Cuphea micropetala

 Cuphea micropetala, nicknamed "Cigar Plant", is an undershrub with numerous tubular flowers in vibrant shades of yellow, orange, and red. Its flowering period lasts from May until the first frost. Cut a few to brighten up your bouquets. Its dark green evergreen leaves provide a beautiful backdrop for its generous flowering. It forms a beautiful bushy clump that can reach 1m high and 60cm wide. It is not very hardy (-7°C), ideally plant it in full sun in a flower bed or a pot, especially if you live in a colder region. This way, you can easily protect it during the winter.

Cuphea is from the Lythraceae family and the genus includes more than 250 species native to South America, Central America, and the Pacific Islands. Cuphea micropetala is a species native to Mexico where it grows on riverbanks, in meadows, and at the edge of forests. It produces terminal clustered tubular flowers measuring 3 to 5 cm long. They are usually orange, tinged with yellow and red with prominent stamens. In our climates, flowering usually occurs from May until the first frost. Its dark green lanceolate leaves are evergreen and measure 6 to 12 cm in length. The Cigar Plant easily branches out and forms a bushy clump 50 cm to 1 m high and 60 cm wide. It can be regularly pruned to maintain its compact habit.

Cuphea micropetala creates a sensation in flower beds and pots. It tolerates drought once established. Pair it with a Phormium 'Flamingo' with orange tones or a Phormium 'Black Adder' with almost black purple foliage for a striking contrast with its flamboyant flowering. Consider Lantana camara Evita Red Imp. with its ball-shaped flowers ranging from yellow to bright orange or Abutilon 'Nabob' with dark red petals.