2 named cultivars

perennialN. America Native

Mexican Heather

Cuphea hyssopifolia

The Story

Plant Bio

Cuphea hyssopifolia, the false heather or Mexican heather, is a low mounding evergreen shrub from Mexico and Central America, twelve to twenty-four inches high and rather wider. Fine needle-like leaves on soft-haired branching stems give it a heather-like texture, and tiny six-petalled trumpet flowers in purple, pink or white open continuously from summer to frost.

The flowers are individually minute but produced in such numbers that the plant is never out of bloom, and it flowers straight through the heat and humidity that stop most bedding. It has no relation to true heather despite the name, and needs none of heather's acid soil. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds all work it.

Uses & Benefits:

A fine-textured evergreen mound smothered in tiny flowers from summer until frost.

Self-cleaning and needs no deadheading, and flowers through heat and humidity that defeat most bedding.

Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds all work the flowers over a very long season.

Essentials

At a Glance

Plant Type

Perennial

Height

18 inches

Width

18 inches

Light

Full Sun, Partial Sun

Zones

9, 10

Water

Moderate

Humidity

Moderate to high

Lifespan

Perennial

Native To

Mexico to Central America

Toxicity

Non-toxic

Planting

How to Grow

Plant out in full sun after the last frost.
Give it free-draining soil of any reasonable fertility.
Water regularly while establishing, then moderately.
Shear lightly if it goes untidy in midsummer.
Feed containers every few weeks through summer.
Take cuttings in late summer to overwinter it.

Pro Tip

It needs no deadheading at all — the flowers are too small to see spent, and shearing lightly is the only tidying it wants.

Keep It Thriving

Care Guide

Do

Give it full sun for the heaviest flowering ☀️
Plant into free-draining soil 🌱
Shear lightly to keep it neat ✂️
Take cuttings before frost ✂️

Don't

Plant it out before the soil is warm ❌
Let it sit in wet, heavy ground ❌
Bother deadheading it ❌

Seasonal Care Calendar

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Plant Out
Shear

Watch Out For

Pests & Diseases

Common Pests

Common Diseases

In the Garden

Landscape Uses & Companions

Landscape Uses

Low edging and front-of-border beddingContainers, baskets and patio potsButterfly and pollinator planting

Companion Plants

Angelonia Lantana Pentas VerbenaSweet Potato Vine

Multiply

Propagation Methods

Good to Know

Common Questions

Mexican Heather questions

What zones can Mexican Heather grow in?

Mexican Heather is hardy in USDA Zones 9–10. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Is Mexican Heather deer resistant?

Yes — Mexican Heather is rated deer-resistant. Deer typically pass it over, though extreme hunger can override any plant's defenses.

When does Mexican Heather bloom?

Mexican Heather typically blooms in summer to frost through late summer. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Does Mexican Heather need full sun?

Mexican Heather does best in full sun to part shade. In hot climates, afternoon shade keeps blooms fresher longer.

Is Mexican Heather drought tolerant?

Yes — once established (usually after the first full season), Mexican Heather handles dry spells with minimal watering. Water deeply its first year to build the root system that makes that possible.