Hi Dr. Hill!
I found this little beauty growing in the middle of some tall grass and weeds. It’s not as sharp as I’d like – shooting from a distance. Can’t find it on the Name that Plant pages. It looks similar to Reullia, but I can’t find one that looks just like it. The five lobes are not separated and it’s a trumpet shape. You can see the stems and leaves are hairy. Can you identify it, please?
Thank you!
Hi Vickey,
what you have there is a Petunia…I would hesitate to give it a species name since Petunias are generally hybrids, sometimes called Petunia x hybrida. They are closely related to the now popular flower Calibrachoa which resembles a small petunia. This must be an escape from cultivation. Ruellia is often called wild petunia, but they are in different plant families.
Sincerely,
Dr. Steven Hill, Botanist, SCNPS