Cuphea “Purple Mystery” (Purple Cuphea) [15 Seeds]

(2 customer reviews)

$4.25

Germination Information: If you are considering purchasing these seeds, please be aware that they may not be not easy to start, as there doesn’t seem to be one best way to get them going. Sometimes they sprout quickly from a warm sowing, so you could try starting them indoors (gently pressed into the surface of the growing medium, not covered) under lights in warm conditions in early to mid-spring. Germination time is variable: it may take anywhere from one to several weeks. Alternating temperatures (warm during the day and cool to cold at night) may help to spark germination. If there’s no action from indoor-sown seeds after a couple of weeks, consider setting the pot outside so it can naturally get the alternating temperatures. The plants self-sow once you get them to flowering size, and I find the most dependable success comes from following that natural cycle: sowing in a pot outdoors in fall or winter and waiting for seedlings to appear in spring.

Note that this information will not appear on the seed packet you receive.

Please read the description as well before ordering.

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Description

Blue waxweed (Cuphea viscosissima), also known as clammy cuphea, is a US native that bears rich violet-purple flowers from early or midsummer into fall on super-sticky, 18- to 24-inch-tall stems. I received seeds under this name ages ago and have been distributing them as such since then. Just recently, after discussions with two customers who really know their stuff, I found out that what I have is not the true C. viscosissima—the main clue being that the flowers are rather larger than those of the species. It may be a hybrid between C. viscosissima and C. lanceolata, or it may not be. All I know is that is purple, and it is a mystery. I was considering dropping it from the shop, but I enjoy growing it and have heard from others who have appreciated it over the years, so I’m now offering it under the name “Purple Mystery”. Full sun to light shade. It is an annual, but it tends to self-sow, so you can enjoy it for years from just one planting.

Collected in July through August 2023. At least 15 seeds. Shipping to US addresses only.

Please read the germination information as well before ordering.

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2 reviews for Cuphea “Purple Mystery” (Purple Cuphea) [15 Seeds]

  1. LINDA DOWNER (verified owner) –

    Looking forward to 2022

  2. gtrachel (verified owner) –

    I germinated the seeds using the winter sow approach, in a container exposed to the weather outside all winter. Results were good enough to net me several plants, and those plants self-seeded generously such that this second year I have quite a few. Hummingbirds visit them along with my cardinal flowers. The plants are attractive and the petite flowers with their intense, dark color are pretty without being gaudy the way many annuals can be these days. Flowering period is long. The sticky stems do catch small insects, which is an interesting feature. They look ratty when they reach the end of their life cycle in the fall, but I think that’s forgivable.

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