NOTE: The terms Mexican petunia and Ruellia brittonianaorRuellia simplex are identical in this text; in reality, Ruellia brittonianaorRuellia simplex is Mexican petunia’s biological word.
Despite its name, this Mexico-native evergreen is not a petunia. It is known for its petunia-like purple flowers that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Its leaves are green and lance-shaped.
Why does my Ruellia brittonianaorRuellia simplex roots have rot?
Root rot on your Mexican petunia (Ruellia brittonianaorRuellia simplex) can be dangerous if left untreated. In order to keep your plant alive, we strongly suggest that you follow our advice if the signs start to show: blackened and mushy roots.
Why does my Mexican petunia have gray mold spots?
Gray mold spots are a type of fungus that is found a lot in flowers, and spreads quite rapidly. If you notice brown (or gray) spots, it is probably this fungus. Don’t ignore these symptoms, as they may end up killing your plant.
Our Solution
The answer is obvious once you recognize the cause of the problem. Most frequently, it results from the Ruellia brittonianaorRuellia simplex being overwatered. We strongly advise you to remove the damaged plant parts, cut off the diseased roots and leaves, and then repot your plant in a new container with sterile potting soil.
Why does my Mexican petunia have leaf spots?
If your plants exhibit symptoms like rapid color changes in the leaves or leaves that wilt or droop, we give you all the information you need to recognize them and rescue your plants. For owners of Mexican petunia, this kind of illness is among the most distressing.
Why are my Mexican petunia leaves turning yellow?
Yellowing leaves are arguably the most prevalent issue in the gardening world. Overwatering or a lack of nutrients are the 2 main causes of this issue.
When it’s overwatering, simply reduce your watering frequency, and if you think it’s a nutrient deficiency, here’s how to check it:
Each deficiency produces a different yellowing on the Ruellia brittonianaorRuellia simplex in question, here’s how to spot them:
- Yellow patches between leaf veins on elder leaves are the first sign of magnesium shortage. Veins continue to be green while the leaf’s core turns yellow. The leaf’s edges yellow last.
- Iron deficiency also shows as yellowing between leaf veins, but it hits young leaves on plant tops and branch tips first.
- Sulfur shortage first affects the youngest leaves, turning them entirely yellow.
- Leaf edges turning bright yellow but inside leaf remaining green are signs of potassium insufficiency. The symptoms first appear on older leaves, and the leaf edges quickly become dark.
- Nitrogen deficiency shows up as a general yellowing. Older, inner leaves turn yellow first. As it progresses, yellowing moves outward, eventually reaching young leaves, too.
Our Solution
You only need to act in accordance with the symptoms listed above. You can address a potassium or nitrogen deficiency by buying a particular soil, and a gardening store consultant will be able to advise you on how to do that. Furthermore, you can also limit how frequently you water your plants.
Is my Mexican petunia sunburned?
You can easily tell if your Mexican petunia (your Ruellia brittonianaorRuellia simplex) has a sunburn. In this case, your plant will change color, starting to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.
The leaves of your Mexican petunia can also change color in case it gets too much water or not enough light, as we saw above.
To find out if the yellow leaves have been sunburned, look at the part of the bottom that is tinted closer to the base. The yellow leaf is probably burnt and not something else if this portion stays greener.
Why are my Mexican petunia leaves turning brown?
A plant’s browning leaves are typically a symptom that it has been sunburned and has been exposed to excessive amounts of direct sunlight. Don’t worry; your plant probably won’t perish as a result, but its growth will be negatively impacted.
Should I leave my Ruellia brittonianaorRuellia simplex in direct sunlight?
No! Don’t leave your Ruellia brittonianaorRuellia simplex (or Mexican petunia) in the sun if it displays the symptoms mentioned above; that’s why it’s in such a bad situation.
Our Solution
The remedy, as said in the paragraph above, is simple: just move your plant’s Mexican petunia out of direct sunlight. Your plant should swiftly re-grow with this strategy and appropriate watering.
Why are my Ruellia brittonianaorRuellia simplex leaves drooping or wilting ?
This typically occurs when your Ruellia brittonianaorRuellia simplex gets dehydrated. Large plants are more at risk since they naturally require more water than smaller plants.
You may quickly determine if your Ruellia brittonianaorRuellia simplex plant needs water by under-weighing its pot; if it seems light, the soil and roots are probably fairly dry and require water.
Our Solution
In order to ensure that the roots of your plant receive the water’s benefits, you must first moisten the soil in the container if it is absolutely dry. One common error is to immediately drown the Mexican petunia after a dry period in the belief that it requires a lot of water.
This is true, but the easiest way to end it is to give too much water at once. Instead, you should water the soil properly, returning to a peaceful watering rhythm.
Caring Tips for Ruellia brittonianaorRuellia simplex
Water Occasionally
Water is necessary for your plant to live, but timing and amount of watering must be balanced. Overwatering could have disastrous effects on your own name, as we already mentioned.
You can tell if your plant needs water by touching the soil; if it still feels damp, it’s usually preferable to wait a few more days.
Always keep temperatures stable
It is also a good idea to keep your Ruellia brittonianaorRuellia simplex at a stable temperature (especially if it is kept indoors!). At GreenShack, we generally recommend staying in the 65 and 85 degrees F range. Of course, do not place your Ruellia brittonianaorRuellia simplex near a source of hot (or cold) air such as A/C units, radiators or the like.
Keep your Mexican petunia Dust-Free
This one is about houseplants. Your indoor plants’ leaves get dusty just like your furniture does. The problem is that this might prevent photosynthesis from beginning, which would result in the plants gradually losing their color.
This would also make the pests happy, a real descent into hell for your Mexican petunia.
To remove the dust, gently rub the plant’s leaves with a microfiber cloth. Dust can be removed more easily with a damp cloth, but stay away from corrosive substances like rubbing alcohol!
Keep drainage in mind
If you have a tendency to overwater, you need to keep an eye on your drainage, we advise you to opt for a pot with drainage holes if it is not already the case and a saucer.
In the meantime, if you don’t have holes in your pots, you can add volcanic rocks (or any rocks with holes) at the bottom of your pot, this way it will create a channel so that the water doesn’t stay in your skin too much (to avoid that roots start to rot!)
