Get it growing
If you’re searching for a plant that will attract hummingbirds to your garden and handle the Louisiana summer like a champ, look no further than Vermillionaire cuphea — one of the LSU AgCenter’s 2025 Louisiana Super Plant selections.
“There’s a lot of species of cuphea on the market, but Vermillionaire is one of the best that we’ve found in terms of year-to-year performance,” said Ag-Center horticulturist Jason Stagg.
Cuphea is sometimes referred to as cigar plant or firecracker plant. That’s because many species and hybrids within the Cuphea genus have tubeshaped, orange-to-red blooms. Depending on how you look at it, cuphea flowers resemble tiny cigars or a pyrotechnic explosion.
The Vermillionaire hybrid from Proven Winners is low maintenance, thrives in the heat and has few pest or disease problems. It stays compact and bushy, topping out at about 2 feet tall and reaching 1 to 2 feet wide.
This plant’s main attraction, of course, is its profusion of blooms. While some cupheas have open flowers, Vermillionaire has slender, nectar-rich blooms that are the perfect shape and size for hummingbirds’ long beaks and tongues. As a bonus, the flowers sport a bright, reddish hue that serves as another lure for hummingbirds.
“If you’re trying to draw hummingbirds to your garden, cupheas are one the best plants to do that,” Stagg said. “Other pollinators will also enjoy the nectar production from this plant.”
To make sure your Vermillionaire cuphea produces plenty of blooms, place it in full sun.
“It won’t bloom very much if it gets any shade throughout the day,” Stagg says.
Flowering begins in spring and continues through the first frost in the fall. Regular fertilization will help keep the plant full and ensure a steady supply of flowers. Deadheading isn’t necessary.
When you first plant your Vermillionaire cuphea, water it regularly. Once established, however, these plants are remarkably drought tolerant.
“That is perfect for our sometimes-unpredictable rain in the summer,” Stagg said.
Don’t worry about scorching summer temperatures
(Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter) hurting this plant. Vermillionaire flourishes in the heat.
“The heat tolerance is one of the things that we love about it,” Stagg says. “A lot of times our landscapes start to weaken during August and September, and things don’t look so great. But not this plant. It’s going to be perfect.”
Vermillionaire cuphea is generally considered an annual. But in south Louisiana, Stagg said, it’s possible for it to perennialize — meaning it will survive the winter and come back in the spring.
Like all Louisiana Super Plants, Vermillionaire has been rigorously evaluated by AgCenter scientists through years of trials. Plants with this designation are as tough as they are beautiful, making them solid choices for your garden.
Check out a full list of Louisiana Super Plants and find more information about the program at www. LSUAgCenter.com/SuperPlants.
Vermillionaire cuphea’s tubular flowers are the perfect shape and size for hummingbirds’ long beaks and tongues, allowing them to access the plant’s abundant nectar.
