Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Shrub
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Cuphea hyssopifolia
Number of Varieties
235
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Tropical areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-119-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-7
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm30.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
White, Pink, Light Pink, Lavender, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Brown, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Arrowhead
Oblong to lance-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Divison, Layering, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Needs watering once a week, Requires more often in extreme heat
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
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount
14-14-14 Fertilizer
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
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Butterflies
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
Borders, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Dysentry, Eye Infection, Indigestion, Organ Stones
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowering Tips, Flowers, Leaves, Shoots, Stem
Other Uses
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Foundation, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
ERYTHRINA herbacea
CUPHEA hyssopifolia
Common Name
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
False Heather, Mexican Heather, Hawaiian Heather
In Hindi
Red Cardinal
Mexican Heather
In German
Red Cardinal
Mexican Heather
In French
Cardinal rouge
Mexicaine Heather
In Spanish
Cárdenas
Heather mexicana
In Greek
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
Μεξικού Heather
In Portuguese
Cardeal vermelho
Mexican Heather
In Polish
Red Cardinal
Mexican Heather
In Latin
Cardinalis Rubrum
Mexicanus Heather
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Myrtales
Family
Fabaceae
Lythraceae
Genus
Erythrina
Cuphea
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Phaseoleae
-
Subfamily
Faboideae
Lythroideae
Number of Species
10250
1
27800
👆🏻