Mexican Heather Cuphea hyssopifolia
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KOO-fee-ah hiss-sop-ih-FOH-lee-ah
- Description
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Mexican Heather or False Heather is a small evergreen shrub native to Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. It has naturalized to Hawaii and is considered weedy there. It is moderately salt-tolerant, adaptable to various soils with good drainage in full sun and tolerates high summer heat and some drought but grows best with regular moisture. It is a perennial in zones 9 and higher but is generally grown as an annual.
The small lavender-purple flowers appear singly in the leaf axis along the stem and bloom profusely till frost. The plant tends to grow to 2 feet tall and wide in a rounded shape with multiple stems and is evergreen in warm climates or indoors. Use as a border plant, along walkways or as a container plant on patios or indoors.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cuphea
- Species:
- hyssopifolia
- Family:
- Lythraceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The leaves and flowers are used as a tonic and in the treatment of fevers and coughs. They are also used as an insecticide
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras
- Distribution:
- South America, Hawaii
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 8 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Trumpet
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Lavender-purple trumpet-shaped flowers with 6 petals and green calx tubes grow singly in the leaf axils. Blooms till frost
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- 3/4 inch glossy green leaves are lance-shaped and crowded along the stem. In warm climates or indoors they are evergreen
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Green stems with hairs
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Hanging Baskets
- Houseplants
- Patio
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Heat
- Humidity
- Salt
