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Lythraceae
Candy Corn Plant
Cuphea micropetala
Playfulness and autumn.
- Family
- Lythraceae
- Genus
- Cuphea
- Native to
- Mexico
- Bloom season
- Summer, Fall
- Type
- perennial herb
- Height
- 2-4 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun to part shade
- Soil
- well-drained, fertile, moist
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- 7-11
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Each tubular flower transitions from yellow at the base through orange to red at the tip, exactly mimicking a piece of candy corn.
- It blooms most heavily in fall when many other perennials have finished, providing crucial late-season nectar for hummingbirds.
- The genus name Cuphea comes from the Greek 'kyphos' meaning 'curved,' referring to the slightly curved flower tubes.
- In its native Mexican highlands, it grows along streams and in moist mountain meadows at elevations above 5,000 feet.
- Despite its tropical appearance, established plants can survive temperatures down to about 0°F when well-mulched.
Color meanings
0
playfulness
1
warmth
2
autumn cheer