Cuphea 'Matchmaker Scarlet'

You might have thought you'd never want to grow a plant called Cigar Flower, but one look at this exciting new variety will change your mind! Its common name comes from the shape of the blooms -- long, tubular, held straight out (for easier access from hummingbirds, who adore them), and boasting a glowing purplish-white tip, looking for all the world like ash! 'Matchmaker' is the most exciting thing to happen to Cuphea in a long time, and you'll want to fill your finest containers and sunniest garden spots with this tropical beauty!

Just one-half to one-third the size of the species, this little plant reaches a foot high and wide, covering itself in blooms from late spring right into autumn. Each flower is about 1 to 1 1/2 inches long and boasts vibrant, almost glowing orange-red petals. Butterflies take notice, and so will anyone who comes within 50 feet of this plant -- there's nothing else like it in the garden or on the patio, and it's so easy to grow!

'Matchmaker Scarlet' returns for years of beauty in zones 8 through 11, but the rest of us can get more than our money's worth by growing it as an annual. Start the seeds indoors. They germinate in just 8 to 10 days if given room temperature and exposure to light. If you're using your Bio-Dome, set them on top of the sponge rather than in the planting hole). They'll begin growing like crazy, and will be ready to transplant sooner than you expect! Just give them lots of fertilizer and water throughout the growth season, and they'll beam through heat, humidity, and more!

We are delighted to be able to make Cuphea 'Matchmaker Scarlet' available to you this season. But as the only North American supplier of the seed, we do expect it to sell out. We recommend that you order it early and get an extra packet or two if you think you might want more later in the season. (There are two other colors in the 'Matchmaker' series -- Pink and White.) With color this beautiful and care this easy, it's awfully tempting to plant seedlings out in the annual bed by the dozen! Space plants about 6 to 8 inches apart for nice full coverage. Enjoy! Pkt is 25 seeds.