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Hardiness: USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F) USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F) USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F) USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F) USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F) USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F) USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Danger: N/A
Bloom Color: Purple
Bloom Time: Late Spring/Early Summer Mid Summer Late Summer/Early Fall Blooms repeatedly
Foliage: Herbaceous Smooth-Textured
Other details: May be a noxious weed or invasive Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping Self-sows freely; deadhead if you do not want volunteer seedlings next season
Soil pH requirements: 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Patent Information: Non-patented
Propagation Methods: By dividing the rootball From herbaceous stem cuttings From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall From seed; direct sow after last frost
Seed Collecting: Bag seedheads to capture ripening seed Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored N/A: plant does not set seed, flowers are sterile, or plants will not come true from seed
On Jan 24, 2004, tchappuis from Baton Rouge, LA wrote:
Great for filling in empty spaces. I filled one side of my yard with them, and though they took over the area, the result was striking. A day doesn't go by that someone walking by doesn't tell me how unbelievably pretty they are. I don't have to mow that area of the lawn any more-it's become a ground cover, a large mass of nothing but vivid purple. It's January, and it's just now stopped blooming.
On Aug 21, 2003, blumzalot from Trussville, AL wrote:
Way too invasive for me! I have been trying to get rid of this plant for two summers. It is a beautiful, striking plant, foliage and bloom, but was taking over my gardens. Spreads by roots and also by seed -- indestructable! Be sure you want it before you plant it.
On Aug 21, 2003, htop from San Antonio, TX (Zone 8b) wrote:
San Antonio, TX
Blue shade is an excellent ground cover that is a naturalized native plant in Texas. Mine are planted where they receive morning sun and mottled afternoon shade. They die to the ground in the winter if hard freezes occur, but appear again in the spring. I have found that they will spread more rapidly and in the directions you want them to go if you water out a distance from the plant (about 6 inches) in the spots you want them to reach. Last summer, I had fun experimenting with this technique. An easily transplanted and/or propagated plant (by stem cuttings), I have been sharing them with neighbors, relatives and friends. They are easily thinned (do not have deep, hard to pull roots as do many ruellia) when they start taking over a flower bed and you may wish to prune them from around other plants that they start to cover. Not picky about soil, not needing a lot of water, appearing to be insect pest free, fast growing, nice foliage and beautiful flowers make this an excellent ground cover.
We live in zone 7, in the desert southwest and sometimes have 100+ degree weather during the summer.
They bloom from June to and sometimes through Sept. in our area. They drop their flowers daily.
Blue Shade grows pods that burst open scattering seeds in all directions. Collect seeds only when pods turn black but before they burst. The heat from your hands will cause them to break open.
There does not seem to be a source for the selling of seeds as of yet.
Regional...
This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:
, Trussville, Alabama Fort Lauderdale, Florida Baton Rouge, Louisiana Belle Chasse, Louisiana Austin, Texas Bulverde, Texas Dallas, Texas Haltom City, Texas New Caney, Texas San Antonio, Texas Willis, Texas
