; the ruellias remind me a little of hibiscus flowers.
ReplyDeleteHI Gaianursery, thanks for all the kind comments.
ReplyDeleteInitially I was soft-hearted to release some huge snails as there was no apparent damage to my plants. That was something that I regretted as there are now hundreds around having a big chow down in my garden - no longer cute.
I have never grown them and always thought they would do better in cooler climates, but you have given me the clue. In tropical climates they need lots of water (whereas garden books written for cooler climates say dry shade). They are so lovely I think I should try some in my garden.
ReplyDeleteThe R. elegans needs lots of water while the dwarf Ruellias are fine with the usual. Planting the latter is most worth while and value-added since they self-seed like crazy.
ReplyDeleteI really didn't know both of them are actually Ruellias.
ReplyDeleteI have the first one in my garden but still waiting for it to bloom & the short ones slowly had disappeared in neglect.
It appeared that they bloom very well when there is a good hot sun.
Hi James, apparently both of them thrive like weeds in my garden. The dwarf ones self-sow like crazy, in fact even more aggressive than any type of vegetation. They seem to have a stake in almost all my pots and crevices. Could be due to the plentiful sun in Malaysia :D
ReplyDeleteBeautiful images, I didn't know Ruellias came in all those colors. I have lavender and light pink in my garden and luckily we don't have snails in this area. :)
ReplyDeleteSo far, I've come across only three colours. I've now declaraed an all out war on snails.
ReplyDeleteI like how you have collected all the colours of ruellias in your garden. That's what I'd do too. My garden was also invaded by snails - S, M, L and XL! I think it came with the 'organic' fertilizer I bought for my roses. They chomped down a few zinnias, Chinese evergreens and even my beloved sunflowers! I spent nights catching snails in the dark with a torchlight and now, thankfully they are all eliminated.
ReplyDeleteHi Autumn, I've learned my lessons - show no mercy to these pesky mollusc. I think they are perfect as escargot.
ReplyDeleteHello Stiletto! You have a wonderful collection of ruellia. Love all the colours I see here and that arrangement you put together. Their colours go so well together. Enjoy the wonderful blooms and have a great week :-D
ReplyDeleteHi Stephanie, thanks for kind words. My dwarf Ruellias would be looking gorgeous and lush if not for those *!!?xx snails :(
ReplyDeleteRuellia is first to me. They come in such lovely colors: the taller red ones give cheerful hue to the garden and the pastel ones are simply lovely. You have a refined sense of planting flowers together in a container. When I find a snail, I softly put them away from the plant. Snails on the leaf of hydrangea in the rainy season is typical early summer scene of Japan.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of these before they are lovely.
ReplyDelete