Mexican-heather

Mexican-heather Care

Cuphea hyssopifolia

What is the plant

Cuphea hyssopifolia, the false heather, Mexican heather, Hawaiian heather or elfin herb, is a small evergreen shrub native to Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. It grows to about 60 cm high by 90 cm wide and has purple, lavender or white flowers.

Cuphea hyssopifolia is a small shrub belonging to the Lythraceae family. Mexican heather is a tropical shrub reaching a height of about 1′ to 2′ feet. It typically spreads up to 2.5′ feet and features evergreen foliage. The plant has many branches and tends to develop a rounded shape. The lance-shaped leaves are evergreen, remaining on the shrub year-round. The leaves are glossy green and may reach up to ¾” inch long. The trumpet-shaped Mexican heather flowers with six petals and green tubes arrive in the summer. The petals are lavender or purple and often attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The plant continues to bloom profusely until the first sign of frost. It can be invasive outside Mexico and South America.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

18°C - 18°C

Hardiness zone

10a - 12b

Difficulty

Medium

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Water Mexican heather plants deeply about once every week, then allow the soil to dry slightly before watering again.
Pruning
For Mexican Heather that is being grown as an annual, pruning isn't much of a factor. Of coarse, if the plant is getting straggly, it may be healthy for it to be cut back from time to time.
Fertilizer
How often you fertilize your Mexican Heather depends on how often you are watering it — for the hot months when you are watering your Mexican Heather almost every day, it’s important to fertilize the plant multiple times a week (once every third watering).

Disease diagnosis

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Sunlight
Needs at least 6-12 hours of diffused sunlight.
Soil
Loam soils are best for plant growth because sand, silt, and clay together provide desirable characteristics.
Temperature
Mexican false heather will not tolerate frost. Best growth occurs above 55°F, but will tolerate chilling temperatures down to 35°F. In colder regions, move the plant indoors after the flowers drop. Move the plant outside after the last threat of frost.

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Container
Whether your potted plants are indoors or outdoors, proper drainage is an essential element to ensure they stay healthy.
Popularity
5,133 people already have this plant 894 people have added this plant to their wishlists