Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Shrub
Shrub
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southern Africa
Types
Cuphea hyssopifolia
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Number of Varieties
3520
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical areas
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
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
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.30 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.40 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink, Lavender, Violet
White
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
-
Light Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark 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
Oblong to lance-shaped
Elliptic and Ovate
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
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Shade areas
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Divison, Layering, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs watering once a week, Requires more often in extreme heat
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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, 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 if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
14-14-14 Fertilizer
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
-
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shade areas
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
Birds
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Ground Cover
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Dysentry, Eye Infection, Indigestion, Organ Stones
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowering Tips, Flowers, Leaves, Shoots, Stem
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Showy Purposes
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, 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
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
CUPHEA hyssopifolia
CARISSA macrocarpa
Common Name
False Heather, Mexican Heather, Hawaiian Heather
Carissia
In Hindi
Mexican Heather
Carissa
In German
Mexican Heather
carissa
In French
Mexicaine Heather
carissa
In Spanish
Heather mexicana
carissa
In Greek
Μεξικού Heather
carissa
In Portuguese
Mexican Heather
carissa
In Polish
Mexican Heather
carissa
In Latin
Mexicanus Heather
carissa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Gentianales
Family
Lythraceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Cuphea
Carissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Carisseae
Subfamily
Lythroideae
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
250100
1
27800
👆🏻