Resilient cupheas bask in the warmth of summer.(Home & Garden)(Midwest gardening)

Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), July, 2007

Byline: Jan Riggenbach What do Mexican heather, cigar flower, firecracker plant and bat face have in common? All are common names for various cupheas, a group of tough and resilient annuals. New World natives mostly from tropical and subtropical parts of Central and South America, they can take all the heat that summer dishes out.

Hummingbirds find the tubular flowers of many types of cupheas irresistible, adding to the pleasure of growing these flowers. Cupheas perform well in either full sun or part shade. Although they make their best growth in moist soil, they can withstand drought once they're established. Mexican heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia) is probably the best-known member of the group. I love to grow it in containers because I know I can...