Cuphea llavea ‘Bat Face’

Bat-faced cuphea

OVERVIEW:

Cuphea llavea ‘Bat-Face’ was, as its name suggests, named for its resemblance to a bat’s face, with its red-petaled ear and detailed blackish-purple face. A fast-growing herbaceous perennial native to Mexico, it is often grows as a seasonal annual in the southwestern United States due to a more arid climate. They grow light green, spear-shaped leaves, course in texture and covered in small, fuzzy white hairs. Tolerant of light frost, it does well mostly in sunny areas and is not contusive to hard freezes. Once flowers are spent, small, rounded disc-like seeds remain, an enticing fuel source for passerby animals.

CLASSIFICATION:

Botanical Name: Cuphea llavea ‘Bat-Face’

Common Name: ‘Bat-faced’ cuphea

Family: Plantaginaceae

Suggested Uses: great for beds and borders, rock gardens, full-sun areas

CHARACTERISTICS:

Height: 12-18”

Width: 12-18”

Flower: full, red ear-like petals with a black-purplish detailed center

Bloom: spring - summer

ENVIRONMENT:

USDA Zone: 8-11

Sun: Partial to full sun

Soil: sandy, loamy alkaline soils

Water: Low usage