|                    Carolina wild petunia
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                |                    Ruellia caroliniensis  
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                |                    Acanthaceae 
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                 Landscape Uses:
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                 Wildflower gardens. | 
               
                Ecological Restoration Notes:  | 
               
              
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                 An uncommon understory herb in mesic flatwoods. | 
               
              
                | Availability: | 
               
              
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                 Widely available in central Florida. Available at native plant nurseries in northeast and South Florida. | 
               
              
                | Description: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Small to medium wildflower. | 
               
              
                | Height: | 
               
              
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                 Typically 6-15 inches in height.  Usually erect and taller than broad. | 
               
              
                | Growth Rate: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Moderate. | 
               
              
                | Range: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Eastern and central United States west to Texas and south to Broward and Collier counties.  Perhaps extirpated in Broward County. | 
               
              
                | Habitats: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Pinelands. | 
               
              
                | Soils: | 
               
              
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                 Moist, well-drained sandy soils, without humus. | 
               
              
                | Nutritional Requirements: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils. | 
               
              
                | Salt Water Tolerance: | 
               
              
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                 Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water. | 
               
              
                | Salt Wind Tolerance: | 
               
              
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                 Low; salt wind may burn the leaves. | 
               
              
                | Drought Tolerance: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 High; does not require any supplemental water once established. | 
               
              
                | Light Requirements: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Full sun. | 
               
              
                | Flower Color: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Blue or pink. | 
               
              
                | Flower Characteristics: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Showy. | 
               
              
                | Flowering Season: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Spring-summer. | 
               
              
                | Fruit: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Inconspicuous capsule. | 
               
              
                | Wildlife and Ecology: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Larval host plant for common buckeye (Junonia coenia) and white peacock (Anartia jatrophae) butterflies. It also attract pollinators.
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                | Horticultural Notes: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Can be grown from seeds, cuttings and divisions. | 
               
              
                | Comments: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 It will spread from seed in the garden, but is not aggressive. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's  Flower Friday page. | 
               
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                    George D. Gann, 2017 In cultivation, Florida
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                    Susan Lerner, cultivated at Pan's Garden, Town of Palm Beach, Florida, USA.
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                    Susan Lerner, cultivated at Pan's Garden, Town of Palm Beach, Florida, USA.
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