Cuphea ignea aka Firecracker Plant

Cuphea ignea is a small evergreen shrub in the loosestrife family. Gardeners call it cigar plant or firecracker plant. Kew places its native range in Oaxaca and Chiapas, Mexico. Some garden sources also list the West Indies. It grows in woods with pine, oak, and sweetgum. In cold regions, gardeners grow this tender shrub as an annual.

The plant forms a rounded bush with many slender stems. Garden plants reach about 1.5–3 feet [0.46–0.91 metres] tall. They spread about 2–3 feet [0.61–0.91 metres] wide. RHS gives a lower height and spreads to 3.3 feet [1 metre]. Its thin, red stems can break with rough handling. The stems turn woody with age and persist in warm climates. Small dark green leaves crowd the branches. Their shapes range from narrow and pointed to oval. The leaves have smooth edges and stay green through winter.

The flowers grow singly where leaves meet the stems. Each bloom has a red to orange tube. A white rim and dark tips give it a cigar-like look. The tube is a calyx with two tiny dark petals. Flowers last from late spring until frost in cooler gardens. In warm climates, the plant can flower through the year. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees visit for nectar. Small dry capsules hold tiny brown seeds. The fruits add little to the plant’s garden display.

Give it sun, good drainage, and steady soil moisture. Some shade helps where the sun is very hot. It grows in sand, loam, and clay with good drainage. It also accepts acid, neutral, or alkaline soil. Established plants cope with some drought but prefer regular water. Most sources place winter hardiness in USDA zones 10–12. Florida guidance extends the range to zone 9b. RHS rates it H2; it does not survive freezing. Pots can spend winter indoors in a bright, sunny spot. Reduce watering during that indoor winter rest.

Use it in beds, path edges, pots, or hanging baskets. Pinch stem tips when growth becomes long and sparse. Serious pest and disease problems are rare. It has poor salt tolerance. Useful Tropical Plants reports invasiveness in Hawaii and Réunion. Seed oil has possible food and industrial uses. This does not establish the seeds as a garden food. That source lists no known hazards or medicinal uses.