Wild petunia colony along Shoal Creek

Yesterday I wandered along Shoal Creek south of 34th St. and found this colony of wild petunias, Ruellia nudiflora, flowering along the edge of the creek.

¿Having trouble making out the flowers in the broad landscape photograph above? If so, fasten your seat belt and click the strip below.

ADDITION: Many people are familiar with the hybridized garden petunias that are members of the nightshade family. In contrast, and in spite of the name, wild petunias are in the acanthus family and are therefore unrelated. Someone apparently saw a superficial resemblance, but of course not all that glitters is gold, and now we can add that not every plant called a petunia is one.

© 2015 Steven Schwartzman