253 Species in Genus Cuphea

FAQs About Cuphea: A Comprehensive Guide

I’ve always been fascinated by Cuphea, a genus of flowering plants known for their vibrant blooms and hummingbird appeal. If you’re considering adding Cuphea to your garden or just curious about this plant, you might have some common questions. Here’s a detailed FAQ about Cuphea that covers everything from its care to its compatibility with wildlife.

What Is Cuphea?

Cuphea is a diverse genus of plants native to the Americas. Known for their striking flowers, which can be red, orange, yellow, or purple, Cuphea plants are often used in gardens and containers to attract pollinators. Their blooms resemble small, tubular structures that can vary significantly in shape and color, making them a colorful addition to any landscape.

Cuphea species

1. Cuphea acicularis Koehne
2. Cuphea acinifolia A.St.-Hil.
3. Cuphea acinos A.St.-Hil.
4. Cuphea adenophylla T.B.Cavalc.
5. Cuphea aequipetala Cav.
6. Cuphea affinitatum Koehne
7. Cuphea alaniana S.A.Graham
8. Cuphea alatosperma T.B.Cavalc. & S.A.Graham
9. Cuphea anagalloidea A.St.-Hil.
10. Cuphea anamariae T.B.Cavalc. & S.A.Graham
11. Cuphea angustifolia Jacq. ex Koehne
12. Cuphea anisoclada Lourteig
13. Cuphea annulata Koehne
14. Cuphea antisyphilitica Kunth
15. Cuphea aperta Koehne
16. Cuphea appendiculata Benth.
17. Cuphea aquilana S.A.Graham & T.B.Cavalc.
18. Cuphea araguaiaensis Facco & T.B.Cavalc.
19. Cuphea arenarioides A.St.-Hil.
20. Cuphea aristata Hemsl.
21. Cuphea armata S.A.Graham
22. Cuphea aspera Chapm.
23. Cuphea auriflora Lourteig ex Facco & T.B.Cavalc.
24. Cuphea avigera B.L.Rob. & Seaton
25. Cuphea bahiensis (Lourteig) S.A.Graham & T.B.Cavalc.
26. Cuphea baillonis Koehne
27. Cuphea blackii Lourteig
28. Cuphea bolivarensis Lourteig
29. Cuphea bombonasae Sprague
30. Cuphea bonplandii Lourteig
31. Cuphea brachyantha Koehne
32. Cuphea brachypoda T.B.Cavalc.
33. Cuphea bracteolosa Koehne
34. Cuphea bustamanta Lex.
35. Cuphea caesariata S.A.Graham
36. Cuphea calaminthifolia Schltdl.
37. Cuphea calcarata Benth.
38. Cuphea calophylla Cham. & Schltdl.
39. Cuphea campestris Mart. ex Koehne
40. Cuphea campylocentra Griseb.
41. Cuphea carajasensis Lourteig
42. Cuphea cardonae Lourteig
43. Cuphea carthagenensis (Jacq.) J.F.Macbr.
44. Cuphea cataractarum Spruce ex Koehne
45. Cuphea chiribiquetea Lourteig
46. Cuphea ciliata Ruiz & Pav.
47. Cuphea cipoensis T.B.Cavalc.
48. Cuphea circaeoides Sm. ex Sims
49. Cuphea concinna Koehne
50. Cuphea confertiflora A.St.-Hil.
51. Cuphea congesta S.A.Graham & T.B.Cavalc.
52. Cuphea cordata Ruiz & Pav.
53. Cuphea corisperma Koehne
54. Cuphea crassiflora S.A.Graham
55. Cuphea crudyana Koehne
56. Cuphea cuiabensis Mart. ex Koehne
57. Cuphea cunninghamiifolia T.B.Cavalc.
58. Cuphea curiosa Lourteig
59. Cuphea cyanea Moc. & Sessé ex DC.
60. Cuphea cylindracea S.A.Graham
61. Cuphea dactylophora Koehne
62. Cuphea decandra W.T.Aiton
63. Cuphea delicatula Brandegee
64. Cuphea densiflora Koehne
65. Cuphea denticulata Kunth
66. Cuphea dibrachiata S.A.Graham
67. Cuphea diosmifolia A.St.-Hil.
68. Cuphea dipetala (L.f.) Koehne
69. Cuphea disperma Koehne
70. Cuphea distichophylla Lourteig
71. Cuphea dryadica Facco & T.B.Cavalc.
72. Cuphea dusenii Koehne
73. Cuphea egleri Lourteig
74. Cuphea elliptica Koehne
75. Cuphea empetrifolia Rose
76. Cuphea epilobiifolia Koehne
77. Cuphea ericoides Cham. & Schltdl.
78. Cuphea exilis T.B.Cavalc. & S.A.Graham
79. Cuphea ferrisiae Bacig.
80. Cuphea ferruginea Pohl ex Koehne
81. Cuphea filiformis T.B.Cavalc. & S.A.Graham
82. Cuphea flava Spreng.
83. Cuphea flavisetula Bacig.
84. Cuphea flavovirens S.A.Graham
85. Cuphea fluviatilis S.A.Graham
86. Cuphea froesii Lourteig
87. Cuphea fruticosa Spreng.
88. Cuphea fuchsiifolia A.St.-Hil.
89. Cuphea galeatocalcarata Lourteig
90. Cuphea gardneri Koehne
91. Cuphea gaumeri Koehne
92. Cuphea glareosa T.B.Cavalc.
93. Cuphea glaziovii Koehne
94. Cuphea glossostoma Koehne
95. Cuphea glutinosa Cham. & Schltdl.
96. Cuphea gracilis Kunth
97. Cuphea grandiflora Pohl ex Koehne
98. Cuphea harleyi L.M.Brauner & T.B.Cavalc.
99. Cuphea hatschbachii Lourteig
100. Cuphea heteropetala Koehne
101. Cuphea heterophylla Benth.
102. Cuphea heydei Koehne
103. Cuphea hirsutissima Lourteig
104. Cuphea hispidiflora Koehne
105. Cuphea hookeriana Walp.
106. Cuphea humifusa S.A.Graham
107. Cuphea hybogyna Koehne
108. Cuphea hyssopifolia Kunth Plant FAQs: Mexican Heather – Cuphea Hyssopifolia
109. Cuphea hyssopoides A.St.-Hil.
110. Cuphea ignea A.DC. Plant FAQs: Cuphea Ignea – Cigar Plant
111. Cuphea iguazuensis Lourteig
112. Cuphea impatientifolia A.St.-Hil.
113. Cuphea inaequalifolia Koehne
114. Cuphea inflata S.A.Graham
115. Cuphea ingrata Cham. & Schltdl.
116. Cuphea insolita Lourteig
117. Cuphea intermedia Hemsl.
118. Cuphea jorullensis Kunth
119. Cuphea karwinskii Koehne
120. Cuphea killipii Lourteig
121. Cuphea koehneana Rose
122. Cuphea kubeorum Lourteig
123. Cuphea laeviuscula Bacig.
124. Cuphea laminuligera Koehne
125. Cuphea lanceolata W.T.Aiton
126. Cuphea laricoides Koehne
127. Cuphea leptopoda Hemsl.
128. Cuphea linarioides Cham. & Schltdl.
129. Cuphea lindmaniana Koehne ex Bacig.
130. Cuphea linifolia Koehne
131. Cuphea llavea Lex.
132. Cuphea lobelioides Griseb.
133. Cuphea lobophora Koehne
134. Cuphea loefgrenii Bacig.
135. Cuphea lophostoma Koehne
136. Cuphea lucens T.B.Cavalc. & S.A.Graham
137. Cuphea lutea Rose ex Koehne
138. Cuphea luteola S.A.Graham & T.B.Cavalc.
139. Cuphea lutescens Pohl ex Koehne
140. Cuphea lysimachioides Cham. & Schltdl.
141. Cuphea maigualidensis Lourteig
142. Cuphea megalophylla S.F.Blake
143. Cuphea melanium (L.) Cramer
144. Cuphea melvilla Lindl.
145. Cuphea mexiae Bacig.
146. Cuphea michoacana R.C.Foster
147. Cuphea micrantha Kunth
148. Cuphea micropetala Kunth
149. Cuphea mimuloides Schltdl. & Cham.
150. Cuphea myrtifolia Bacig.
151. Cuphea nitidula Kunth
152. Cuphea nivea S.A.Graham
153. Cuphea nudicostata Hemsl.
154. Cuphea odonellii Lourteig
155. Cuphea ornithoides R.C.Foster
156. Cuphea ownbeyi S.A.Graham
157. Cuphea painteri Rose ex Koehne
158. Cuphea palustris Koehne
159. Cuphea paradoxa Koehne
160. Cuphea paralarix (Lourteig) T.B.Cavalc. & S.A.Graham
161. Cuphea paranensis Bacig.
162. Cuphea parsonsia (L.) R.Br. ex Steud.
163. Cuphea pascuorum Mart. ex Koehne
164. Cuphea paucipetala S.A.Graham
165. Cuphea persistens Koehne
166. Cuphea pertenuis R.C.Foster
167. Cuphea philombria Lourteig
168. Cuphea pinetorum Benth.
169. Cuphea pleiantha Lourteig
170. Cuphea pohlii Lourteig
171. Cuphea polymorpha A.St.-Hil.
172. Cuphea potamophila T.B.Cavalc. & S.A.Graham
173. Cuphea praetermissa Facco & T.B.Cavalc.
174. Cuphea procumbens Ortega
175. Cuphea pseudericoides Koehne
176. Cuphea pseudosilene Griseb.
177. Cuphea pseudovaccinium A.St.-Hil.
178. Cuphea pterosperma Koehne
179. Cuphea pulchra Moric.
180. Cuphea punctulata Koehne
181. Cuphea purpurascens Bacig.
182. Cuphea pustulata Koehne
183. Cuphea quaternata Bacig.
184. Cuphea racemosa (L.f.) Spreng.
185. Cuphea radiaticaulis Lourteig
186. Cuphea ramosissima Pohl ex Koehne
187. Cuphea rasilis S.A.Graham
188. Cuphea reitzii Lourteig
189. Cuphea repens Koehne
190. Cuphea reticulata Koehne
191. Cuphea retrorsicapilla Koehne
192. Cuphea retroscabra S.Watson
193. Cuphea rhodocalyx Lourteig
194. Cuphea rigidula Benth.
195. Cuphea rionegrensis Lourteig
196. Cuphea riparia Ekman & O.C.Schmidt
197. Cuphea roseana Koehne
198. Cuphea rubescens Koehne
199. Cuphea rubrovirens T.B.Cavalc.
200. Cuphea rupestris T.B.Cavalc. & S.A.Graham
201. Cuphea rusbyi Lourteig
202. Cuphea sabulosa S.A.Graham
203. Cuphea salicifolia Schltdl. & Cham.
204. Cuphea salvadorensis (Standl.) Standl.
205. Cuphea saxatilis S.A.Graham
206. Cuphea scaberrima Koehne
207. Cuphea schumannii Koehne
208. Cuphea schwackei Koehne ex Schwacke
209. Cuphea sclerophylla Koehne
210. Cuphea scolnikiae Lourteig
211. Cuphea secundiflora Moc. & Sessé ex DC.
212. Cuphea seleri Koehne
213. Cuphea sessiliflora A.St.-Hil.
214. Cuphea setifera S.A.Graham
215. Cuphea setosa Koehne
216. Cuphea sincorana T.B.Cavalc.
217. Cuphea sordida Koehne
218. Cuphea spectabilis S.A.Graham
219. Cuphea sperguloides A.St.-Hil.
220. Cuphea spermacoce A.St.-Hil.
221. Cuphea splendida Lourteig
222. Cuphea spraguei Lourteig
223. Cuphea spruceana Koehne
224. Cuphea stenopetala Koehne
225. Cuphea strigulosa Kunth
226. Cuphea stygialis Lourteig
227. Cuphea subuligera Koehne
228. Cuphea sucumbiensis Lourteig
229. Cuphea tarapotensis Sprague
230. Cuphea teleandra Lourteig
231. Cuphea tenuissima Koehne
232. Cuphea tetrapetala Koehne
233. Cuphea thymoides Cham. & Schltdl.
234. Cuphea tolucana Peyr.
235. Cuphea trichochila R.C.Foster
236. Cuphea trisperma S.A.Graham
237. Cuphea trochilus S.A.Graham
238. Cuphea tuberosa Cham. & Schltdl.
239. Cuphea urbaniana Koehne
240. Cuphea urens Koehne
241. Cuphea utriculosa Koehne
242. Cuphea vargasii J.F.Macbr.
243. Cuphea varia Koehne ex Bacig.
244. Cuphea venosa Facco & T.B.Cavalc.
245. Cuphea vesiculigera R.C.Foster
246. Cuphea vesiculosa Koehne
247. Cuphea viscosa Rose ex Koehne
248. Cuphea viscosissima Jacq.
249. Cuphea warmingii Koehne
250. Cuphea watsoniana Koehne
251. Cuphea weddelliana Koehne
252. Cuphea wrightii A.Gray
253. Cuphea xanthopetala S.A.Graham & T.B.Cavalc.

Is Cuphea a Perennial?

Cuphea’s classification as a perennial or annual depends on the species and your climate. In general, many Cuphea species are grown as annuals in cooler climates because they can’t survive frost. However, in warmer regions, especially USDA zones 8 through 11, Cuphea can behave as a perennial. They return year after year in these more temperate areas, offering their vibrant blooms season after season.

How Big Does Cuphea Grow?

Cuphea plants vary widely in size depending on the species. Some are compact and stay around 12 to 18 inches tall, making them perfect for container gardening or as border plants. Others can reach up to 3 feet in height. Always check the specific variety you’re interested in to get a sense of its growth potential.

How to Care for Cuphea?

Caring for Cuphea is relatively straightforward, and it thrives with a few key practices:

1. Sunlight: Cuphea plants love full sun. They need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day to thrive.
2. Watering: They prefer well-drained soil and should be watered regularly but not overly so. Allow the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings.
3. Soil: A well-draining soil mix is essential. Cuphea can tolerate a range of soil types but prefers slightly acidic to neutral pH.
4. Fertilizing: Feed Cuphea with a balanced fertilizer once a month during the growing season to encourage lush growth and abundant blooms.

How to Propagate Cuphea?

Propagating Cuphea is usually done through cuttings. Here’s a simple method:

1. Take Cuttings: In spring or early summer, take 4-6 inch cuttings from a healthy Cuphea plant.
2. Prepare Cuttings: Remove the lower leaves and dip the cut end in rooting hormone.
3. Plant Cuttings: Place the cuttings in a pot with a mix of perlite and peat moss.
4. Maintain Moisture: Keep the cuttings in a warm, bright spot but out of direct sunlight. Water regularly to keep the soil moist but not soggy.
5. Transplant: Once roots develop, usually in 4-6 weeks, transplant the new plants into larger pots or into the garden.

How to Prune Cuphea?

Pruning Cuphea helps maintain its shape and promotes new growth. Here’s how to do it:

1. Timing: Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth starts.
2. Method: Remove any dead or damaged stems first. Then, trim back the plant by about one-third to encourage a fuller shape.
3. Pinching: Regular pinching of the tips can also promote a bushier plant and more blooms.

Do Deer Eat Cuphea?

Cuphea is generally not a favorite among deer. Its strong fragrance and tubular flowers make it less appealing to these animals. However, in times of extreme hunger, deer might nibble on it, so some protection or deterrents could be necessary in deer-prone areas.

Do Hummingbirds Like Cuphea?

Absolutely! Cuphea is renowned for attracting hummingbirds. The tubular flowers are a perfect fit for their long bills, and the bright colors lure them in. If you want to create a hummingbird-friendly garden, Cuphea is an excellent choice.

Is Cuphea Poisonous to Dogs?

No, Cuphea is not known to be toxic to dogs. While it’s always best to monitor pets around plants, Cuphea doesn’t typically pose a risk to dogs if ingested in small amounts.

Is Cuphea Poisonous to Cats?

Similarly, Cuphea is not considered poisonous to cats. However, ingestion of any plant material can sometimes cause mild gastrointestinal upset. It’s best to keep an eye on your pets and consult a veterinarian if you notice any unusual behavior.

Cuphea vs. Mexican Heather

Cuphea and Mexican Heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia) are often confused due to their similar names and appearance. While both are popular garden plants, there are key differences:

• Appearance: Mexican Heather tends to be more compact with smaller, darker green leaves and smaller flowers compared to the more varied Cuphea species.
• Growth Habit: Mexican Heather generally grows in a denser, more uniform manner, while Cuphea can vary greatly in size and form.
• Flowers: Mexican Heather flowers are usually smaller and come in purple or white, whereas Cuphea flowers can be more diverse in color and shape.

Common Problems and Solutions

1. Powdery Mildew: This fungal issue can be managed by ensuring good air circulation and avoiding overhead watering.
2. Pests: Aphids and spider mites can be controlled with insecticidal soap or neem oil.

What to Plant With Cuphea?

Pair Cuphea with plants that complement its needs and visual appeal. Consider:

• Salvia: Both plants attract hummingbirds and have similar sunlight and water requirements.
• Petunias: Their vibrant colors and trailing habit can pair well with Cuphea’s upright growth.

Cuphea is a dynamic plant with lots to offer in terms of beauty and ecological benefits. Whether you’re enhancing a garden for wildlife or adding a splash of color to your space, Cuphea is a great choice to consider.