Field ManualAll plants

Wild petunia
Ruellia humilis
Pet & Human Safety
People: No hazard foundPets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them
PlotAndPetal cannot tell you whether a plant you found can be eaten. Only someone who can see the plant can identify it.
Poison control
If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.
Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.
Naturalist Lore
Historical Background & Breeding Lore
The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.
Get the app: coming soonCare
- Hardiness zones
Not checked yet
- Light
Full sun (Tennessee Smart Yards, University of Tennessee).
- Water needs
low
- Mature size
Usually no more than one foot tall (Illinois DNR); about 1 foot (Tennessee Smart Yards, University of Tennessee); 1 to 2 feet (Nebraska NebGuide G1074).
How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.
Get the app: coming soonAnatomy & Guilds
Botanical Anatomy & Characteristics
How the flowers and leaves are built and which pollinators visit, where we have them.
Get the app: coming soonField Doctor
Field Doctor
What can go wrong with this plant and what to do about it, where we have them.
Get the app: coming soonVintage Plates
Vintage Plates
Old botanical drawings from public libraries are in the app, for plants where we have them.
Get the app: coming soonSources
- Illinois Department of Natural Resources, For Your Garden October 2018: wild petunia
- University of Tennessee, Tennessee Smart Yards: Ruellia humilis
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, G1074 Wildflowers for the Home Landscape: Perennials for Sunny Sites
- Missouri Department of Conservation, Wild Petunia (Smooth Ruellia) field guide (lookalike mention only)
- Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) name file, dated 2026-06-04