I love this! Thanks for the great visuals and explanation of Ruellia's catapult seed-dispersal abilities (and that evocative description of the seeds being ejected inside the paper bag as the sound of popcorn polling). Great writing and science! BTW, have you read The Light-Eaters, Zoë Schlanger's look at plant's amazing lives? If not, you'll love it.
I love reading your anecdotes of interacting with nature! This one was especially amusing with the popping pods! Made me think of the year I saved seed from my snap peas...but they were bursting open as pea weavils emerged and were flying around my kitchen!
"Charles Darwin was the first to describe, in his 1862 Fertilisation of Orchids, that the outside of a pod dries and shrinks faster than the inside, creating tension. When dry enough, it bursts open suddenly, expelling the seeds."
Nice to see your reference to Darwin, that acute observer who, after 25 years of looking and thinking, developed his theory of life that still impacts many different fields of study.
This is wonderful, Diane. I appreciate your research! I have wild petunias in my garden and noticed that more had come up across the sidewalk from where the originals were planted. I figured the seeds got there somehow. Now, I know that they were catapulted! Amazing. Today, I find a great deal of hope in these petunias.
Diane, I’ve enjoyed these every summer since we came here to the Hill Country—and never once observed their seed dispersal! How have I missed that? But I never will again, now that I’ve seen your marvelous, meticulous photographic record of the process. Thank you!
A funny story about these. Back in the 90s, we had a wonderful mated pair of Toulouse geese name Mama Superior and Papa Macho. Papa LOVED those blue blossoms and nipped off every single one he saw. There are always many, so he didn’t really put a dent in the population—it was just sweet and funny to watch him enjoying his wild petunia snacks.
I received some wild petunia starts from you several years ago. This year I was surprised to find one across the yard from where I planted them. I thought it was because I had moved the soil from place to place. Now I know the real reason. Lovely!
Yes, I find my mind not drawn much to news and commentary of late. But petunias, now there's something worth contemplating. Thanks for your comment with your characteristic unique perspective.
Not closely related, actually. By which I mean that if you buy petunias in the garden center they will be in the Solanaceae, or nightshade family. The Wild Petunia is Ruellia humilis, in the Acanthaceae, or Acanthus family.
But I really think they SHOULD be garden flowers. The flowers are a bit smaller, but they do very well under harsh conditions and poor soil. The flowers don't wilt in hot weather.
I do love humilis, lowly, in its meanings as usually only a foot tall AND a humble little flower. I find the name endearing. And I always think of it as Ruellia.
Diane, what a fun and educational post!! Your curiosity has educated me and I am sure many others!! Thank you for sharing your exploration, research, and creative mind in such a fun to read post!!
Thanks to you sharing a few wild petunia plants with me....Like you, I now have wild petunias all over my yard and planting beds. :-))
Isn't it great how they jump to new locations? They grow wild in several places on my land, but the ones I moved to the garden are vastly more vigorous and floriferous than the ones growing wild.
I have to agree with Juliet. That was incredibly fascinating. I appreciate the lengths to which you went to in order to sate your curiosity and I’m very grateful that you chose to share it. Thank you.
That's fascinating, I like the way you made your own scientific explorations here. Here in the UK, when walking on a hot dry day among gorse bushes, you can often hear the popping of the seed pods releasing the seeds. But I've never looked at the process as closely as you have done here.
Gorse is native in the UK and although it can spread too much in some areas and need to be managed, it offers great nest spots for many birds and home to a lot of insects. Rabbits seem to like to hide the entrances to their warrens underneath gorse bushes too!
I love this! Thanks for the great visuals and explanation of Ruellia's catapult seed-dispersal abilities (and that evocative description of the seeds being ejected inside the paper bag as the sound of popcorn polling). Great writing and science! BTW, have you read The Light-Eaters, Zoë Schlanger's look at plant's amazing lives? If not, you'll love it.
Thank you. And, I have. And, I did! And I think it's the best botanical title I ever encountered.
I loved this piece! Thank you for allowing me to share your essays with my readers.
https://www.bleedingheartland.com/2024/11/27/wild-petunias-and-their-springing-seeds/
Thanks for including it on your cool page!
I love reading your anecdotes of interacting with nature! This one was especially amusing with the popping pods! Made me think of the year I saved seed from my snap peas...but they were bursting open as pea weavils emerged and were flying around my kitchen!
Oh no! That must have been most disconcerting!
I can laugh about it now! But it was shocking at the time!
"Charles Darwin was the first to describe, in his 1862 Fertilisation of Orchids, that the outside of a pod dries and shrinks faster than the inside, creating tension. When dry enough, it bursts open suddenly, expelling the seeds."
Nice to see your reference to Darwin, that acute observer who, after 25 years of looking and thinking, developed his theory of life that still impacts many different fields of study.
I'm always happy to find another admirer of Charles Darwin.
Marvelous! Reads like a thriller / mystery. Thanks for sharing your curiosity with us.
High praise! Thank you.
This is wonderful, Diane. I appreciate your research! I have wild petunias in my garden and noticed that more had come up across the sidewalk from where the originals were planted. I figured the seeds got there somehow. Now, I know that they were catapulted! Amazing. Today, I find a great deal of hope in these petunias.
Yes, I'm going for your idea about hope in wild petunias!
Diane, I’ve enjoyed these every summer since we came here to the Hill Country—and never once observed their seed dispersal! How have I missed that? But I never will again, now that I’ve seen your marvelous, meticulous photographic record of the process. Thank you!
A funny story about these. Back in the 90s, we had a wonderful mated pair of Toulouse geese name Mama Superior and Papa Macho. Papa LOVED those blue blossoms and nipped off every single one he saw. There are always many, so he didn’t really put a dent in the population—it was just sweet and funny to watch him enjoying his wild petunia snacks.
I would have liked to see Papa Macho munching the petunias.
I received some wild petunia starts from you several years ago. This year I was surprised to find one across the yard from where I planted them. I thought it was because I had moved the soil from place to place. Now I know the real reason. Lovely!
That is so neat. Thanks for letting me know it worked.
CAUTION! Wild Petunia Explosions!!
Stannnd back (at least 8 feet)!!
Oh, and also beware of the Wild Petunia Woman, bearing Exploding Seed Pods!
Calm er down and she'll tell you the Rest Of The Petunia Story!
😁
(P.S. Wonderful diversion from the same-same-old-news.)
Yes, I find my mind not drawn much to news and commentary of late. But petunias, now there's something worth contemplating. Thanks for your comment with your characteristic unique perspective.
I love the details you bring to the lives of plants.
Thank you kindly Murray.
Pretty. Are they related to the petunias we use in the garden?
Not closely related, actually. By which I mean that if you buy petunias in the garden center they will be in the Solanaceae, or nightshade family. The Wild Petunia is Ruellia humilis, in the Acanthaceae, or Acanthus family.
But I really think they SHOULD be garden flowers. The flowers are a bit smaller, but they do very well under harsh conditions and poor soil. The flowers don't wilt in hot weather.
Here, I think they are more often called Ruellia (than wild petunia). Don't you just love the name humilis?? We've sometimes seen white ones, as well.
I do love humilis, lowly, in its meanings as usually only a foot tall AND a humble little flower. I find the name endearing. And I always think of it as Ruellia.
Diane, what a fun and educational post!! Your curiosity has educated me and I am sure many others!! Thank you for sharing your exploration, research, and creative mind in such a fun to read post!!
Thanks to you sharing a few wild petunia plants with me....Like you, I now have wild petunias all over my yard and planting beds. :-))
Isn't it great how they jump to new locations? They grow wild in several places on my land, but the ones I moved to the garden are vastly more vigorous and floriferous than the ones growing wild.
I have to agree with Juliet. That was incredibly fascinating. I appreciate the lengths to which you went to in order to sate your curiosity and I’m very grateful that you chose to share it. Thank you.
Gosh thanks Michelle.
That's fascinating, I like the way you made your own scientific explorations here. Here in the UK, when walking on a hot dry day among gorse bushes, you can often hear the popping of the seed pods releasing the seeds. But I've never looked at the process as closely as you have done here.
Thanks Juliet. I have heard of gorse but have never seen it. Is it a beneficial native plant in the UK?
Gorse is native in the UK and although it can spread too much in some areas and need to be managed, it offers great nest spots for many birds and home to a lot of insects. Rabbits seem to like to hide the entrances to their warrens underneath gorse bushes too!