Native Plants
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
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Tuesday - August 29, 2006
From: Ida Grove, IA
Region: Midwest
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Wintering over a Cuphea ignea in Iowa Zones 4-5
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I have a Cigar Plant, or a cuphea. I live in Iowa and need to know how to take care of this plant. Does this plant die and that's it, or does this plant come back year after year?ANSWER:
Cigar plant (Cuphea ignea) is a tropical plant, native to Mexico and the Caribbean. It can withstand light frosts (USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 8-9) and come back in the spring; but, for Iowa in Zones 4-5, I'm afraid it would be 'goner' left outdoors in the winter. It could, however, be grown in a pot as a houseplant and moved outside in its container during frost-free weather to become part of your landscaping.
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