Family: Acanthaceae

A flowering, herbaceous plant. Light green oval leaves are oppositely arranged. Light purple flowers with 5 fused petals and white centers grow from the stem ends. While the flowers last only 1 day, the plant blooms year-round. Native to the open woodlands of the South Eastern USA, it grows best with dappled shade. Although, the plants will grow leggy with too much shade. Seeds have a low viability-vegetative propagation from cuttings is best.

Plant Uses:

• Container plant
• Ornamental

Plant Dangers:

• No dangers

High Risk Traits:

• Congeneric weeds exist (R. coccinea, R. graecizans, R. patula, R. tuberosa)
  
• Recorded as a greenhouse weed (Poland)
  
• Shade tolerant
  
• Tolerates a wide range of soils (loamy, sandy, clay)
  
• Produces viable seed
  
• Dispersed intentionally as a ground cover
  
• Can contaminate plant material (produce contaminant)

Low Risk Traits:

• No naturalization outside native range
  
• No tropical/subtropical native range
  
• No spines, thorns, or burrs
  
• Not toxic to humans or animals
  
• Not allelopathic or parasitic
  
• Low seed production (4–20 seeds per capsule)
  
• Not dispersed by wind, water, birds, or external animals
  
• Palatable to grazers (reduces growth/reproduction)