False Heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia)
KOO-fee-ah hih-sop-ih-FOE-lee-ah

Evergreen Perennial (usually grown as an annual near you) Mounded, Spreading in the Lythraceae Family
A trouble-free, ever-blooming subshrub smothered in tiny lavender flowers from spring to frost, the classic false heather for edging, containers, and hanging baskets.

Cuphea hyssopifolia, commonly called false heather or Mexican heather, is a tender evergreen subshrub native to Mexico and Guatemala. It forms a fine-textured, mounding to spreading mound of small, narrow leaves studded with tiny, six-petaled lavender-purple flowers that appear almost continuously from spring until frost.

Hardy only in USDA zones 9-11, it is grown as a reliable warm-season annual, container plant, or houseplant everywhere colder. Plants tolerate heat and brief dry spells once established but bloom best with regular moisture in full sun to light afternoon shade.

Pros

  • Blooms almost continuously from spring to frost
  • Fine, dense foliage with a tidy mounding habit
  • Heat- and drought-tolerant once established
  • Easy from seed or tip cuttings

Cons

  • Not frost-hardy; grown as an annual outside zones 9-11
  • Individual flowers are tiny
  • Best color and bloom need regular moisture
This plant is probably not winter-hardy outdoors where you live.
Highlights A classic low hedge/edging plant valued for its fine texture and nearly nonstop tiny lavender flowers; also a dependable filler in mixed containers and hanging baskets.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 12 - 24 inches tall. 9 - 30 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 9a - 11b (Usually hardy to 20° F)
Tags Annual in Chicago, Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Evergreen, Full Sun, Medium, Perennial, Showy Flowers, Tender Perennial, Thrillers
Bloom Period Spring through frost
Flower Color Lavender
 

More Info from Experts

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Pricing and Availability History

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.

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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!