Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Shrub
Origin
Madagascar
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Cuphea hyssopifolia
Number of Varieties
5035
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
subtropical regions, Tropical areas
Tropical areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-159-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
25.40 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.20 cm30.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Pink, Peach
White, Pink, Light Pink, Lavender, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
Oblong to lance-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Cuttings, Divison, Layering, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively, Needs less watering, Needs small amount of 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
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
14-14-14 Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
aster yellow, Leaf spot, Red blotch, Root rot, Slugs, Snails, Stem rot
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Pollution, Salt
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Butterflies
Allergy
Toxic if not prepared properly
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover, Hanging Basket, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Borders, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Diabetes, Hodgkin's lymphoma., Leukemia, Sore throat
Dysentry, Eye Infection, Indigestion, Organ Stones
Part of Plant Used
Flowering Tips, Leaves, stalk
Flowering Tips, Flowers, Leaves, Shoots, Stem
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Traditional medicine, Use in Chinese herbology
Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Foundation, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
CATHARANTHUS roseus
CUPHEA hyssopifolia
Common Name
Cooler Apricot Vinca, Madagascar Periwinkle, Vinca
False Heather, Mexican Heather, Hawaiian Heather
In Hindi
Vinca
Mexican Heather
In German
Rosafarbene Catharanthe
Mexican Heather
In French
Pervenche de Madagascar
Mexicaine Heather
In Spanish
Catharanthus roseus
Heather mexicana
In Greek
Catharanthus roseus
Μεξικού Heather
In Portuguese
Catharanthus roseus
Mexican Heather
In Polish
Katarantus różowy
Mexican Heather
In Latin
Catharanthus roseus
Mexicanus Heather
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Myrtales
Family
Apocynaceae
Lythraceae
Genus
Catharanthus
Cuphea
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Vicieae
-
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Lythroideae
Number of Species
8250
1
27800
👆🏻