Mexican Petunias!

The last week has been moderately quiet. DH and I felt like generals who lead the troops through a battle. After the farm auction and all before it, we felt shell-shocked, sat on the deck when possible and vegged like catatonic beasts.

Then yesterday we met St. Louis friends for lunch at a half-way point on I44. It was so pleasant, quiet atmosphere, a sandwich with iced tea, and friends. We swapped books, and my friend brought me a load of Mexican petunias.
She has gotten them for me the last four years because we have connected during planting seasons. This year was more of a push and I appreciate her efforts for me!

Since Mexican Petunias or Rueilla is becoming more popular, I was hoping to find some plants locally. No such luck. The one greenhouse said they that had them for about four years but no longer carry them because no one bought them. The plants are on a warning list in Florida and are considered a pest plant there. A perennial and native of Mexico, most winters are too harsh for them here. So I have just enjoyed fresh plants each year and get new in the spring.

Mexican petunias grow about 3 feet tall and have luscious blue, white or purple flowers with trumpet shapes. So they might resemble a petunia, but the foliage is long and lance-like which is very different from a traditional petunia. The flowers come out in the morning and then drop off in the evenings. I have read they can bear a fruit, but I have never seen it. The butterflies love the flowers, and we enjoy the plants near our bird baths for both flowers and visiting butterflies.

So these babies need to be planted and we will see what we have soon. I got some for friends too. Everyone should have a taste of a Mexican petunia on their deck or in their garden!

Do you have Mexican petunias in your garden?