Mexican Heather: A Pretty Little Annual for the Garden

Mexican heather is lovely little shrub like plant that blooms all season. Its dark green leaves look like the fronds of a fern and provide a background for the small purple flowers that cover the plant and create a good show of color.

The plant is an evergreen perennial in climates with mild winters but is grown as an annual in areas where it gets colder than 20 degrees Fahrenheit; USDA hardiness zones three through seven. Its roots occasionally survive even when the foliage is killed by frost and will sprout new plants in the spring. Over wintering indoors requires a space with plenty of light and is seldom worth the trouble.

Mexican Heather is commonly sold in garden centers in the spring; it comes in inexpensive six packs or small pots. It can be grown from seeds obtained from mail order nurseries or garden centers. The plant occasional reseeds itself in the garden. In areas where it is perennial, the clumps may need to be divided every couple of years.

Partial shade is best for growing Mexican heather, though full sun is fine in cooler areas. Morning sun and shade during the hot afternoon is the favorable situation. Mexican heather is not too fussy about soils, but soil that is well drained and enriched with compost will give the best results. Slightly alkaline to neutral pH suits Mexican heather well.

Consistent, even watering is important to the appearance and growth of Mexican heather since the foliage will begin to quickly wilt and die due to stress brought on by drought. The plant does not need wet soil, just fairly continuous ground moisture. Mulch around the plant will help keep it from drying out.

Mexican heather is sometimes grown in hanging pots since it tends to spread outwards as much as upwards, but its main use is in front of a flowerbed. The small plants should be set out in spring after the last frost about a foot apart. The pretty leaves will spread to make a carpet of dark green about eight to 15 inches tall. Mexican Heather needs no dead heading, but occasional pruning of the leaves can help keep it tidy.

A light feeding of a balanced liquid fertilizer maintains the health of the plant and its continued production of flowers. There are a few varieties of Mexican heather that come in colors other than purple, notably pink or white.

Butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to the plant. It has relatively few diseases or pests.

Mexican heather is named for the area it originated, Mexico and Guatemala. The scientific name is Cuphea hyssopfolia.