Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Fruit
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southern Asia, India, Melanesia, Australia
Types
Cuphea hyssopifolia
Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis
Number of Varieties
351
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical areas
Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.30 cm370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.40 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink, Lavender, Violet
White, Purple
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong to lance-shaped
Oval
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring, Winter, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Divison, Layering, Seedlings
Budding, Cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs watering once a week, Requires more often in extreme heat
Keep the Soil well drained, Requires watering in the growing season
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape
Prune in spring, Remove branches, Remove branches that rub together, Remove crossing or rubbing branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
14-14-14 Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize in spring, fertilize in summer, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
-
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Ground Cover
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Dysentry, Eye Infection, Indigestion, Organ Stones
Respiratory Disorders, Soothing and relieving pain
Part of Plant Used
Flowering Tips, Flowers, Leaves, Shoots, Stem
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Showy Purposes
Making Perfumes, Traditional medicine, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Foundation, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Shade Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
CUPHEA hyssopifolia
CITRUS medica var. sarcodactylis
Common Name
False Heather, Mexican Heather, Hawaiian Heather
Buddha's Hand, Fingered Citron
In Hindi
Mexican Heather
Buddha's Hand
Tree
In German
Mexican Heather
Buddhas Hand
Baum
In French
Mexicaine Heather
Main de Bouddha
Arbre
In Spanish
Heather mexicana
Mano de Buda
Árbol
In Greek
Μεξικού Heather
Χέρι του Βούδα
Δέντρο
In Portuguese
Mexican Heather
Mão de Buda
Árvore
In Polish
Mexican Heather
Ręka Buddy
Drzewo
In Latin
Mexicanus Heather
Buddha manus
Arbor
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Myrtales
Sapindales
Family
Lythraceae
Rutaceae
Genus
Cuphea
Citrus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Lythroideae
-
Number of Species
2501
1
27800
👆🏻