Cuphea llavea 'Georgia Scarlet'
Shrubby waxweed, Red cuphea, Bat faced cuphea
Also known as Cuphea llavea 'Tiny Mice', Cuphea 'Tiny Mice'
- Height × spread
- 0.3m × 0.2m
- Position
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Frost free greenhouse 1C & above (RHS H2)
- Flowers
- Summer, Autumn
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
A delightful and showy plant that makes an attractive quite dense foliaged plant having elegant pointed green leaves. The flowers, carried in clusters, are tubular with vivid scarlet faces that are said to resemble the face of Mickey Mouse. This is a tender perennial that is generally treated as an annual. Space permitting, it can be over wintered under cover and should be trimmed back to maintain a compact habit.
- Flower colour
- Red
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Dome
- Height
- 0.3m
- Spread
- 0.2m
- Season of interest
- Summer, Autumn
- Flowers in
- Summer, Autumn
- Evergreen
- Evergreen
- Garden style
- Small scale garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun, tolerates part shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam (normal)
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Well drained soil
- Hardiness
- Frost free greenhouse 1C & above (RHS H2)
- Borders & containers
- Borders and containers
- Use for
- Bedding plant
- Hazards
- No
Spring
Spring - late · Outdoors
Feed with slow release fertiliser
Apply a general purpose slow release fertiliser, spreading it around the root area of the plant as it is coming into growth. (Or apply a liquid feed at regular intervals throughout the growing season.)
This is a simple way to provide a nutrient boost as a single annual procedure.
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water regularly during growth
Water regularly while in growth.
Adopt a regime that means the plants are thoroughly watered every week so that they do not become dessicated. In hot weather watering may need to be more frequent, but less often in cool or moist conditions.
Spring - mid · Planting
Prune young growth
Remove most of the young growth that the plant has made in the previous season. Leave just around 2 centimetres of young growth on the plant. Don't cut into old wood unless it is diseased or damaged.
Winter
Winter · Outdoors
Water sparingly during dormancy
In its dormant period give very little water, keeping the soil barely moist. Dormancy is likely to be during the winter and the plant recommences growth in early to mid spring.
When a plant enters dormancy the leaves fade, go yellow and then brown. Eventually the whole plant may 'disappear' or unadorned stems may remain.
Planting & general
Compost · Planting
Loam based houseplant compost for repotting
Buy container or house plant compost that is loam based if possible (i.e. is based on John Innes compost number 2 or 3. This contains more fertiliser and is better suited to established plants.
John Innes no. 1 has the lowest level of fertiliser and is used for seedlings and young plants, so is generally used where plants will be 'potted on' after a number of weeks.