Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants, Herbs
Shrub
Origin
-
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Cuphea hyssopifolia
Habitat
moist forests, Mountains
Tropical areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
9-15
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
H1, H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Cushion/Mound-forming
Flower Color
Purple, Pink, Lavender
White, Pink, Light Pink, Lavender, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Oblong to lance-shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Summer
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Cuttings, Divison, Layering, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
Needs watering once a week, Requires more often in extreme heat
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Compost
14-14-14 Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Red blotch, Trunk Rot
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
Butterflies, Leaf Hoppers
Butterflies
Allergy
Itchiness, Sore Throat
-
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Borders, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes, Removes pimples
-
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, soil stabilisation
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity, Tonic
Dysentry, Eye Infection, Indigestion, Organ Stones
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Flowering Tips, Flowers, Leaves, Shoots, Stem
Other Uses
Added to salads, Can be boiled and seasoned, pickled, Culinary use
Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Foundation, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
Averrhoa bilimbi
CUPHEA hyssopifolia
Common Name
Bilimbi, Mimbro
False Heather, Mexican Heather, Hawaiian Heather
In Hindi
Bilimbi
Mexican Heather
In German
bilimbi
Mexican Heather
In French
bilimbi
Mexicaine Heather
In Spanish
bilimbi
Heather mexicana
In Greek
bilimbi
Μεξικού Heather
In Portuguese
bilimbi
Mexican Heather
In Polish
bilimbi
Mexican Heather
In Latin
Rondo Beardtongue
Mexicanus Heather
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Oxalidales
Myrtales
Family
Oxalidaceae
Lythraceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Importance of Bilimbi and Mexican Heather
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Bilimbi and Mexican Heather. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Bilimbi and Mexican Heather as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Bilimbi is Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity and Tonic whereas of Mexican Heather is Dysentry, Eye Infection, Indigestion and Organ Stones. Bilimbi has beauty benefits as follows: Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes and Removes pimples while Mexican Heather has beauty benefits as follows: Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes and Removes pimples.
Compare Facts of Bilimbi vs Mexican Heather
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Bilimbi vs Mexican Heather and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Bilimbi are Itchiness and Sore Throat whereas of Mexican Heather have respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Bilimbi has no showy fruits and Mexican Heather has no showy fruits. Also Bilimbi is not flowering and Mexican Heather is not flowering . You can compare Bilimbi and Mexican Heather facts and facts of other plants too.