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Cuphea micropetala (Candy Corn Plant) - A fast growing evergreen shrub that grows to 3 to 4 feet tall and spreading by rhizomes to about twice this width with oppositely arranged narrow rough textured lanceolate leaves that are two to six inches long, tapering at both the base and tip and clothe the arching red stems. In late summer through late fall appear the tubular flowers, technically a floral tube made up of a fused calyx and corolla, that are borne in foot long leafy terminal racemes at stem tips. The flowers when first emerging in summer are yellow and age to orange from the base up, giving many of the flowers a two-toned appearance, and have long exerted stamens. The inside of the flower glistens as a slightly sticky substance is exuded within.
Plant in light shade to full sun (coastal) with regular to occasional irrigation. It is the hardiest of the Cuphea and evergreen to about 25-30°F, but root hardy to much lower temperatures - a visitor to our website informed us that it comes back from the roots every year in their Suffolk, Virginia garden, so possibly root hardy below 0° F and usable as a perennial to USDA Zone 7b - while an evergreen subshrub for us, in these colder climates it is a deciduous perennial. It can be cut to the ground in late winter to early spring to keep the plant a bit more tidy. A very attractive and durable plant for the garden and great for fall color as it displays the orange and red colors associated with this harvest season and is also good for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
Cuphea micropetala grows naturally from Colima south as far as Oaxaca, Mexico. The name for the genus comes from the Greek word 'kyphos', which means "bent", "curved", or "humped" in possible reference to the curved floral tube which is often slightly swollen on one side. Some references however note this might refer to the fruit or the hypanthium (flower receptacle). The specific epithet refers to the tiny petals at the lip of the floral tube. Cuphea micropetala is also sometimes commonly called Giant Firecracker Plant or Cigar Plant, but this later name is more often used for the smaller Cuphea ignea. We first received this very nice plant at a Huntington Botanic Garden Sale in 1988 and have offered it in our catalogs since 1990. It is thought to be one parent, with Cupea ignea the other, of the popular Cuphea 'David Verity'.
The information displayed on this page about Cuphea micropetala is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
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