Cuphea aequipetala aka Cuphea Aequipetala

Cuphea aequipetala is an evergreen shrub in the loosestrife family, Lythraceae. Its native range covers Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. It is a perennial with a low, spreading form. The RHS accepts the species name as correct. Its records also show that it is not native to Britain or Ireland. Useful Tropical Plants lists it as a wild plant, rather than a crop.

The plant grows from a firm, woody rootstock. It makes many stems, which branch and become woody with age. These stems can last rather than die back each year. They lie along the ground or lean over nearby small shrubs. The listed plant height is about 1.6 feet [0.5 metres]. Stem lengths range from about 0.5 to 3.3 feet [0.15–1 metre]. Stem length is not the same as upright height. The records give no measured spread or separate size range for garden plants.

In the wild, this species grows in several kinds of habitat. These include fields, thickets, grassland, and forests of pine and oak. It also occurs beside roads and in open ground. Some plants grow in hedges or on land used for crops. Reports place it in soils ranging from dry to wet. Its recorded elevation range is about 2,950–8,860 feet [900–2,700 metres]. These wild records do not establish its best watering needs in gardens. The supplied sources give no species-specific frost limit or hardiness zone.

Useful Tropical Plants records insects and hummingbirds as pollinators. The supplied species accounts do not describe flower colour or flowering months. They also give no details of fruit or leaf shape. Seeds can be sown where the plants will grow. Their hard coats mean that sprouting may take several weeks. The records name no pests or diseases for this species. They do not document its performance in borders or other garden settings.

People gather the plant from the wild for local medicinal use. Traditional uses include the above-ground parts for stomach pain and diarrhoea. A boiled preparation of the whole plant has also been taken for cancer. These reports describe use, not proof that treatment works. The database lists no known food use and no known hazards. That limited record does not establish safety for people or pets.