Ruellia simplex

Ruellia simplex 翠芦莉

Ruellia simplex, native to Central and South America and the Caribbean, is an attraction across Shenzhen’s parks for its papery, trumpet-shaped flowers. The flowers, mostly lavender to violet and white and pink for some rare varieties, last just a day. But the plant can produce a succession of profuse flowers on a daily basis from spring through fall. Visitors can see them in Honghu Park, Shenzhen Bay Park, Litchi Park, Lianhua Hill Park, and Shenzhen Children’s Park, among many others. Photos by Liu Minxia