Mexican Petunia

I came across this plant a couple weeks ago and I noticed it because it’s flower stood out to me. Scientific name is Ruellia simplex and it looks like a normal common garden flower, but it can actually be a very aggressive invasive plant species, so aggressive, it is banned in some states. They are able to tolerate a wide range of conditions, surviving in both wetland and desert conditions. They are native to Mexico and the southwest region of the United States. The invasive form of this plant can be difficult to remove because of it’s large horizontal roots that grow above and below the ground and the worst part about this invasive plant is that the seeds form a mucous like gel when they get wet allowing them to stick to the soil like glue. However, developers have made different versions of this plant that are more responsible for gardens to grow.

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My iNaturalist post can be found here.

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