Butterfly and Hummingbird plants

[PlainJane]

So cool that you were able to capture it.

[SpookyShoe]

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My Skyscraper Pink Salvia looks a lot like a Wendy's Wish. Most of the blooms are the medium pink like a Skyscraper Pink should be, but some are more of the hot pink shade of Wendy's Wish.

[MissS]

Lovely photo.

For me, Skyscraper Purple was the same color as Wendy's Wish and the Skyscraper Pink was pinkish/purple.

[SpookyShoe]

Most of the flowers on my Skyscraper Pink are a medium pink color, but I do have entire branches where the color is the hot pink.

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[MissS]

I wonder if you took a cutting from the hot pink branch, if it too would grow hot pink or not.

Or is this just one stem coming from the soil that is deep colored? If so maybe you have a pot that had cuttings from both Skyscraper Pink and Skyscraper Purple in it?

[SpookyShoe]

A beauty on pentas.

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[SpookyShoe]

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Gulf Fritillary caterpillar on my passion vine, one of its host plants.

[SpookyShoe]

Cuphea ignea, cigar plant (pink). This replaced my David Verity cuphea, which was looking rather ratty after a few years.

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This is so cute.

[MissS]

Donna, where did you find that pink cuphea? I had one once, sadly that nursery is out of business. Flowers by the Sea has them, unfortunately they are annuals for me and FBTS is rather expensive and to ship to me from the west is quite dear these days. I did order one from Annie's this year but their shipping is outrageous. It costs more than the plants. A new source would be great!

[PlainJane]

Ditto, FBTS and Annie’s. Every few years I order from them despite the shipping cost as they have plants no one else does.

[SpookyShoe]

Donna, where did you find that pink cuphea? I had one once, sadly that nursery is out of business. Flowers by the Sea has them, unfortunately they are annuals for me and FBTS is rather expensive and to ship to me from the west is quite dear these days. I did order one from Annie's this year but their shipping is outrageous. It costs more than the plants. A new source would be great!

I got mine at Maas nursery on Todville Road in Seabrook, Texas. Which does not help you unfortunately. It's the same place I got my Orange Skyscraper salvias. The salvias were in gallon containers so they were already a good size and very healthy. My pink cuphea is already about 1.5 feet by 1.5 feet and loaded with bIooms. I got my Hot Lips salvia there a few years ago. They have things that big box store simply do not carry.

[Growing Coastal]

I had seeds sent to me of the pink cuphea and a red one. The pink did not come up for me and the red did but only two. One got black aphids like crazy and the other just never flourished. I was left wondering if it wasn't warm enough for it here.

I still long for an old cuphea that used to be grown here for hanging basket stuffing. It was a smaller plant with small bright orange tubular flowers. About 10 years ago I grew it on its own in a pot and hummingbirds went mad for it. I recall seeing it in 4" pots when I was a kid. Now, I can't find seeds for it anywhere online or stores. I guess it has fallen out of favour and fashion.

[SpookyShoe]

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Has anyone tried this one??? I don't have it, but I saw it in person. It's different and very pretty. Honeybells cuphea.

[SpookyShoe]

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I love it when this happens...Hot Lips has her lipstick on.

[MissS]

I love Hot Lips. She is a looker and well used by the birds. I too really enjoy it when she has her lipstick on. Many say that this is due to temperature. I strongly disagree. It depends on the amount of direct sunlight. Watch what happens after a few cloudy days. Three days later she will change her lipstick. She changes from full sun, half a day sun and then filtered light. Check it out, you will see that it has absolutely nothing to do with a temperature change.

Honeybells is new to me. I have never seen it before. Is it a small blossom like cuphea ignea or larger like David Verity?

[SpookyShoe]

Honeybells has smaller blossoms. Rose blossoms with yellow ends. MissS get a Honeybells if you can't get the pink...

[PlainJane]

Considered Honeybells, but it’s too short for my needs. My other cupheas are in the 3 ft or more range; no use tempting the cats.
It’s a lovely plant, though. I’ll bet it would be fantastic in a large window box or container.

[SpookyShoe]

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Such beauty...a Gulf Fritillary on a shrimp plant.

[PlainJane]

Nice! I’ve been noticing them for a week or so, and saw the first zebra longwing yesterday.

[SpookyShoe]

What is the name of this cuphea?
It's short.

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