False Heather

Other Common names: Hawaiian Heather, Elfin Herb, Elfin Plant, Cuphea, Clammy Cuphea, Corail, Tarweed, Mexican Heather, Heather, 细叶雪茄花, 满天星

False heather is a hardy, free-flowering groundcover that is commonly seen in roadside gardens and biodiversity-attracting gardens. The nectar-filled flowers are highly attractive bees and butterflies.

A perennial groundcover, false heather is useful as a biodiversity-attracting plant and perimeter plant to add a pop of colour to any garden.

Sun and soil needs:

This plant thrives in 4-8 hours of direct sunlight. This plant can also grow in at least 6 hours of indirect sunlight, but at a slower pace. Plants do best in pots with loamy soil at least 10cm deep, or in true ground. These plants are vulnerable to root rot, so ensure that your pots drain well, and that your soil has plenty of organic matter to let the roots breathe.

Growing:

False heather is a steady grower and does well with monthly fertilisng with balanced fertilisers. This shrub can grow up to 0.6m in height and looks best when pruned regularly. Regular pruning to promote new growth will keep the plant healthy and neat.

Propagation:

False heather can be grown from woody cuttings with rooting hormone.

Common problems & solutions:

This plant is relatively resistant to pests and disease if kept healthy.

If the plant does not receive enough light, it will stop producing flowers. Prune surrounding plants or move the plant to a sunnier spot to promote flower growth.

Mealy bugs and scale insects often infest the plant if it has underlying problems like root rot. Mechanical pest control methods like pruning the infested parts are the best methods for managing these pests in the short term, but resolving the underlying problem will prevent them in the long term.