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Cuphea llavea Torpedo - Bat-faced cuphea
Cuphea llavea Torpedo - Bat-faced cuphea
Cuphea llavea Torpedo - Bat-faced cuphea
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Dispatch by letter from €3.90.
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This plant carries a 12 months recovery warranty
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We guarantee the quality of our plants for a full growing cycle, and will replace at our expense any plant that fails to recover under normal climatic and planting conditions.
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Cuphea 'Torpedo' is nicknamed "bat-faced cuphea", referring to the shape of its astonishing flowers. It produces tubular red flowers that are 4cm (2in) long and end with a violet face resembling a bat's head, accentuated by bright red "ears," on a naturally mounding plant. It blooms from late spring until frost. Tolerating heat well, it is an easy plant to grow in full sun, and is generous in flowering as long as it is regularly watered. This shrub is frost-sensitive and grown as an annual plant outside warm regions.
The genus Cuphea, which includes more than 250 species, is a member of the Lythraceae family, which includes herbaceous plant genera in various climates (such as purple loosestrife) and also woody genera in warm climates, like pomegranate. Cuphea is a fast-growing tender undershrub with broad, evergreen leaves, native to Mexico. It is sold as an annual or indoor plant in cooler climates, sometimes under the synonym C. blepharophylla. It is a short-lived plant but easily self-seeds in warm climates, and can even become invasive. It can also root easily when its branches touch the ground.
Cuphea 'Torpedo' is a horticultural variety similar to the species, but with larger flowers. This undershrub forms a dense and highly branched clump 30 to 40cm (12 to 16in) tall and wide, or even slightly larger as it tends to spread over time. It bears small, dark green, persistent leaves that are elliptical, elongated, and narrow, measuring 2 to 3cm (1in) long. The slender, upright then slightly arching stems are highly branched, with lateral shoots often oriented in the same plane. The branches orient themselves in all directions, resulting in a fairly balanced habit that requires no pruning. Flowering begins from May onwards, and continues until frost, producing clusters of flowers in the axils of the leaves. Each flower has a hairy violet calyx with two upward-facing red petals at the tip, forming the "ears" of the "bat face." The four other petals are only small thorny remnants in the species, but in some cultivars, they are fully developed. The flowers attract bees and butterflies.
Cupheas are champions of long-lasting flowering, and this cultivar does it justice. It can only be grown in open ground in very warm regions, where it can find both the heat it prefers and mild winters. It is resistant to light frosts of around -3 to -5°C (16.6 to 23°F). However, the foliage may suffer during colder winters. In such cases, a light pruning in spring usually helps the plant to produce new shoots. It should be given the best conditions to withstand winter: a sunny exposure, well-drained non-calcareous soil, and a position sheltered against the Mistral wind. Regular watering is necessary during the flowering period (it is a plant of tropical origin). Elsewhere, it should be planted in a pot so it can be protected during winter in a frost-free conservatory or a bright room.
Cuphea 'Torpedo' is an excellent border plant for gardens in mild climates and patios. Plant it at the base of a clump of Strelitzia reginae, the bird of paradise, to create a dazzling contrast between the two. Also consider agapanthus with similar growing conditions. If your climate is too cold to plant it in the garden, opt for a beautiful decorative pot. Grow it with Cassia floribunda, whose magnificent yellow flowers will bloom at the same time.
Cuphea llavea Torpedo - Bat-faced cuphea in pictures
Flowering
Foliage
Plant habit
Botanical data
Cuphea 'Torpedo' is a species of tropical origin whose cultivation in open ground is reserved for sheltered areas. Everywhere else, this undershrub will need to be protected from frost in winter, or treated as an annual. In the case of planting in open ground, grow it in a sunny position (it tolerates heat well). It grows in neutral to slightly acidic, moist, and well-drained soils.
When grown in a container, it should be regularly watered during hot periods, taking care to let the soil dry between waterings. Add a little liquid fertiliser for flowering plants (containing more potassium (K) than nitrogen (N)) every 2 weeks to encourage flowering. Move it to a bright room (garage with a window, frost-free conservatory) as soon as the nighttime temperatures approach 5°C (41°F).
Planting period
Intended location
Care
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
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The flowering period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions located in USDA zone 8 (France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, etc.)
It will vary according to where you live:
In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions located in USDA zone 8 (France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands).
It will vary according to where you live:
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.