Photo: Kurt Stüber [1], CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Annual · Lythraceae
Cigar plant
Cuphea ignea
In other languages: Sigarettenplantje (Nederlands) · Plante cigarette (Français)
The cigar plant, Cuphea ignea, is a small shrub from Mexico and Jamaica, grown here as an annual bedding and container plant. Its flowers are narrow, bright red tubes 2–3 cm long with a white and dark purple rim at the tip, just like a lit cigar with its ash, hence the name. From June until the frosts it flowers non-stop, without any need to deadhead. It grows compactly, attracts bees and loves warmth. In a bright, frost-free place you can overwinter it.
Light
Sun or partial shade
preferably some sun
Moisture
Normal
no wet feet
Legal basis
Sand or loam
acid to neutral
Hardiness
down to 2 °C
protect in harsh winters
Size
0.4 m
tall, 0.4 m wide
Flowering
June–October
| Pruning months | March–April |
|---|---|
| Height | 0.4 m |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous |
| Flowering | June–October |
Identify
Cigar plant: how do you recognise it?
- Habit
- Rounded, branching shrublet 30–40 cm tall and wide.
- Leaf
- Lance-shaped, 3–5 cm, fresh green and smooth.
- Flower
- Narrow, bright red tubular flowers 2–3 cm long without petals, with a white rim and a dark purple tip.
- Flowering
- From June to October, or until the frost.
- Origin
- Mexico and Jamaica; not hardy.
Flowering: June–October · Sowing: February–March · Plants: May–June · Pruning: March–April
In your garden
Why grow it?
- An unusual little flower that makes everyone smile: a red cigar with a white ash tip.
- Flowers tirelessly from June until the first frost.
- No deadheading needed: it stays tidy by itself.
- Compact and suitable for pots, window boxes and bedding.
- Attracts bees and bumblebees; in the Americas hummingbirds too.
Cigar plant: where does it grow best?
- Sun to light shade; the more sun, the more flowers.
- Light, humus-rich and well-drained soil, or good potting compost.
- Evenly moist; do not let it dry out, and avoid wet feet.
- In pots, window boxes, on a balcony or patio, or as an edging plant in a sunny border.
- Plant 5–7 per m² as bedding.
- Light
- Sun and partial shade
- Soil type
- Sand or loam
- Acidity
- Acid or neutral
- Moisture
- Normal
- Size
- 0.4 m tall, 0.4 m wide
- Hardiness
- Frost tender: plant out after the last frost (mid-May)
Goes well with
- Silver ragwort: Grey leaves make the bright red glow.
- Salvia: Blue or purple sages in the same container.
- Bidens: Small yellow flowers for a cheerful pot.
- Lantana: Another warmth-lover with colourful flowers.
- Ornamental grass: Fine stems as a taller centre plant.
Maintenance
Cigar plant: when and how to plant it?
Plant in May–June.
- Only plant outside from mid-May, after the last frost.
- Set the plants at the same depth as in their pots, 25–30 cm apart.
- Use good potting compost with some perlite or grit.
- Water straight away and keep the soil moist for the first few weeks.
- Harden off home-sown plants for a week first.
Care
- Water
- Regularly, so the soil stays lightly moist; in pots often daily in summer.
- Feeding
- Liquid feed every two weeks from June to September.
- Deadheading
- Not needed: the tubular flowers drop by themselves.
- Pinching
- Pinch out young plants once or twice for a bushier shape.
- Overwintering
- Before the frost, move the pot to a bright, cool place (10–15 °C) and water sparingly.
Tip: Put a pot right next to the patio chair or path: only up close can you really see how much the flowers look like tiny lit cigars.
Cigar plant: when to prune it?
Pruning months: March–April.
When: In spring, in March–April, for overwintered plants.
How:
- Cut the plant back by a third to a half.
- Remove dead and weak shoots.
- Pinch out the new shoots for a compact shape.
Caution: Do not cut back an overwintered plant too early while it is still in a dark place: wait until it gets more light.
Propagation
- Sowing
- In February–March indoors at 20–22 °C; barely cover the seed. It germinates in 1–3 weeks. Prick out into pots and plant out after mid-May.
- Cuttings
- Tip cuttings of 5–8 cm from May to August; they root easily in moist cutting compost.
Cigar plant: how does it get through the winter?
Hardy to 2 °C: protect in harsh winters.
- Not hardy: it is damaged from about 2 °C.
- Overwinter in a pot in a bright, cool, frost-free place, ideally 10–15 °C.
- Water little in winter, just enough to stop the root ball drying out.
- Or take cuttings in August and overwinter them on a windowsill.
Diseases and pests
- Whitefly: Mainly indoors or in a greenhouse. Use yellow sticky traps or spray with a mild soap solution.
- Aphids: On young shoots; hose them off with water.
- Few flowers: Too little sun or feed. Move it somewhere sunnier and feed regularly.
Through the year
- February: Sow indoors at 20–22 °C.
- March: Sowing. Cut back and repot overwintered plants.
- April: Prick out and pinch seedlings.
- May: Harden off and plant out after mid-May.
- June: Start of flowering. Feed every two weeks.
- July: Full flower. Water pots.
- August: Take cuttings.
- October: Before the frost, bring it into a bright, cool place.
Use
Good for wildlife
- Bees
- Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.
You and this species
Did you know?
- The flowers have no real petals; the red tube is the coloured calyx.
- The name ignea means ‘fiery’, after the bright red colour.