Firecracker Plant Cuphea ignea
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Firecracker Plant:
- Phonetic Spelling
- KOO-fee-ah ig-NEE-ah
- Description
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Mexican Cigar Plant is somewhat drought tolerant but prefers light, well-watered and well-drained soil. This tender perennial that is grown as an annual can be wintered indoors in a sunny location, making a beautiful houseplant. It's neat, rounded shape, and year-round flowering also makes this plant suitable for containers.
Propagation can be accomplished by seed or stem cuttings. If doing cuttings, it is best to do in the fall and winter indoors. Watering should also be reduced at this time.
Insects, Diseases and Other plant Problems: Pinching the stem tips will help if the plant becomes leggy.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Plant Walls and Hedges
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cuphea
- Species:
- ignea
- Family:
- Lythraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Mexico and Jamaica
- Wildlife Value:
- Very attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Easy to Grow
- Textural
- Wildlife Food Source
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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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 pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 1/2 inch dry capsule
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 2-3 rays/petals
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- The 1.25" flower is a bright red calyx that is tipped with a thin, white rim and two small purple-black petals It will flower year-round and single blooms appear in the leaf axis.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The 1.5" lance-shape to oval evergreen leaves are dark green.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Reddish unbranched thin stems
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Patio
- Walkways
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
