Cigar Plant
Cuphea ignea
A bushy tender perennial covered in tiny tubular orange-red flowers tipped with white and black, resembling lit cigars and beloved by hummingbirds.
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate; keep evenly moist
- Difficulty
- Easy
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Overview
The cigar plant is a compact, tender perennial from Mexico grown for its near-constant display of small, brightly colored tubular flowers. Each bloom is a slender orange-red tube with a dark ring and white tip, suggesting a glowing cigar, which gives the plant both its common names.
Heat-loving and free-flowering, it is grown as a bedding annual in cold climates and as an evergreen shrublet where frost is absent. It is a superb nectar source and a favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies.
How to identify it
A dense, twiggy little plant smothered in small bright flowers.
- Flowers: narrow tubular blooms about 2-3 cm long, bright orange-red with a dark band and a small white mouth
- Leaves: small, narrow, lance-shaped, glossy deep green
- Stems: fine, branching, and somewhat woody at the base
- Habit: rounded and bushy, 30-60 cm tall and wide
- Bloom time: nearly continuous in warm weather
Care & growing
- Light: full sun to part shade; more sun yields more flowers
- Water: keep soil evenly moist; avoid prolonged dryness
- Soil: fertile, well-drained soil
- Temperature: loves heat and humidity; frost-tender and best treated as an annual in cold zones
- Feeding: a balanced fertilizer through the growing season sustains heavy blooming
- Propagation: from seed or softwood cuttings; pinch young plants to encourage bushiness
Habitat & origin
Cuphea ignea is native to Mexico and parts of the Caribbean, where it grows in warm, sunny conditions as a small evergreen shrub.
It is cultivated worldwide as a bedding plant, container subject, and houseplant, and is perennial only in frost-free climates. It is widely planted in pollinator and butterfly gardens.
Uses & benefits
Grown as an ornamental and pollinator plant.
- Containers and bedding: excellent for pots, edging, and mass color in warm seasons
- Wildlife: a magnet for hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees
- Houseplant: can be grown indoors in a bright spot
- Landscape: used as a low informal hedge or filler in frost-free gardens
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called a cigar plant?
Each small tubular flower is orange-red with a dark band and a white tip, resembling a lit cigar with ash.
Does the cigar plant attract hummingbirds?
Yes. Its tubular nectar-rich flowers are highly attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies.
Is the cigar plant a perennial?
It is a tender perennial, evergreen in frost-free climates but grown as an annual where winters are cold.
How do I keep it bushy?
Pinch the growing tips of young plants and trim lightly during the season to promote dense, well-branched growth.
Cigar Plant guides
In-depth guides for identifying, growing, and caring for Cigar Plant.
