ShrubsMexican Petunia
Ruellia simplex
Mexican Petunia (Ruellia simplex) is a fast-growing shrub, hardy in USDA zones 8-10, that matures to about 3-4 ft × 2-3 ft. It does best in full sun and part shade with high water needs in well-drained, moist and occasionally-wet soil. Expect purple blooms in fall and summer. It attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, stands up well to deer, drought and heat, grows happily in containers.
- USDA zones
- 8-10
- Sun
- Full sun, Part shade
- Water
- High
- Mature size
- 3-4 ft × 2-3 ft
- Spacing
- 3 feet-6 feet
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Medium
- Soil
- Well-drained, Moist, Occasionally-wet
- Foliage
- Green, Purple
- Bloom color
- Purple
- Bloom season
- Fall, Summer
- Attracts
- Butterflies, Hummingbirds
- Tough against
- Deer, Drought, Heat, Humidity, Wet soil
- Watch out for
- Weedy
- Native to
- Caribbean, Central and South America, Mexico
In the landscape
Data sources
Freeze survival
Will it survive your winters?
Hardiness zones show a normal bad winter. We check the worst one — Mexican Petunia is hardy to about 10°F (estimated from USDA zone 8), so we'll score it against the real coldest nights your area has actually had.
Powered by ~35 years of daily lows from the nearest NOAA weather station. A risk read, not a guarantee — a sheltered spot or mature plant beats the odds.
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