Cuphea (Cuphea 'David Verity')
Cuphea 'David Verity' offers distinctive, long-lasting reddish-orange flowers. Low maintenance, perfect for borders, containers, and attracting wildlife.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Cuphea ‘David Verity’ is a highly valued hybrid noted for its extraordinary, long-lasting bloom season, extending color from late spring well into the frost. This bushy sub-shrub produces unusual, cigar-shaped flowers that are bright reddish-orange and tipped with yellow, creating a constant source of visual interest. Gardeners prize Cuphea for its low maintenance requirements and its ability to tolerate high summer heat once established.
This plant provides excellent texture and near-constant color, making it a reliable performer as an annual, container specimen, or a perennial in warm climates. Its flowers are particularly attractive to essential pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies, enhancing any garden space where Cuphea ‘David Verity’ is planted.
As a rounded, densely branched plant, often reaching 20 to 30 inches tall and wide, Cuphea offers consistent structure. While winter hardy in USDA Zones 8-10 where it maintains evergreen foliage, it thrives in many areas when treated as a dependable annual.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Lythraceae
- Plant Type: Broadleaf evergreen
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 8-10
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 1.5-2.5 ft
- Spread: 1.5-2.5 ft
- Bloom Time: Flowers freely
- Bloom Description: Reddish-orange tipped with yellow
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
For optimal performance, especially where Cuphea ‘David Verity’ is grown as an annual, plant in the spring after the danger of frost has passed. Locate the plant in full sun, though it can tolerate some part shade, provided the location has average, well-drained soil. Consistent moisture is key; while this Cuphea cultivar tolerates some drought, it performs best with regular watering, fitting its “Medium” water needs designation.
Maintenance for Cuphea is remarkably low. Fertilization is rarely essential if the soil is reasonably fertile. If plants become slightly leggy as the summer progresses, a light pinching of the stem tips will encourage bushier growth and more blooms, maintaining a tidy form.
In colder regions (outside Zone 8), treat Cuphea as an annual. However, container-grown specimens can be successfully overwintered indoors. Bring them inside before the first hard frost, placing them in a bright, sunny spot where temperatures remain in the 60s, and reduce watering significantly while plants are dormant indoors.
Propagation is easily achieved via tip cuttings, offering a simple way to increase your stock of this popular Cuphea cultivar for next season.
Landscape Uses
Cuphea ‘David Verity’ excels as versatile annual filler for beds and borders, softening the edges along walkways or paths with its continuous floral display. Its compact size (1.5 to 2.5 feet) makes it ideal for adding mid-level interest without overwhelming smaller plantings.
This plant shines brightly in containers, whether used as a thriller in a mixed arrangement on decks or patios, or as a cascading element in hanging baskets. The deep green foliage contrasts beautifully with the fiery, unusual blooms of Cuphea.
When selecting companions, pair it with plants that share similar sun and moisture requirements, such as petunias, coleus, or calibrachoa. This ensures the whole grouping thrives throughout the heat of summer.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
Cuphea is a genus of more than 200 species, and the genus name originates from the Greek word kyphos, meaning curved or humped, likely referencing the shape of its seed capsules. ‘David Verity’ is a celebrated hybrid Cuphea, possibly a cross between C. Ignea and C. Micropetala, distinguished by its long, floriferous bloom period featuring unique cigar-shaped flowers. In its perennial range, this rounded, densely branched sub-shrub can reach 3-4 feet tall, showcasing evergreen foliage beneath its tubular, reddish-orange blooms tipped with yellow. Flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies, often leading this cultivar to be mistaken for Cuphea ignea.
Tolerances
Potential Problems
While generally adaptable, like many container or bedding plants, you should watch for common pests such as aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites on your Cuphea. These sap-sucking insects can degrade the foliage quality, especially during periods of stress or confinement indoors over winter.
Fungal issues are also possible under overly humid or poorly ventilating conditions. Powdery mildew, leaf spot, and root rot are the primary concerns. Ensuring well-drained soil and avoiding overhead watering when humidity is high are crucial preventative measures against these cultural problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Cuphea ‘David Verity’ suitable for?
Cuphea ‘David Verity’ is winter hardy in USDA Zones 8 through 10. In cooler regions, it is best grown as a vibrant annual.
How large does Cuphea ‘David Verity’ grow?
When mature, this variety typically reaches a height between 1.5 and 2.5 feet, with a similar spread of 1.5 to 2.5 feet.
What sun exposure does Cuphea need?
This plant thrives best in full sun to achieve its most prolific flowering, although it will tolerate partial shade conditions.
When does Cuphea ‘David Verity’ bloom?
This specific Cuphea cultivar is noted for flowering freely throughout the growing season, providing a continuous display of its distinctive reddish-orange tipped with yellow flowers from late spring until frost.
Conclusion
Cuphea ‘David Verity’ provides exceptional, long-season color with minimal effort, making it a staple for both annual displays and perennial borders in warmer zones. Its drought tolerance and appeal to hummingbirds solidify its value in sustainable or wildlife-focused gardening. Before planting, confirm that your growing zone supports perennial survival, or plan ahead for overwintering container specimens of this spectacular Cuphea.
Wildlife Benefits
The unique floral structure of the Cuphea species is perfectly evolved for specific pollinators. The tubular, reddish-orange flowers of Cuphea ‘David Verity’ act as a magnet for hummingbirds, which are often the primary visitors seeking nectar. This makes the plant an invaluable addition to any wildlife garden plan.
Furthermore, the continuous bloom time ensures a steady, reliable nectar source available over many months. Planting Cuphea alongside other long-blooming nectar-rich flowers can create a robust feeding corridor for migrating and resident hummingbirds throughout the warmer seasons.
Container Growing
For gardeners outside the primary hardiness range, container culture transforms Cuphea ‘David Verity’ into a portable, vibrant accent. Use a well-draining potting mix, often enhanced with extra perlite or grit, to ensure rapid drainage, which is crucial for container health.
Due to contained root systems, container plants may dry out slightly faster than those in the ground, so monitor moisture closely, aiming for that “Medium” water consistency. Pinching back tips is even more important in containers to prevent the plant from becoming sparse and leggy by mid-summer, maintaining a dense, colorful profile.
