Cuphea ignea

Cuphea ignea, the cigar plant, cigar flower,[1] firecracker plant, or Mexican cigar, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Cuphea of the family Lythraceae. It is a tropical, densely branched evergreen subshrub.[2] This species, native to Mexico and the West Indies, produces small, tubular, bright red to orange flowers. Each flower is tipped with a thin, white rim and two small purple-black petals. The flower is said to resemble a lit cigar, hence the name ignea, which comes from the Latin for "fire".[3] The leaves are small, elliptical and of a bright green colour. It grows to about 60 cm (24 in).[4]

Cuphea ignea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Lythraceae
Genus: Cuphea
Species:
C. ignea
Binomial name
Cuphea ignea
A. DC.

In temperate regions Cuphea ignea requires a warm. sheltered spot, as it does not tolerate frost. Alternately it may be grown under glass or indoors as a houseplant. In the UK this plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit[5] (confirmed 2017).[6]

References
  1. "ITIS Standard Report Page: Cuphea ignea". Itis.gov. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
  2. "Cuphea ignea". Floridata. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
  3. "Cuphea ignea". Mobot.org. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
  4. "Cuphea ignea {Lythraceae} Cigar Flower, Cigarette Plant". Titanarum.uconn.edu. Archived from the original on 2010-06-30. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
  5. "Cuphea ignea". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  6. "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 26. Retrieved 24 January 2018.


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