Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 22:37:11 +0000
From: "Nancy L. Newfield" <colibri@GS.VERIO.NET>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: Re: Cuphea Question

At 02:02 PM 5/28/01 EDT, James Abbott wrote:

>Here's one of those questions that's been asked many times probably. Do
you see preference >for any particular cuphea with hummers? I have both the
cuphea ignea "David Verity" and the >micropetela in my yard, but I'm
wondering about some of the others I've seen at Naylor's here in >BatonRouge -- can't remember the names. My micropetela (Giant Cigar) is young,
so I don't >know how it'll do.
>Any experiences with these and others?

No need to apologize. Some answers bear repeating.

I've grown a number of Cuphea. For hummer attractiveness, I'll score them
from 0 to 5, with 5 being most attractive.

When Cuphea micropetala [5] is flowering in my yard, it gets all the
business. Hummers hardly even look at Cuphea ignea 'David Verity' [4 1/2].
Both plants tolerate a wide variety of soil conditions, heat, drought, rain,
and other kinds of horticultural abuse. Both freeze to the ground in a hard
frost, but usually come back easily in early spring. However, this spring
the big Cuphea ignea 'David Verity' that has grown outside my office window
since 1996 is very slow to recover. The Cuphea micropetala that grows
almost next to it is already three feet tall and putting out a few flowers.Both plants do require 4 or more hours of direct sun each day to blossom well.

In my opinion, these are the only two "must have" members of the genus
Cuphea. This spring [and ongoing] I dug all the roots of noxious vines from
a long narrow bed that formerly grew large Salvias. The Salvias died out
from competition with the vine and from last summer's intense heat. The bed
also gets a lot of puppy-dog traffic, so I really need plants that are
durable. Along the back of the bed, backed up to a board fence, I've put
five Cuphea micropetala about three feet apart. Along the front of the bed,
bordered by a decrepit railroad tie, I've put four Cuphea ignea 'David
Verity', staggered so that the big plants will spread out and take over the
back while the smaller ones will lean forward. While the new plants are
getting established, I've put in a few large Salvias that will certainly get
overgrown when the Cupheas take off.

Another Cuphea I've grown is Cuphea ignea [2] [Cuphea platycentra is a
synonym]. It is very small, seldom exceeding 18 inches. It tends to bekind of floppy and looks nice in a hanging basket. However, the plant is
short-lived, so you'll want to collect seeds to keep going with it. The
small flowers are red with black tips. Hummers go to it, but the flowers
seem to be rather constricted and the birds have to really push their way
in. Last year, when Margaret Owens and I were in Ecuador, numerous Cuphea
ignea grew around the grounds of the lodge where we stayed. These seemed to
be more upright in their growth habit and the smallest hummers used them
frequently.

I collected a few seeds and now have three in pots. One has Scott Knaus's
name on it, but the third one is up for grabs. Anyone? I doubt this will
ever be a great hummer plant, but when you collect things . . .

I've also grown Cuphea llavea [2]. It kind of sprawls and produces purple
flowers with two red extensions that look to some people like ears. It is
sometimes sold by the inane name of "Bat-faced Cuphea". Recently, I found
one that had huge flowers and huge leaves compared to the ones I've had inthe past. Hummers use it, but it isn't their first choice.

Cuphea purpurea [0] is a very attractive plant, but it is short-lived and
does not attract hummers. Cuphea 'Firefly' [2] is a hybrid with C. purpurea
as one of the parents. Both these plants are very floppy and look nice in
hanging baskets. Naylor's has a huge stand of Cuphea purpurea at the base
of a large potted tree in front of their Old Hammond Highway store. If you
go on a Sunday, when they are closed, you can snitch some seed. If you go
on a weekday, one of the employees will probably help you pick the seed.

Several color varieties of Cuphea hyssopifolia [0] are marketed as "Mexican
Heather" or "Hawaiian Heather". Save your money and garden space.

Some years ago, I saw hummers using a shrubby, purple-flowered Cuphea in
Costa Rica, but I was not able to reach the plant, so I don't know what
species it was.
According to a some of my research materials, Cuphea infundibulum [from
Costa Rica] and Cuphea speciosa [from Brazil] are used by hummers, but I
have not been able to find either species.

NLN

Nancy L. Newfield
Casa Colibr̩
Metairie, Louisiana USA
<colibri@gs.verio.net

=============

Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 08:39:52 -0700
From: ron <ron@NVWETLANDS.COM>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: Re: Cuphea Question

I think that you have the two best ones. All of the other cupheas I have seen
are viney and low-growing, which is not good for hummers. I find hummers will
choose taller plants, probably because they associate feeding very near the
ground with danger? ANyway, many of the viney cupheas seem to me to be
cultivars, varieties, or hybrids of cuphea llavea. They do attract
hummingbirds, but aren't typically hardy in Baton ROuge (zone 8b) winters, and are best grown in a pot, planter or similar situation that'll keep the flowers elevated above the
ground. I have seen some really nice-looking ones grown in Baton Rouge in hot,
sunny places such as a planter bordering a parking lot. There seem to be more
names for these cupheas than there are different varieties, so choosing one is
confusing. There are some smaller-flowered cupheas around that look like a different species than cuphea llavea. I haven't tried all of them, nor have I ever had enough hummers around to be sure how good they are for hummers.

Ron Rovansek
Reno, NV

=============
Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 17:14:17 +0000
From: "Nancy L. Newfield" <colibri@GS.VERIO.NET>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: [HUMNET-L] Observations Afield

Giant Mexican Cigar [Cuphea micropetala] - If you don't have it, get it.
Get more than one. Plant them in every sunny spot you can. This fine plant
seems to have only one cultural requirement. It needs a lot of sun to
flower well. Otherwise, it isn't picky about soil, water, or heat. I don't
know how far north it will grow. Freezing weather knocks it to the ground,
but I have never had it return from the roots. The clumps get larger every
year. My oldest clump now stands more than 6 feet tall and it is getting
heavy use.

===========================

Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2002 22:05:41 -0500
From: Nancy L Newfield <colibri@WEBDSI.COM>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Cuphea ignea

At 09:11 PM 4/9/02 -0500, Pat Lanier wrote:

>The only cupheas that have been hummer magnets for me are
>the ones with orange flowers. I tried the pink--nothing! So
>I add more orange cuphea of the "David Verity" type each
>year. They are the best in my experience.

I have tried a variety of members of the genus Cuphea - some hybrids, some
pure species. The two that stand out are Cuphea micropetala and Cuphea
ignea 'David Verity'. In my estimation, the C. micropetala is superior to
Cuphea ignea 'David Verity' in its attractiveness to hummers. When the C.
micropetala is in flower, hummers will pass by the C. ignea 'David
Verity'. As far as I can see, this fine plant's only flaw [and I use the
term advisedly] is that it doesn't bloom all year, but rather has an
approximately 6 month flowering period.

I have seen hummers go to other Cuphea species and hybrids, but none seems to have the consistent drawing power.

NLN

*****************************
Nancy L Newfield