I am trying to identify this plant

[BajaMariposa]

I bought this plant last year and it came back again. I went back to the nursery where I bought it last year to get more but they weren't sure what it was and didn't have any this year. I call it my face plant. I'm pretty sure it's a cuphea, but not sure about the variety and I have searched and searched online. It's more or less a bush with long thin stems and small leaves. The bloom is small also but lots of them. Any help you can give would be appreciated.

[bullthistle]

It likes like bat face or tiny mice the cousin to the link below. Propagate yourself.

propagatingperennials.blogspot.com/2008/06/cuphea-micropetala-tall-cigar-plant.html

[BajaMariposa]

Now that I look at some more varieties of cuphea, the structure of the plant isn't like any of them so I am still wondering. The leaves are not similar either. Tho the blooms look similar none that I have seen are exact. It could be a newer hybrid maybe?

[cynthia_h]

Is there a second independent garden-supply store/nursery in your area? Maybe taking a photo to this second supplier would produce a plant identification.

It's amazing to me that the folks who sold it to you don't know what it is...unless they're a Home Depot or something. *those sorts of places* generally sell only the basic plants, and a clerk may or may not know anything about the plants.

If you *really* want to know, maybe a local community college or state university has a horticulture dept/program, and someone there could ID it from a photo and/or cutting.

Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17

[BajaMariposa]

Thanks for the suggestions. Yes amazing they didn't remember the plant. They suggested it was a cuphea also but I'm not so sure myself.

[carex]

I think the plant is Cuphea igneae (not sure of spelling but you can find a picture at TopTropicals.com)

[tfw]

I do believe it is a Cuphea but it is hard to tell which variety. I am tending to sway toward Cuphea melvilla.

Terry

[BajaMariposa]

Thank you for that suggestion. Will do some research on cuphea melvilla.