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.
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]
Editorial content updated 2026-07-20.