Hi Bonnie,

I've been stalking this plant for about three years, and I finally found one at a garden expo this spring! I'm so excited.

I'm in 7A. I *think* it's supposed to be marginal here, but I have lots of gardening friends who grow it.

However, since it's my first year with it too, I have no idea when it usually comes up. I hope yours comes back! I am crazy about the dark stems, leaves, flowers - I love everything about the way it looks.

Hi, I have the pink like your purple Ruellia planted next to purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, the traditional, old fashion coneflower, & cut them both back to a few inches above the ground for winter.

This year the coneflower leafed out lst but the Ruellia has caught up & is just a little bit shorter right now. It spreads & is starting to fill in the empty spaces. You can prune it to make it bushier & easily root the cuttings. Just be sure that it is not invasive in your area!

Sorry took so long to respond. Internet issues :(

So yours is already UP??!! Guess that means what I transplanted isn't going to come up since I see NOTHING. Should I assume it's never going to and plant something else there instead? Right now, it's just a big empty spot in the back.

Hi Bonnie, I found a gw thread from the Oklahoma forum with people growing it in 7a. Mulching in winter could be helpful. . I would give it more time as it might need a certain hot temperature for several weeks to leaf out. How hot has it been there? Do any of your friends or relatives have coneflowers? It might leaf out & bloom about the same time as those, so you could go around & look at their coneflowers. Coneflowers bloom by July 4 some places. Sooner here where it is warm. Notice in my picture how it spreads. I planted 1 thin stalk and now there's a whole new section toward the front. Good luck with yours! Here are links that might be useful: Mexican Petunias in zone 7 Florida Category I invasive species, meaning it takes over and they can't get rid of it

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Hi River!! Great pic & looks like how they look next door when first coming up (where I got them from ).

But never paid attention to WHEN they come up...so stupid me...hadn't thought to just walk over there (it's just across the driveway next door) to see what hers are doing NOW....duhhh. Thanks for the thunk on the head...LOL.

And really appreciate the suggestion about checking out coneflowers. She has some on the other side of house so I need to check them out as well. Don't think they've bloomed yet.

I keep saying "she" -- it is my landlord's house whom I became friends with and she became my garden 'guru' but she moved and rented out the house and no one since has taken care of her flowers.

I "can" go over there and look -- and DO wander around periodically, but don't feel that comfortable since someone else lives there now. However, she WANTS me to keep an eye on things. An odd situation for me, ya know?

But I'm so glad you suggested comparing both. That makes great sense!!

PS - didn't check out link yet about invasive. Can tell they really spread where she has them so thanks for the reminder.

Do you still have this plant? I live in Virginia had one about 2 years ago, loved it and have been unable to find one since. Would love to have another.

It took over my yard in down town austin. It is a seed spitter . Hit me in the eye one day. I HATE this plant. I would suggest all of you to not plant it. It is an invasive. in Z8 Texas . Then again, if you are where it will get killed by the cold winter, you do not have toworry about this. I spent hours and hours and days digging it out of the ground. I finally moved and when I took my other plants I took them bare root. I did like it when I first saw it. That is why I planned it BUT I lived to rue the day. I live happily and sleep soundly Ruella free.

I'm in zone 8 also. It is extremely invasive. I bought a 3 gallon pot of it about 12 years ago and sat the pot in the flower bed in my backyard. I never got around to taking it out of the pot (young mother, went from 1 child to 3 when I had twins), but it took over the flower bed (about 3' X 10'). I finally dug everything I could out of the flower bed 3 years ago and I still have to dig up new shoots to this day. Pretty, but a horrible plant where it is hardy.