Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Shrub
Origin
Mexico, Central America
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Types
Cuphea hyssopifolia
-
Number of Varieties
352
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical areas
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-158-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
11-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Upright/Erect
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
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
-
Brown, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong to lance-shaped
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Divison, Layering, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs watering once a week, Requires more often in extreme heat
Average Water Needs
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
14-14-14 Fertilizer
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
-
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Ground Cover
Borders
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Dysentry, Eye Infection, Indigestion, Organ Stones
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Flowering Tips, Flowers, Leaves, Shoots, Stem
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Showy Purposes
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Foundation, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
CUPHEA hyssopifolia
ERYTHRINA herbacea
Common Name
False Heather, Mexican Heather, Hawaiian Heather
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
In Hindi
Mexican Heather
Red Cardinal
In German
Mexican Heather
Red Cardinal
In French
Mexicaine Heather
Cardinal rouge
In Spanish
Heather mexicana
Cárdenas
In Greek
Μεξικού Heather
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
In Portuguese
Mexican Heather
Cardeal vermelho
In Polish
Mexican Heather
Red Cardinal
In Latin
Mexicanus Heather
Cardinalis Rubrum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Fabales
Family
Lythraceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Cuphea
Erythrina
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Phaseoleae
Subfamily
Lythroideae
Faboideae
Number of Species
25010
1
27800
👆🏻