Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Shrub
Tender Perennial
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Madagascar
Types
Cuphea hyssopifolia
-
Number of Varieties
3550
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical areas
subtropical regions, Tropical areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-159-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.30 cm25.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.40 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Light Pink, Lavender, Violet
Red, Pink, Peach
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
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
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Divison, Layering, Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs watering once a week, Requires more often in extreme heat
Do not water excessively, Needs less watering, Needs small amount of water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
14-14-14 Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
-
aster yellow, Leaf spot, Red blotch, Root rot, Slugs, Snails, Stem rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Pollution, Salt
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
Borders, Ground Cover
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover, Hanging Basket, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Dysentry, Eye Infection, Indigestion, Organ Stones
Cancer, Diabetes, Hodgkin's lymphoma., Leukemia, Sore throat
Part of Plant Used
Flowering Tips, Flowers, Leaves, Shoots, Stem
Flowering Tips, Leaves, stalk
Other Uses
Showy Purposes
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Traditional medicine, Use in Chinese herbology
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Foundation, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border
Bedding Plant, Container, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CUPHEA hyssopifolia
CATHARANTHUS roseus
Common Name
False Heather, Mexican Heather, Hawaiian Heather
Cooler Apricot Vinca, Madagascar Periwinkle, Vinca
In Hindi
Mexican Heather
Vinca
In German
Mexican Heather
Rosafarbene Catharanthe
In French
Mexicaine Heather
Pervenche de Madagascar
In Spanish
Heather mexicana
Catharanthus roseus
In Greek
Μεξικού Heather
Catharanthus roseus
In Portuguese
Mexican Heather
Catharanthus roseus
In Polish
Mexican Heather
Katarantus różowy
In Latin
Mexicanus Heather
Catharanthus roseus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Gentianales
Family
Lythraceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Cuphea
Catharanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Vicieae
Subfamily
Lythroideae
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
2508
1
27800
👆🏻