Ruella Purple Showers

Purple Showers (scientifically known as Ruellia simplex 'Purple Showers', or Mexican Petunia) is a tough, upright, clumping perennial featuring vibrant violet-blue trumpet flowers and dark purple stems. Unlike wild Mexican petunias, this specific cultivar is sterile, 
meaning it does not produce viable seeds or spread invasively around the yard.

Plant Facts & Features 
• Size: Grows 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide.
• Flowers: Produces 2-inch wide, petunia-like purple blossoms continuously from late spring until the first frost.
• Foliage: Dark green, willow-like leaves set on upright purplish stems.
• Wildlife: Highly attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds, while remaining largely resistant to deer.

Care & Growing Conditions 
• Sunlight: Thrives best in full sun to partial shade (at least 6 hours of sun daily for maximum blooms).
• Soil: Extremely versatile; it handles wet, soggy soils near ponds just as well as dry drought conditions once its roots are established.
• Hardiness: Grows outdoors reliably in USDA Zones 8 through 11. In colder zones, it can act as a container plant brought indoors for winter.
• Maintenance: Low upkeep. Cut back stems in late winter or early spring to encourage fresh, dense growth.