Garden Scheme
Plant library · Annual Flowers
Cuphea ignea
Cuphea is a compact annual flower with tubular orange-red blooms tipped in yellow from late spring into fall. Growing about 18 inches tall and wide, it brings a rounded, flower-forward presence to the front or middle of a sunny planting. Its modest scale makes it useful for repeating through a bed, tucking beside a patio, or concentrating in containers where the flowers can be seen at close range.
Space Cuphea 12 inches apart, measured center to center (30 cm).
The mature spread is about 18 inches (45 cm), so plants set at that distance grow together into a closed canopy over the bed.
Treat 12 inches as a planning baseline — cultivar and local growing conditions shift the final footprint.
Place cuphea where its 18-inch height will not be screened by taller seasonal plantings. A run along the front half of a border, the outer edge of a bed beside a path, or a container near a sitting area gives its small flowers a clear viewing position. Use several plants as a repeated low drift rather than relying on one plant to fill a broad gap. Keep the planting edge set back enough from paths that mature stems do not lean into circulation space.
Set plants 12 inches apart, measured center to center, for a closely planted seasonal display. Each plant can mature to about 18 inches wide, so neighboring plants may knit together as the season progresses. In a mixed bed, reserve an 18-inch-wide pocket for each plant and avoid placing bulky companions immediately in front of it. Leave a reachable edge or stepping point nearby for watering and light trimming.
Give cuphea a full-sun position and moderate, regular moisture through the growing season. Use it in soil that drains well rather than in a low pocket that stays saturated after rain. In a container, place it where watering is convenient and where excess water can drain freely; its compact habit makes it easy to group with other sun-loving annuals without needing a large pot.[1][2]
The flowering season begins in late spring and continues into fall, so cuphea can hold a planting together after early-season flowers fade. Plan it as a warm-season layer, leaving room for spring bulbs or short-lived cool-season plants to occupy the same area earlier in the year. Its long bloom window also suits containers that need steady color through summer.
Cuphea is frost-sensitive, so treat its outdoor footprint as seasonal where freezing weather occurs. Do not depend on it to provide winter structure in a bed. If the planting needs to remain full after frost, reserve nearby space for a later-season replacement or use a movable container that can be taken under cover.[1]