Texas Plume Ipomopsis rubra
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Gilia rubra
- Phonetic Spelling
- eye-poh-MOP-sis ROO-brah
- Description
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Standing cypress is a herbaceous biannial or short-lived perennial in the phlox family (Polemoniaceae) native to the southeastern United States. It can be found growing in dry, sandy or rocky fields, open woods, sandhills, coastal strands and beach dunes. The genus name comes from the Greek ipo meaning to strike and opsis meaning appearance for the showy flowers. The specific epithet means red.
When grown from seed, the plant blooms the second year, then dies but readily reseeds to keep it going in your garden. Standing cypress prefers sandy or rocky loams that are well-drained in full sun but will tolerate light shade. It will grow 2 to 6 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide. Drought-tolerant and deer-resistant.
In summer, stems are topped with spike-like clusters of red tubular flowers that are yellow speckled with red on the inside. They attract ruby-throated hummingbirds, long-tongued bees and butterflies. In the first year, a rossette of feathery leaves with finely divided thread-like segments forms. The second year it sends up a leafy stalk.
Use standing cypress in a naturalized area, in a pollinator garden, a cottage garden and borders or groups.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Root rot can occur in too-wet soils. No significant pest problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape :
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ipomopsis
- Species:
- rubra
- Family:
- Polemoniaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Wildflowers
- Life Cycle:
- Biennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeastern United States
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MO , MS , NC , NJ , NY , OH , OK , SC , TN , TX , VA , WI
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts hummingbirds
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer tolerant, Drought tolerant
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Two-section capsule containing shiny black seeds
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- fused petals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The terminal panicle of tubular red flowers that have 5 flared petals. The inside of the flowers is marked with orange or yellowish spots.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Soft
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Pinnatifid
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Finely divided compound leaves have a feathery appearance and are up to 1 inch long. Starts out as a rosette the first year the sends up a leafy stalk the second year and has a similar look to fennel until it blooms
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Leafy green stem with hairs,
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
