Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
-
Types
Cuphea hyssopifolia
Chinese red birch, Betula fruticosa, Betula ermanii
Number of Varieties
3560
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical areas
Rocky areas, Sandy areas, Well Drained, Wet forest, Wet ground, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-154-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
7-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.30 cm1,219.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.40 cm762.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink, Lavender, Violet
Yellow, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Bronze, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Yellow, Red, Orange
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong to lance-shaped
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Divison, Layering, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs watering once a week, Requires more often in extreme heat
Average Water Needs, Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape
Prune in early spring, Prune in late winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove short branches
Fertilizers
14-14-14 Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize in late fall, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
-
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
-
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
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
Ants, Birds, Insects
Allergy
-
Itchiness, Pollen, Sore Throat
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Ground Cover
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Dysentry, Eye Infection, Indigestion, Organ Stones
anti-inflammatory, Arthritis, Bone strength, Dermatitis, Eczema, Eliminate toxins, Heart problems, High cholestrol, Immunity, Kidney problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowering Tips, Flowers, Leaves, Shoots, Stem
Whole plant
Other Uses
Showy Purposes
Used in paper industry
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Foundation, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
CUPHEA hyssopifolia
BETULA 'Crimson Frost'
Common Name
False Heather, Mexican Heather, Hawaiian Heather
Birch, Crimson Frost Birch
In Hindi
Mexican Heather
भोज पत्र
In German
Mexican Heather
Birke
In French
Mexicaine Heather
Arbre de bouleau
In Spanish
Heather mexicana
Abedul
In Greek
Μεξικού Heather
Birch Tree
In Portuguese
Mexican Heather
bétula
In Polish
Mexican Heather
Brzoza
In Latin
Mexicanus Heather
Caerulus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Fagales
Family
Lythraceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Cuphea
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Lythroideae
Carpinaceae
Number of Species
25034
1
27800
👆🏻