BAT FACE CUPHEA

- a welcomed face for your

garden

June 14, 2015

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER SUZANNE LABRECQUE



PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY HENRY HARTMAN/CREATIVE IMAGES

The Bat Face Cuphea plant name is derived from its bloom's resemblance of a bat's face.  The one-inch dark purple tubular flower is the body with the eyes on its face and with two red lobes that look like ears facing upward on the bloom.



PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER SUZANNE LABRECQUE

This Bat Face Cuphea shrub that survived both last year's drought and this past winter is shown in full bloom along with other plants that require minimal water in hot and dry conditions and extra mulch for cold weather protection.

CAUTION IN PLANTING CUPHEA

• Cuphea is plant genus with more than 250 species.

• Deer are attracted to cuphea.

• Bat-face is cousin to cigar plant; Mexican heather.

• Plant these where inaccessible to deer.

BITS ABOUT BAT FACE

• Can be annual plant or perennial shrub in landscape

• Needs well-drained soil/sunny location

• Does well in planters or hanging baskets

• Drought/heat tolerant; requires minimal water

• Requires heavy mulch to protect from cold

• Blooms late spring through fall

• Has no serious pest or disease problems

• Attracts hummers and butterflies



The Gardeners' Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension - Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.

The first time I visited my friend Linda's amazing garden, I was attracted to some small shrubs with tiny purple, red and black blooms. When I asked what they were, the response was "Bat Face."  Really? As I bent for closer look, indeed, the blooms did look like bat-faces. Since I'd never seen or heard of this plant, it was time to do some research.

Perennial shrub

The "bat-face" is one of more than 250 species of cupheas that come from Central and South America. They can be annuals, short-lived perennials or small shrubs in our area and have no serious insect or disease problems. They bloom from early spring through fall and attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

• Native to Mexico

The official name of the bat-face cuphea is Cuphea llavea, (pronounced KEW-fee-ay LAY-vee-ay) and it is a perennial shrub native to Mexico. It has masses of unique flowers from which its name is derived.

• Flowers resemble bat's face

The 1-inch dark purple tubular flower is the face with two bright red, upward facing lobes that look like ears. The flowers bloom in the leaf axils along stems crowded with lance-shaped, hairy and glossy green leaves.

Growing conditions

This plant is one that can withstand our hot Texas summers and bloom from late spring through fall.

• Need sunny location, well-drained soil

Plant them in a sunny area with a light, compost-rich and well-drained soil. The bat-face cuphea grows 18 to 24 inches tall and spreads 2 to 3 feet. Since this plant tends to sprawl as it grows, informally space them 12 to 24 inches apart. It is advisable to pinch back the tip of each stem when they reach 8 to 10 inches tall. This practice creates a more compact shape.

• Require minimal water; biannual fertilizer

After planting, water thoroughly and regularly. Once they are established, watering can be reduced but not eliminated. Bat-face cupheas do tend to be drought tolerant but prefer some moisture.

Supplemental watering during hot summers helps maximize blooming in the fall. Feed cupheas monthly with an all-purpose fertilizer while they are actively growing or feed them once in the spring with a slow-release fertilizer.

• Must have protection from cold

Perennial cupheas need heavy mulching in the Crossroads part of Texas to survive winters. Many gardeners grow cupheas in planters so they can be brought indoors in the fall.

As house plants, cupheas need at least 4 hours of direct sunlight each day, either early morning or late afternoon sun with a cool indoor temperature of 60 to 65 degrees is best. You can return them to the garden after the last frost.

Uses as an annual

Bat-face cupheas can be used in a variety of ways as an annual. In some gardens, they are used for borders or edging along pathways. They can also be used in patio containers or hanging baskets. In the garden, bat-face cupheas can be planted in front of tall growing plants like elephant ears or cannas.

Another choice is to plant them with tall ornamental grasses or among zinnias or other blooming annuals. They also make good ground covers and bring color and texture to rock gardens.

Propagation from cuttings/seeds

Bat-face cupheas are easy to propagate with short tip cuttings in late spring or early summer or seed head/pod collection when flowers fade. If you choose to use seeds, for best results, start to dry cuphea seeds indoors 10-12 weeks before the last frost.

They require light to germinate and a temperature of about 70 degrees. Germination takes about eight to 10 days. After seedlings appear, they will tolerate temperatures as low as 60 degrees.

Georgia Scarlet and Tiny Mice varieties are popular choices for propagating.

Last year, I planted two bat-face cupheas in my front yard bed where they get late afternoon sun. They survived our drought and mild winter and are thriving. These two mounded, colorful and unique shrubs add so much to our landscape and just make me smile.

Special thanks to my friend, Linda, for introducing me to the bat-face cuphea.