Cuphea procumbens Heatbeat Vulcano

Cuphea procumbens Heatbeat 'Vulcano' is a German selection with larger flowers than classic varieties. Their architectural appearance and their satin bright red colour, marked with purple veins, make it a particularly decorative plant. This compact and low-growing, small undershrub does not exceed 20 or 25 cm in height with a spread of about 35 cm, making it a good choice for summer containers. Its flowers generously from June to August, flourishing fully in a sunny position. In southern regions with mild winters, it can be planted in the garden quite early, provided it is sheltered from spring frosts, which it cannot withstand. Grown as an annual, it is suitable for both borders and containers.

Cuphea belongs to the Lythraceae family, known in our gardens mainly by Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle) and Pomegranate, with flowers or fruits. The genus Cuphea includes more than 200 species native to tropical areas of America, where they grow as herbaceous annuals or perennials, and sometimes as small shrubs. Cuphea procumbens, from the southern United States and Mexico, appears as an annual with erect and partially creeping stems, which can however, reach up to 60 cm. Its foliage and stems are slightly sticky due to fine reddish glandulous hairs. Although it is a tropical plant, it is easily cultivated in temperate climates as an annual. Breeders have selected more compact and particularly floriferous forms. 'Vulcano', brought to market by a major German breeding house, belongs to the HEATBEAT series, renowned for the impressive size of its flowers, about twice as large as those of traditional cultivars.
The plant forms a small clump with a spreading habit, low (20 to 25 cm in height) and tending to spread a little (35-40 cm in width). Its elliptical, finely veined leaves measure 3 to 5 cm and sport a deep green which showcases the flowering well. The sculptural, elegant flowers have six rounded petals with a narrow base. Four form a sort of fan in the lower part, while the last two are slightly larger and stand upright. Of a bright, medium to dark satin red, they are marked with purplish veins that add to their beauty. The flowering, which begins in June, continues until August. Although the plant tolerates some drought, it is more generous when watered regularly, especially when adding a liquid fertiliser high in potassium (the K in the NPK formula) to the water.

Cuphea Heatbeat 'Vulcano' is the ideal plant for summer flowering; it can be used in borders in open ground and in containers. Naturally compact, it does not require pruning and withstands heat well. It will integrate easily into a border of annuals, but will prove particularly attractive in a container on a terrace. To create a beautiful display, you can pair it with Bidens, which are also very floriferous and over an even longer period. A plant of Plectranthus coleoides 'Variegatus' with a trailing habit and foliage variegated with cream will add a decorative note to your scene. And to give it volume, opt for Angelonia 'Angelface Carrara', an upright annual whose pure white flowers are enhanced by dark green foliage.