Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Katie Pink
Katie Pink is the pink form of Katie dwarf ruellia, a low mound of long, narrow dark green leaves topped with pink, petunia-like flowers. It stays about a foot tall and 1 to 2 feet wide, so it fits edging, small beds and patio pots. It flowers heavily through the warm months, from spring until frost. It takes full sun or part shade, and butterflies visit the flowers.
Best for: edging along walks and beds, patio pots and containers, small beds with light afternoon shade, and low mass plantings of pink.
Plant a row about 2 feet apart along a path or the front of a bed. It stays low, about a foot tall, and keeps flowering pink all season.
It does well in containers, so a pot of Katie Pink brings color right up to a patio or entry. It needs no deadheading to keep blooming.
It grows in full sun or part shade. In the Valley it does best with some light shade.
Frost burns the tops back each cold winter until you cut them off. In soggy soil, seedlings can come up that grow into the taller form, so pull them.
- Plant to plant2-3 ft apart, center to center
- Edging or mass planting2 ft apart, center to center
Water every few days at first, then stretch the time between soaks over the first two months. Water deeply and let the top of the soil dry before the next soak.
It handles drought once rooted but flowers best with regular water in summer. Water less in winter, and do not keep the soil soggy.
Frost can blacken the tops, but the roots take about 10 to 15°F. Cut it back in late winter to clear the damage and push new growth.
Seedlings can come up in moist soil and grow into the tall, spreading form. Pull them when you see them.
In the Valley it does best with some afternoon or light shade. More sun means more flowers, but too much shade makes it floppy.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Katie Pink get?
About a foot tall and 1 to 2 feet wide, in a low mound. It is a dwarf form of Mexican petunia.
How far apart should I plant Katie Pink?
About 2 to 3 feet apart, center to center, or 2 feet for edging and a mass planting that fills in. The Spacing tab has the numbers.
When does Katie Pink bloom?
Heavily through the warm months, from spring until the first frost. Each flower lasts about a day, but new ones keep opening, and it needs no deadheading.
Does it need sun or shade in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun or part shade. In the Valley it does best with some light or afternoon shade.
How often should I water Katie Pink?
Give it moderate water, with deep, regular soaks through summer and less in winter. It handles some drought once rooted, but it blooms best with regular summer water. Do not keep the soil soggy.
What happens to it in a freeze?
Frost damages the leaves and stems, but the roots take about 10 to 15°F. Cut it back in late winter and it regrows.
Does Katie Pink spread like tall Mexican petunia?
No, it spreads much less. The Katie dwarfs do not spread aggressively like the tall form, but they can still set some seed, so pull any seedlings you do not want.
Why are tall plants coming up near my Katie Pink?
Seedlings can sprout in moist soil and grow into the taller Mexican petunia form. Pull them to keep the bed low and tidy.
Can I grow Katie Pink in a pot?
Yes. It is a good container plant, and its low size suits patio pots. Set a pot by a patio or entry for close-up color.
Katie Pink vs Katie White vs Katie Purple
All three share the same low size and care, and the only difference is flower color: pink, white, or violet-blue. Pick the color you like, or mix them in one bed.
Does it attract butterflies and hummingbirds?
Yes. Butterflies, bees and hummingbirds visit the flowers. Plant it in sun or light shade near a patio to watch them.
Do deer eat Katie Pink?
Deer usually leave it alone, so it is a safe pick where deer visit.
Katie Pink for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Katie Pink (Ruellia simplex 'Katie Pink'), also sold as pink dwarf ruellia or 'Rosa', is a foot-tall Mexican petunia with pink flowers. It blooms from spring until frost in sun or part shade. This page covers size, spacing, water, shade, frost, seedlings and how it compares with the white and purple Katie.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Katie Pink dwarf ruellia in Arizona
Katie Pink is the pink form of Katie dwarf ruellia. It forms a low mound about a foot tall with long, narrow dark green leaves and pink petunia-like flowers from spring until frost.
How far apart to plant Katie Pink
Plant it about 2 to 3 feet apart, center to center. Use 2 feet for edging along a walk or a mass planting that fills in.
Katie Pink in sun or shade
It grows in full sun or part shade. In the Valley it does best with some light or afternoon shade.
Watering Katie Pink in Phoenix
Give it moderate water through the year. It handles some drought once rooted, but regular summer water keeps it blooming.
Does Katie Pink come back after frost?
Yes. Frost damages the tops, but the roots take about 10 to 15°F. Cut it back in late winter to clear the damage and it regrows.
Katie Pink vs tall Mexican petunia
Katie Pink stays about a foot tall and spreads far less than the tall form. Seedlings in moist soil can grow tall, so pull any that come up.
Katie Pink in containers
It is a good container plant for patios and entries. It needs no deadheading to keep flowering.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.