Index / Search / Ruellia strepens
§1 Plant
Ruellia strepens L.
vernacular limestone wild petunia — species · Acanthaceae
§2Habit & range
Habit and range
- Growth habit
- Forb/herb
- Duration
- Perennial
- Group
- Dicot
- Family
- Acanthaceae Juss.
- Genus
- Ruellia
§2a
Native status, by region
- L48 Lower 48 States Native
§2b
County-level range
· 619 counties across 24 states/territories§3Cultivation specs · USDA
Recorded by the USDA Plant Materials Program.
§3a
Tolerances
- Drought
- Medium
- Shade
- Low
- Moisture use
- Low
- Fire
- None
- Salinity
- None
- Anaerobic
- Medium
- CaCO₃
- High
- Hedging
- None
§3b
Climate & soil
- Cold tolerance
- -13 °F minimum
- Frost-free days
- 180 min.
- Precipitation
- 40–60 in/yr
- pH range
- 6–8.5
- Root depth
- 6 in min.
- Fertility need
- Medium
- Soil texture
- medium, fine
§3c
Form & growth
- Growth form
- Single Stem
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Lifespan
- Short
- Mature height
- 3.6 ft
- Foliage texture
- Medium
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Porosity (summer)
- Porous
- Porosity (winter)
- Porous
- Flower colour
- Purple
- Fruit colour
- Yellow
- Fire resistant
- No
- N fixation
- None
- Toxicity
- None
§3d
Reproduction
- Bloom period
- Early Spring
- Seed abundance
- Low
- Seed begins
- Summer
- Seed ends
- Summer
- Spread rate
- Slow
- Stratify
- No
- Seeds / lb
- 300,000
- Propagation
- seed, container
§3e
Use & availability
- Commercial availability
- No Known Source
- Nursery stock
- No
- Browse palatability
- Medium
- Graze palatability
- Medium
- Palatable, human
- No
- Lumber
- No
- Christmas tree
- No
§4Counties, by state
Recorded in 619 counties across 24 states/territories.
Alabama view state ↗ 9 N ▾
Arkansas view state ↗ 36 N ▾
- Arkansas 05001
- Baxter 05005
- Benton 05007
- Bradley 05011
- Clay 05021
- Cleburne 05023
- Conway 05029
- Craighead 05031
- Crittenden 05035
- Desha 05041
- Faulkner 05045
- Franklin 05047
- Garland 05051
- Hempstead 05057
- Hot Spring 05059
- Howard 05061
- Independence 05063
- Izard 05065
- Jefferson 05069
- Johnson 05071
- Lawrence 05075
- Lee 05077
- Madison 05087
- Marion 05089
- Mississippi 05093
- Newton 05101
- Phillips 05107
- Poinsett 05111
- Pope 05115
- Pulaski 05119
- Randolph 05121
- Saline 05125
- Searcy 05129
- St. Francis 05123
- Stone 05137
- Washington 05143
District of Columbia view state ↗ 1 N ▾
Georgia view state ↗ 1 N ▾
Illinois view state ↗ 72 N ▾
- Adams 17001
- Alexander 17003
- Bond 17005
- Brown 17009
- Calhoun 17013
- Cass 17017
- Champaign 17019
- Christian 17021
- Clark 17023
- Clay 17025
- Clinton 17027
- Coles 17029
- Crawford 17033
- Cumberland 17035
- De Witt 17039
- Douglas 17041
- Edgar 17045
- Effingham 17049
- Fayette 17051
- Franklin 17055
- Fulton 17057
- Greene 17061
- Grundy 17063
- Hamilton 17065
- Hancock 17067
- Hardin 17069
- Henderson 17071
- Jackson 17077
- Jasper 17079
- Jersey 17083
- Johnson 17087
- Kankakee 17091
- Knox 17095
- Lawrence 17101
- Livingston 17105
- Logan 17107
- Macon 17115
- Macoupin 17117
- Madison 17119
- Marion 17121
- Marshall 17123
- Mason 17125
- Massac 17127
- McDonough 17109
- McLean 17113
- Menard 17129
- Mercer 17131
- Monroe 17133
- Montgomery 17135
- Morgan 17137
- Moultrie 17139
- Peoria 17143
- Perry 17145
- Piatt 17147
- Pike 17149
- Pope 17151
- Pulaski 17153
- Randolph 17157
- Richland 17159
- Saline 17165
- Sangamon 17167
- Schuyler 17169
- Scott 17171
- St. Clair 17163
- Stark 17175
- Union 17181
- Vermilion 17183
- Wabash 17185
- Washington 17189
- Wayne 17191
- White 17193
- Williamson 17199
Indiana view state ↗ 62 N ▾
- Allen 18003
- Bartholomew 18005
- Blackford 18009
- Boone 18011
- Carroll 18015
- Cass 18017
- Clark 18019
- Crawford 18025
- Daviess 18027
- Dearborn 18029
- Decatur 18031
- Dubois 18037
- Fayette 18041
- Fountain 18045
- Franklin 18047
- Gibson 18051
- Grant 18053
- Greene 18055
- Hamilton 18057
- Hancock 18059
- Harrison 18061
- Hendricks 18063
- Henry 18065
- Howard 18067
- Huntington 18069
- Jackson 18071
- Jay 18075
- Jefferson 18077
- Jennings 18079
- Johnson 18081
- Knox 18083
- Lawrence 18093
- Madison 18095
- Marion 18097
- Martin 18101
- Miami 18103
- Monroe 18105
- Montgomery 18107
- Morgan 18109
- Newton 18111
- Ohio 18115
- Parke 18121
- Posey 18129
- Putnam 18133
- Randolph 18135
- Ripley 18137
- Shelby 18145
- Spencer 18147
- St. Joseph 18141
- Sullivan 18153
- Switzerland 18155
- Tippecanoe 18157
- Union 18161
- Vanderburgh 18163
- Vermillion 18165
- Vigo 18167
- Wabash 18169
- Warrick 18173
- Washington 18175
- Wayne 18177
- Wells 18179
- White 18181
Iowa view state ↗ 3 N ▾
Kansas view state ↗ 36 N ▾
- Allen 20001
- Anderson 20003
- Atchison 20005
- Barton 20009
- Bourbon 20011
- Butler 20015
- Chautauqua 20019
- Cherokee 20021
- Clay 20027
- Cowley 20035
- Crawford 20037
- Douglas 20045
- Elk 20049
- Franklin 20059
- Geary 20061
- Greenwood 20073
- Jackson 20085
- Jefferson 20087
- Johnson 20091
- Labette 20099
- Leavenworth 20103
- Linn 20107
- Miami 20121
- Montgomery 20125
- Neosho 20133
- Osage 20139
- Pottawatomie 20149
- Reno 20155
- Riley 20161
- Saline 20169
- Sedgwick 20173
- Shawnee 20177
- Wabaunsee 20197
- Wilson 20205
- Woodson 20207
- Wyandotte 20209
Kentucky view state ↗ 65 N ▾
- Adair 21001
- Anderson 21005
- Ballard 21007
- Bath 21011
- Boone 21015
- Bourbon 21017
- Bracken 21023
- Breckinridge 21027
- Bullitt 21029
- Caldwell 21033
- Calloway 21035
- Campbell 21037
- Carroll 21041
- Casey 21045
- Christian 21047
- Clark 21049
- Clay 21051
- Crittenden 21055
- Edmonson 21061
- Fayette 21067
- Fleming 21069
- Franklin 21073
- Fulton 21075
- Gallatin 21077
- Garrard 21079
- Grant 21081
- Grayson 21085
- Hardin 21093
- Harrison 21097
- Hart 21099
- Henderson 21101
- Henry 21103
- Hickman 21105
- Jefferson 21111
- Jessamine 21113
- Kenton 21117
- Lee 21129
- Lewis 21135
- Lincoln 21137
- Logan 21141
- Lyon 21143
- Madison 21151
- Marion 21155
- McLean 21149
- Meade 21163
- Mercer 21167
- Montgomery 21173
- Muhlenberg 21177
- Nelson 21179
- Ohio 21183
- Oldham 21185
- Owen 21187
- Pendleton 21191
- Pulaski 21199
- Robertson 21201
- Scott 21209
- Spencer 21215
- Todd 21219
- Trigg 21221
- Trimble 21223
- Union 21225
- Warren 21227
- Washington 21229
- Wayne 21231
- Woodford 21239
Louisiana view state ↗ 8 N ▾
Maryland view state ↗ 5 N ▾
Michigan view state ↗ 2 N ▾
Mississippi view state ↗ 26 N ▾
- Bolivar 28011
- Chickasaw 28017
- Clay 28025
- Coahoma 28027
- Franklin 28037
- Hinds 28049
- Jasper 28061
- Kemper 28069
- Lee 28081
- Leflore 28083
- Madison 28089
- Montgomery 28097
- Noxubee 28103
- Panola 28107
- Pontotoc 28115
- Quitman 28119
- Scott 28123
- Smith 28129
- Sunflower 28133
- Tate 28137
- Tishomingo 28141
- Tunica 28143
- Union 28145
- Washington 28151
- Wayne 28153
- Webster 28155
Missouri view state ↗ 103 N ▾
- Adair 29001
- Andrew 29003
- Audrain 29007
- Barry 29009
- Barton 29011
- Bates 29013
- Benton 29015
- Boone 29019
- Buchanan 29021
- Butler 29023
- Caldwell 29025
- Callaway 29027
- Camden 29029
- Cape Girardeau 29031
- Carroll 29033
- Carter 29035
- Cass 29037
- Cedar 29039
- Chariton 29041
- Christian 29043
- Clark 29045
- Clay 29047
- Clinton 29049
- Cole 29051
- Cooper 29053
- Crawford 29055
- Dallas 29059
- DeKalb 29063
- Dent 29065
- Dunklin 29069
- Franklin 29071
- Gasconade 29073
- Gentry 29075
- Greene 29077
- Grundy 29079
- Harrison 29081
- Henry 29083
- Hickory 29085
- Holt 29087
- Howard 29089
- Howell 29091
- Iron 29093
- Jackson 29095
- Jasper 29097
- Jefferson 29099
- Johnson 29101
- Knox 29103
- Laclede 29105
- Lafayette 29107
- Lawrence 29109
- Lewis 29111
- Lincoln 29113
- Linn 29115
- Livingston 29117
- Madison 29123
- Maries 29125
- Marion 29127
- McDonald 29119
- Mercer 29129
- Miller 29131
- Mississippi 29133
- Moniteau 29135
- Monroe 29137
- Montgomery 29139
- Morgan 29141
- New Madrid 29143
- Newton 29145
- Nodaway 29147
- Osage 29151
- Ozark 29153
- Pemiscot 29155
- Perry 29157
- Pettis 29159
- Phelps 29161
- Pike 29163
- Platte 29165
- Polk 29167
- Pulaski 29169
- Putnam 29171
- Ralls 29173
- Randolph 29175
- Ray 29177
- Reynolds 29179
- Saline 29195
- Schuyler 29197
- Scotland 29199
- Scott 29201
- Shelby 29205
- St. Charles 29183
- St. Clair 29185
- St. Louis 29189
- Ste. Genevieve 29186
- Stoddard 29207
- Stone 29209
- Taney 29213
- Texas 29215
- Vernon 29217
- Warren 29219
- Washington 29221
- Wayne 29223
- Webster 29225
- Worth 29227
- Wright 29229
Nebraska view state ↗ 2 N ▾
North Carolina view state ↗ 1 N ▾
Ohio view state ↗ 54 N ▾
- Adams 39001
- Allen 39003
- Athens 39009
- Auglaize 39011
- Belmont 39013
- Brown 39015
- Butler 39017
- Clark 39023
- Clermont 39025
- Clinton 39027
- Coshocton 39031
- Crawford 39033
- Darke 39037
- Defiance 39039
- Delaware 39041
- Fairfield 39045
- Fayette 39047
- Franklin 39049
- Greene 39057
- Guernsey 39059
- Hamilton 39061
- Hardin 39065
- Henry 39069
- Highland 39071
- Hocking 39073
- Jackson 39079
- Lawrence 39087
- Licking 39089
- Lucas 39095
- Madison 39097
- Marion 39101
- Meigs 39105
- Mercer 39107
- Miami 39109
- Monroe 39111
- Montgomery 39113
- Morgan 39115
- Paulding 39125
- Pickaway 39129
- Preble 39135
- Putnam 39137
- Richland 39139
- Ross 39141
- Sandusky 39143
- Seneca 39147
- Union 39159
- Van Wert 39161
- Vinton 39163
- Warren 39165
- Washington 39167
- Wayne 39169
- Williams 39171
- Wood 39173
- Wyandot 39175
Oklahoma view state ↗ 20 N ▾
Pennsylvania view state ↗ 7 N ▾
South Carolina view state ↗ 2 N ▾
Tennessee view state ↗ 37 N ▾
- Anderson 47001
- Bedford 47003
- Blount 47009
- Cheatham 47021
- Claiborne 47025
- Clay 47027
- Coffee 47031
- Davidson 47037
- DeKalb 47041
- Dickson 47043
- Hamilton 47065
- Hancock 47067
- Hardin 47071
- Haywood 47075
- Houston 47083
- Humphreys 47085
- Jackson 47087
- Knox 47093
- Lake 47095
- Lauderdale 47097
- Lewis 47101
- Lincoln 47103
- Loudon 47105
- Marshall 47117
- Maury 47119
- Montgomery 47125
- Moore 47127
- Obion 47131
- Roane 47145
- Rutherford 47149
- Shelby 47157
- Smith 47159
- Stewart 47161
- Sumner 47165
- Tipton 47167
- Williamson 47187
- Wilson 47189
Texas view state ↗ 30 N ▾
- Austin 48015
- Brazoria 48039
- Brazos 48041
- Collin 48085
- Comal 48091
- Cooke 48097
- Dallas 48113
- Denton 48121
- Ellis 48139
- Fannin 48147
- Fort Bend 48157
- Franklin 48159
- Gillespie 48171
- Grayson 48181
- Harris 48201
- Jackson 48239
- Johnson 48251
- Lamar 48277
- Liberty 48291
- McLennan 48309
- Montgomery 48339
- Polk 48373
- Red River 48387
- Rockwall 48397
- Tarrant 48439
- Tyler 48457
- Van Zandt 48467
- Walker 48471
- Waller 48473
- Wharton 48481
Virginia view state ↗ 27 N ▾
- Amherst 51009
- Appomattox 51011
- Augusta 51015
- Botetourt 51023
- Buckingham 51029
- Charles City 51036
- Charlotte 51037
- Clarke 51043
- Fairfax 51059
- Fluvanna 51065
- Frederick 51069
- Isle of Wight 51093
- James City 51095
- Lee 51105
- Loudoun 51107
- Montgomery 51121
- Page 51139
- Pittsylvania 51143
- Powhatan 51145
- Prince George 51149
- Pulaski 51155
- Rockbridge 51163
- Rockingham 51165
- Scott 51169
- Shenandoah 51171
- Warren 51187
- Wythe 51197
§5Sources & provenance
USDA PLANTS
Symbol, taxonomy, distribution, cultivation specs, native status. Public domain.
plants.usda.gov/RUST2 ↗GBIF Backbone
Canonical taxonomic identity, synonym resolution, cross-refs. CC0.
gbif.org/species/5415414 ↗Record version
Cached and built locally. Source version on this record:
usda-plants-mt-2026-05-26
fetched 2026-05-26T11:35:19Z