PlantFiles: Desert Petunia, Florida Bluebells, Mexican Petunia, Mexican Blue Bells
Ruellia brittoniana 'Purple Fountain'

I esp. love the mound, I have pink, white, and purple, along with the taller purple and pink fountain. The only thing with the mounds is the flowers drive me crazy because they stick to the foliage, I go around trying to unglue them all the time lol

I love my Mexican Petunias. Mine are the non invasive type, not the more wild invasive variety. Mine have stems resembling hardwood bamboo type canes. They have a tropical look. Can be planted as a tropical type hedge about 12" apart.. Mine have gotten as tall as about 24". They might have gotten a little taller but I take cuttings from them often, so they stay at around 24 " or less. Very attractive foliage. They're evergreens here in Florida. They bloom profusely from spring till early fall. Very hardy, drought tolerant. Not much except overwatering seems to bother them. They can be easily propagated from cuttings as small as 2".
Flowers are delicate looking, but hardy. They last a day.
Have had no pests bother mine so far. We just had a hurricane and although it took down a big piece of my grandfather oak tree, knocked down two other trees, and blew over or destroyed a lot of plants. Not one of my more then one dozen Mexican petunias were damaged.
I really fell in love with it two years ago after realizing that it was out-doing all my other plans, even native ones, as far as hardiness.( This is for the non invasive Mexican Petunias, Not the wild invasive ones.)
Flowers bloom early in the morning till around 3:00-4:00PM It's just been a joy to have them. I find myself going outside several times a day, just to gaze at the lovely pink flowers. It was the best $ 2.95
I ever spent. I've gotten over a dozen plants from it.
I LOVE this plant!