bat-faced cuphea
Cuphea purpurea
Overview
Bat-faced Cuphea (Cuphea purpurea) is a plant species that is truly amazing! The flowers are a unique, deep magenta color and have an unusually shaped corolla with a "bat face" resembling a bat. This creates an attractive, eye-catching, and interesting flower. Not only is the blooming colorful and unique, but the foliage is also attractive and contributes to the beauty of this plant. It is a low-maintenance, heat loving species and thrives in full sun and attracts pollinators to your garden. The Bat-faced Cuphea is a great addition to any garden and will definitely add an exotic touch.
Care Guide
Watering
Bat-faced cuphea (Cuphea purpurea) should be watered often, about once a week for mature plants and every 3 to 4 days for young plants. When watering, use lukewarm water to saturate the soil. Make sure that the soil is completely wet, but avoid over-watering. Allow the soil to dry out between watering sessions. Bat-faced cuphea plants prefer high humidity levels, so regular misting is recommended. It is also important to fertilize them every 2 weeks with a balanced fertilizer. However, make sure to avoid over-fertilizing as this can damage the plants.
Light
Bat-faced cuphea (Cuphea purpurea) is a sun-loving plant that does best in full sun conditions. It will tolerate part shade, though its blooming season may be shorter in such conditions. Generally, it will thrive in a location that receives at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. This sunlight should be spread out evenly throughout the day, with no abrupt move from sun to shade. In this setting, bat-faced cuphea should begin blooming in late spring or early summer and can hold blooming until early fall in ideal conditions.
Temperature
Hardiness zone 9-12.
Pruning
Bat-faced cuphea should be pruned in late winter or early spring to encourage new growth and keep the plant looking its best. Pruning should remove any dead or weakened shoots, branches, and stems, and can help keep the plant shaped nicely in its desired form. Cut branches that are no longer growing vigorously back to somewhere near the soil level. It is best to cut the branches back only as much as necessary to maintain an even shape. Take care not to overprune - only prune as needed and don't cut more than 1-third of the total stem and foliage.
Propagation
Seed Propagation, Cutting, Division, Layering Propagation
Uses & Symbolism
Attracts: Hummingbirds.
Related plants
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