Cane plant with purple flowers?

[obsessed]

So this grows infront of my house. It gets mostly sun and is just not very happy. It doesn't have many canes but when I pruned hard more came then nothing. The flowers drop off at night or towards the end of the day. If you tell me what it is and where to put it I will attempt to move it. If not it is going to have to go because it looks so sad and is at the center of my front bed.

Thanks

please ignore the weeds and grass that has grown around it. I will eventually get to them but first I needed to research Southern Plants and Gardening.

 

[Broke Down Ranch]

Looks like Mexican Petunia

 

[Greensage45]

It is Ruella (Mexican Petunia), but it sure has a thin leaf. This one must be slowly becoming some future subspecies. LOL

Mine have fat wide leaves, so thick you cannot see through the stand of bush.

Perhaps you need some new seed to introduce some new genetics!

Ron

 

[beefy]

mexican petunia

 

[obsessed]

OK so I did some research now that I know what it is and found that it is supposed to be an invasive plant that really likes water.

Dude, I got water. Most of my 1/2 acre lot holds water in some location or another. And that could be a reason why it is not growing well where it is. I have been here a year and have seen it have lots of flowers but the canes never multiply. When can I move it to a wateryier location? How can I make it grow thicker because it look so sad now. Maybe I should wait until spring.

 

[injunjoe]

In your second picture I can see a few seed pods. They is a bunch of seed in each.
To make them thicker they need hard pruning!
I have these growing all over the place in my yard.
Moving them will depend on how soon the first frost warning is due.
I would leave then there and collect seed.

 

[obsessed]

Dang I stared at them for a year and never noticed a seed pod. after finding out what they were yesterday I was starting to think they were the sterile variety because they have never produced much and I never found seed pod. After all I read. I think they are supposed to pretty prolific but I don't think they like where they are. They get good sun but maybe the soil is not so great. I haven't touched it in the year I have been here. And my neighbor said the plant always looked like that. Anyway, I was thinking of taking some cutting but would I want to if this is a poor specimen. Maybe I could try and see if they do better somewhere else.

 

[injunjoe]

Maybe she's just hungry!

 

[Greensage45]

Obsessed,

When I get your little care package, I want to send you your postage, so I will include a nice fresh pack of Mexican Petunia seeds. These grow in full sun, minimal water, and if you do water they turn into bushes! They have a wider leaf than yours, but display tons of blooms every day. Here are some shots of mine today! (not the best lighting--midday)

Wish I also had pink to share, but one day!

Ron :coolsun

 

[Greensage45]

I think I am going to take that same picture of the Feather Reed Grass and the Ruella again.

This time I am going to take a later afternoon-evening shot; I think it would come out much more impressive and show the qualities that make this a worthy candidate for the garden.

Most folks label this plant as 'invasive'...but really it is just aggressive, and hardy...don't we all wish all of our plants were this way!

Obsessed,
This stand of Ruella you see here in the picture with the seating area, this area will be cleared out entirely this winter. All of it will be removed. This is part of maintaining this plant. I have it coming up everywhere, I remove it where I don't want it early on, and as the seasons creep by it replaces itself. So the stands that I do let grow get very thick, and the new stuff is spread about everywhere but is small. It is like rotating crops I guess!

I compare this plant to the likes of 4 o'clocks; it can get thick and take over a large area, but it does look lovely! Right now I am doing a mix of Ruella and 4 o'clocks since they seem to be equal in nature and thickness. I also love to have tufts of ornamental grasses popping out of them! Oh...and Gaillardia too ....(Perhaps I should make a list to what I have available before I just send only Ruella.) Let me know!

Ron