{"title":"False Heather (Cuphea)","description":"\u003cp\u003eFalse heather is Cuphea hyssopifolia, also called Mexican heather: a small, dense shrub with tiny glossy leaves and a scatter of mauve, pink or white flowers that barely stops in a warm climate. It is not a true heather and wants none of the cold, acid conditions heathers need. Gardeners in the subtropics and tropics use it for low borders and edging, and it makes a neat pot plant elsewhere. Choose by flower or foliage colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to choose false heather\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe plants differ mainly in colour. The \u003ca href=\"\/products\/mauve-false-heather-cuphea-hyssopifolia-mauve\"\u003eMauve False Heather\u003c\/a\u003e is the familiar form, and the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/white-false-heather-cuphea-hyssopifolia-white\"\u003eWhite False Heather\u003c\/a\u003e gives a cooler look that reads well in shade and at dusk. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/mauve-compact-mexican-heather-cuphea-hyssopifolia-mauve-compact\"\u003eMauve Compact Mexican Heather\u003c\/a\u003e is a tighter grower, which suits a low edge or a small pot. The \u003ca href=\"\/products\/aurea-false-heather-cuphea-hyssopifolia-aurea\"\u003eAurea False Heather\u003c\/a\u003e is grown for its golden foliage as much as its flowers and is useful for lifting a dark green border.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFalse heather typically reaches about half a metre high and a little wider, with flat, layered branches. One colour repeated along a path gives a formal line. A mix of colours is softer and suits a cottage or tropical style planting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere false heather works\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt is at its strongest in subtropical and tropical gardens, where it flowers nearly all year, and it grows well in warm temperate areas with flowering from spring to autumn. Give it full sun or part shade. In the hottest districts light afternoon shade keeps the foliage a deeper green.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFalse heather is frost tender. A light frost burns the tips and a hard one can kill the plant, so in cool temperate climates grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover for winter, or treat it as a warm season plant. Use it to edge paths and garden beds, in front of taller shrubs, around the base of palms and in mixed containers. It combines easily with our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/tropical-plants\"\u003etropical plants\u003c\/a\u003e and other \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-subtropical-climates\"\u003eplants for subtropical climates\u003c\/a\u003e, and it is a tidy choice among \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003eplants for pots\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne caution: false heather self seeds readily in warm, moist gardens. Pull out stray seedlings as they appear, and keep it away from bushland and creek lines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting and spacing\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in spring, or at any time in frost free areas if you can water. It likes moist, well drained soil improved with compost, and it struggles in waterlogged ground. For a continuous low border, space plants 30 to 40 centimetres apart. As single specimens allow 60 centimetres. Mulch after planting to keep the shallow roots cool, and keep the mulch clear of the stems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCare basics\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater regularly through the first summer. Established plants cope with short dry spells but look and flower better with steady moisture, and they wilt quickly in a small pot. Feed in spring and again in midsummer with a balanced slow release fertiliser.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTrim lightly two or three times a year to keep the plant dense, taking off only the soft tip growth. It will reshoot if cut harder in spring, but frequent light clipping gives a neater result than an occasional hard prune. After frost damage, wait until spring before cutting back, then remove the burnt growth to just above live shoots. Plants can become woody and open after several years, and are simple to replace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs false heather a true heather?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. True heathers are Calluna and Erica, cool climate plants for acid soil. False heather is a Cuphea from Mexico and Central America that only resembles them in its fine foliage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow big does false heather grow?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout half a metre high and 60 to 90 centimetres wide, less in a pot or with regular trimming.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes false heather tolerate frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnly the lightest. In frosty districts grow it in a pot and move it under cover for winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes false heather attract bees?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. The small flowers are visited by bees and other small pollinators through much of the year.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"white-false-heather-cuphea-hyssopifolia-white","title":"White False Heather - Cuphea hyssopifolia 'White'","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhite False Heather (\u003cem\u003eCuphea hyssopifolia\u003c\/em\u003e 'White') is a small plant that works hard for its space. It forms a soft mound about 50cm tall and wide, covered in tiny deep green leaves and small white flowers that keep coming almost all year in warm climates. For edging a path, filling a pot or massing along a border, few plants offer this much flower for this little effort.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowers nearly year round.\u003c\/strong\u003e In tropical and subtropical gardens it is rarely without bloom, and in warm temperate areas it flowers from spring until the cold arrives.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNaturally neat.\u003c\/strong\u003e The fine foliage forms a dense dome that holds its shape with only a light trim now and then.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFast to fill.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plants knit together within a season at 40cm spacing, so a new border reads as finished quickly.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTakes heat, humidity and dry spells.\u003c\/strong\u003e Summer in the subtropics does not slow it, and established plants forgive a missed watering.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBrings in the pollinators.\u003c\/strong\u003e The little flowers are worked constantly by bees and butterflies.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBorders and edging.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 40cm apart for a continuous low border along a path or garden bed. It gives the clipped look of a miniature hedge without the clipping.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMass planting and groundcover.\u003c\/strong\u003e At the same 40cm spacing it covers open ground in soft drifts, suppressing weeds once the canopy closes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots and poolside.\u003c\/strong\u003e It stays compact in a container, sheds very little, and handles the reflected heat around a pool better than most fine leaved plants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing white false heather in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun brings the heaviest flowering, though it accepts a few hours of light shade. It is at its best in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It tolerates light frost only, so in colder districts treat it as a plant for pots that can shift under cover for winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Any reasonable garden soil with drainage suits it. Work compost through sandy beds to hold moisture, and avoid spots that stay wet through winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Water two or three times a week for the first month, then weekly through the first summer. Established plants are surprisingly drought tolerant. A controlled release fertiliser in spring keeps the foliage dark and the flowers coming.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Shear lightly after the main spring flush and again in late summer if it looks shaggy. Avoid cutting into old bare wood; little and often keeps the mound dense.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe sell it as single tubes, a 140mm pack of 10 and a 200mm pack of 6. Tubes are the economical way to plant a long border and reach full size within their first year, while the 140mm and 200mm packs bring the finished look forward by a season. Small plants like these travel well and bounce back from transit within days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOrders are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrefer a touch of colour? See \u003ca href=\"\/products\/mauve-false-heather-cuphea-hyssopifolia-mauve\"\u003eMauve False Heather\u003c\/a\u003e, the lilac flowered form.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse more \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/flowering-plants\"\u003eflowering plants\u003c\/a\u003e for companions.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCompare options in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-poolside-gardens\"\u003eplants for poolside gardens\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow far apart should I plant it for a border?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSet plants 40cm apart for a continuous border. They touch within a season and form a solid ribbon of foliage and flower by the end of the first year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it survive frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLight frost marks the foliage but plants usually recover. Hard or repeated frost kills it, so in cold districts grow it in pots and move it somewhere sheltered for winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow often does it need trimming?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce or twice a year is plenty. A light all over shear after the spring flush keeps the mound tight, and it flowers again on the fresh growth within weeks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes it grow well around pools?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. It handles reflected heat, the odd splash and the exposed feel of most pool surrounds, and its fine leaves shed far less litter into the water than larger shrubs do.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":44341894381887,"sku":"CUP-HYS-WHI-tube","price":14.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10)","offer_id":54140112699711,"sku":"CUP-HYS-WHI-140MM-P10","price":191.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200mm (Pack of 6) (Backorder)","offer_id":54140112732479,"sku":"CUP-HYS-WHI-200MM-P6","price":243.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/White-False-Heather-Cuphea-hyssopifolia-White.png?v=1794661639"},{"product_id":"mauve-false-heather-cuphea-hyssopifolia-mauve","title":"Mauve False Heather - Cuphea hyssopifolia 'Mauve'","description":"\u003cp\u003eMauve False Heather (\u003cem\u003eCuphea hyssopifolia\u003c\/em\u003e 'Mauve') is the low edging plant that keeps flowering when everything around it has stopped. It settles at about 50cm tall and 60cm across, a fine textured mound smothered in small mauve flowers for most of the year in a warm garden. Planted 40cm apart it closes into an even border in one season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowering that barely pauses.\u003c\/strong\u003e Tropical and subtropical gardens see mauve flowers almost year round, and warm temperate gardens run from spring into autumn.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIt stays the size you bought it.\u003c\/strong\u003e At 50cm by 60cm it never creeps out over the path.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTough for something this fine.\u003c\/strong\u003e Heat, humidity and dry spells are all handled once the roots are down.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBees and butterflies work it constantly.\u003c\/strong\u003e The flowers are small, but there are thousands of them.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIt takes a clip.\u003c\/strong\u003e A light shear thickens it rather than setting it back.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBorders and edging.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 40cm apart in a single row. Ten plants give four metres of edge, and the row reads as one band by the end of the first season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMass planting and groundcover.\u003c\/strong\u003e Same 40cm spacing on a staggered grid, about six plants to the square metre. Once closed over it shades out most annual weeds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLow hedging and pots.\u003c\/strong\u003e Clipped, it holds a tidy 30cm to 40cm hedge along a path. One plant fills a 250mm to 300mm pot, and three make a trough.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Mauve False Heather in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun gives the heaviest flowering; part shade works but stays looser and leafier. This is one for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It takes light frost only, so cold inland districts, the tablelands and hard frosting southern gardens should grow it in a pot that can move under cover for winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Drainage is the one real requirement. Work compost through the bed, and on heavy clay raise the planting line into a low mound. Mulch to 50mm, kept off the stems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then only in long dry spells. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and again in mid summer keeps the flowering dense.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Shear lightly two or three times through the warmer months. A plant that has gone woody and open at the base can be cut back hard in early spring and will reshoot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt comes in two sizes. Tube stock is a young plant with a small root ball, and the sensible buy for a long run because it catches up quickly. The 140mm pack of ten covers about 1.6 square metres massed, or four metres of single row edging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoft growth can look tired after a few days in a box, so water it and give it a day in the shade before planting. Expect flowers within six to eight weeks in warm weather. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-perfect-edging-plants-landscape-your-perfect-garden\"\u003eChoosing edging plants for a clean garden line\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/border-brilliance-low-growing-plant-ideas\"\u003eLow growing plant ideas for borders\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse the wider \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/groundcover\"\u003egroundcover range\u003c\/a\u003e for larger areas.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSee other \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/bee-and-butterfly-plants\"\u003eplants that feed bees and butterflies\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow far apart should I plant it for a border?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eForty centimetres apart in a single row. At that spacing the plants meet by the end of the first growing season and the edge reads as continuous.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes it really flower all year?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClose to it in tropical and subtropical gardens, where there is rarely a month without flowers. In warm temperate districts expect a strong run from spring through autumn and a quieter winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it survive frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLight frost only. A brief cold snap may burn the tips and the plant will reshoot in spring, but hard or repeated frost will kill it. In cold gardens keep it in a pot and shift it under eaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":44712522285375,"sku":"CUP-HYS-MAU-tube","price":14.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10)","offer_id":54140113551679,"sku":"CUP-HYS-MAU-140MM-P10","price":196.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200mm (Pack of 6)","offer_id":55100303376703,"sku":"CUP-HYS-MAU-200MM-P6","price":243.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Mauve-False-Heather-Cuphea-hyssopifolia-Mauve.png?v=1794661651"},{"product_id":"jocelyn-s-pink-false-heather-cuphea-hyssopifolia-jocelyn-s-pink","title":"Jocelyn’s Pink False Heather - Cuphea hyssopifolia ‘Jocelyn’s Pink’","description":"\u003cp\u003eJocelyn's Pink false heather (\u003cem\u003eCuphea hyssopifolia\u003c\/em\u003e 'Jocelyn's Pink') is a low, fine leafed shrub that flowers almost continuously in a warm garden. It grows to about 50cm tall and 60cm wide, covered in small pink flowers that bees and butterflies work through all season. It shears beautifully, so the same plant reads as either a soft mound or a clipped formal edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowers almost year round.\u003c\/strong\u003e In tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens the pink flowering barely stops, which very few low shrubs manage.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIt takes a clip.\u003c\/strong\u003e The fine dense foliage responds to shearing, so one plant makes a formal 30cm edge or an informal 50cm mound.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAlive with pollinators.\u003c\/strong\u003e Bees and butterflies work the flowers constantly, and small birds follow them in.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTough once settled.\u003c\/strong\u003e Heat tolerant, drought tolerant and comfortable with humidity, so it holds up through a hot summer unattended.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBorders and edging.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 40cm apart for a low dense border. At that spacing the plants meet within a season and the line stays continuous even when clipped hard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLow hedging.\u003c\/strong\u003e The same 40cm spacing gives a formal edge to a path or a garden room, held at 30cm to 40cm with a light shear two or three times a year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMass planting and pots.\u003c\/strong\u003e Use it in drifts at roughly six plants per square metre, or singly in 300mm pots for a balcony that needs colour rather than foliage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Jocelyn's Pink false heather in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun gives the heaviest flowering and the tightest habit; part shade works but the plant opens up and flowers less. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It is frost tender, so in cold districts grow it in pots that can shift under cover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Free draining soil of any reasonable type, with compost worked through beforehand. It dislikes waterlogging more than dry ground. Mulch 50mm deep, clear of the stems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Water twice a week through the first summer while the roots establish, then only through dry spells. A controlled release fertiliser in early spring and again in midsummer keeps the flowering dense.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Shear lightly two or three times a year to hold the shape and push new flowering growth. If a plant goes woody and open at the base, cut it back by a third in early spring and it will refurnish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is grown in two sizes: tube stock and 140mm pots in packs of ten. Tubes are young single plants and the value choice for a long border, taking a season to fill out. The 140mm plants are already bushy and often carrying flower, so a border planted from them closes over within a few months in warm weather.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fine foliage can look flat after transit; a good soak and a week in position sorts that out. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-perfect-edging-plants-landscape-your-perfect-garden\"\u003eChoosing the right edging plants\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/bee-and-butterfly-plants\"\u003eBrowse bee and butterfly attracting plants\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/mass-planting-plants\"\u003eCompare plants for mass planting\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/border-brilliance-low-growing-plant-ideas\"\u003eLow growing plant ideas for borders\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow far apart should I plant it for a border?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eForty centimetres apart in a single row, or about six plants per square metre for a mass planting. Closer spacing does not close the line faster and makes watering harder.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I clip it into a formal edge?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, it is one of the better low shrubs for shearing. Two or three light clips a year hold it at 30cm to 40cm, and the fine foliage means cut ends do not show.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it survive frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is frost tender, so it belongs in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. In frosty districts grow it in pots you can move under cover, and accept it may behave as a warm season plant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":51640332714303,"sku":"CUP-HYS-JOC-tube","price":14.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10)","offer_id":54140065939775,"sku":"CUP-HYS-JOC-140MM-P10","price":196.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Jocelyns-Pink-False-Heather-Cuphea-hyssopifolia-Jocelyns-Pink.png?v=1794662330"},{"product_id":"golden-ruby-false-heather-cuphea-hyssopifolia-golden-ruby","title":"Golden Ruby False Heather - Cuphea hyssopifolia 'Golden Ruby'","description":"\u003cp\u003eGolden Ruby False Heather (\u003cem\u003eCuphea hyssopifolia\u003c\/em\u003e 'Golden Ruby') is a border plant that does the job of a low hedge without any of the clipping. It holds a tight mound about 40cm tall and 50cm across, covered in fine foliage and a constant scatter of tiny pink and purple flowers through the warm months.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIt keeps its own shape.\u003c\/strong\u003e A naturally dense rounded mound at roughly 40cm by 50cm, so a row reads as a neat low hedge with no shearing.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowers almost continuously.\u003c\/strong\u003e Small pink and purple blooms appear along the stems across the warm season rather than in one burst.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat, humidity and dry spells all suit it.\u003c\/strong\u003e Once established it handles heat and drought, and it does not sulk in coastal humidity.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBees and butterflies work it constantly.\u003c\/strong\u003e The flowers are small but numerous, open and easy to feed from.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVery little maintenance.\u003c\/strong\u003e One light trim a year keeps it dense, with no staking or deadheading.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBorders and edging.\u003c\/strong\u003e The main use. Plant 40cm apart and the mounds meet into a continuous soft edge within a season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMass planting in small gardens.\u003c\/strong\u003e The same 40cm spacing works for filling a bed. The mature size is predictable, so you can plan a courtyard around it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots and rockeries.\u003c\/strong\u003e A pot 300mm or wider holds one plant, and the drought tolerance makes it sensible for a hot balcony. In a rockery it softens stone without hiding it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing golden ruby false heather in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun to light shade, with full sun giving the densest habit and heaviest flowering. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens and takes light frost only, so hard frosting inland and southern gardens should grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Free draining is the requirement. It copes with sandy coastal soils but will rot in ground that stays wet. On clay, plant on a low mound and mulch 50mm deep, kept off the stems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Water twice weekly for the first two months, then taper to a deep soak in dry weather. Flowering is better with occasional water through a long dry summer. A controlled release fertiliser in early spring is enough.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Trim lightly in late winter or early spring to remove woody bare sections. Avoid cutting hard into old wood, because it is slow to reshoot from bare stems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt comes as tube stock and as a 140mm pack of ten. Tubes are young plants, usually 10 to 20cm high, and they are the value option for a long border. The 140mm pack closes the gaps in half the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSmall shrubs like this travel well, with only minor leaf drop expected. Plant within a few days of arrival, water in, and expect the mounds to knit together within two to three months in warm weather, or one full season in a cooler garden. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-perfect-edging-plants-landscape-your-perfect-garden\"\u003eChoosing the right edging plants\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSee what else suits a tight space in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-small-gardens\"\u003eplants for small gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse companions in the \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/rockery-plants\"\u003erockery plant range\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFind more pollinator plants in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/bee-and-butterfly-plants\"\u003ebee and butterfly plants\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow many do I need for a border?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt 40cm spacing you need roughly two and a half plants per running metre, so a ten metre border takes about 25. A pack of ten covers four metres of finished edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it survive frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLight frost only. A few cold mornings damage the tips, which trim off in spring, but a hard frost will kill it. In genuinely cold gardens, grow it in a pot you can shift under eaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow often does it need trimming?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce a year, in late winter or early spring. Take off the top few centimetres and any woody bare stems. It does not need shearing the way a formal hedge does.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":51640343658815,"sku":"CUP-HYS-GOLRUB-tube","price":14.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10) (Backorder)","offer_id":54140066955583,"sku":"CUP-HYS-GOLRUB-140MM-P10","price":249.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Golden-Ruby-False-Heather-Cuphea-hyssopifolia-Golden-Ruby.png?v=1794662345"},{"product_id":"aurea-false-heather-cuphea-hyssopifolia-aurea","title":"Aurea False Heather - Cuphea hyssopifolia ‘Aurea’","description":"\u003cp\u003eAurea False Heather (\u003cem\u003eCuphea hyssopifolia\u003c\/em\u003e 'Aurea') is a low golden leaved shrub that barely stops flowering. It mounds to about 50cm tall and 60cm wide, covered in tiny purple and pink blooms set against lime gold foliage. For a soft edging plant in a warm garden, little else at that height works this hard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGold foliage that carries the year.\u003c\/strong\u003e The lime gold leaves hold the planting together between flushes, which is where the plain green form cannot compete.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowers over a very long season.\u003c\/strong\u003e Small purple and pink blooms come in waves through the warm months and keep going in frost free gardens.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNeat without being clipped.\u003c\/strong\u003e It mounds naturally, so one light shear twice a year is enough to keep it tight rather than woody.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSteady food for bees and butterflies.\u003c\/strong\u003e Constant small flowers make it a reliable nectar plant at ground level.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBorders and edging.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 40cm apart for a continuous low border along a path or bed edge. The gold foliage keeps that line legible between flushes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMass planting.\u003c\/strong\u003e The same 40cm spacing across a wider area gives a low carpet of colour that asks for nothing but an annual trim.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots and rockeries.\u003c\/strong\u003e It suits a bowl or trough with the foliage spilling slightly over the rim, and it is happy in the heat and sharp drainage of a rockery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Aurea False Heather in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun keeps the foliage gold and the flowering heavy; in shade it greens up and opens out. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It takes light frost only, so colder districts should grow it in a pot that can move under cover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Free draining is the only real requirement. Avoid ground that stays soggy through winter, and keep mulch clear of the crown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Water twice a week through the first summer, after which it is genuinely drought tolerant. A slow release fertiliser in early spring covers the year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Shear lightly after the heaviest flushes, taking no more than a third of the growth. Cutting back into bare old wood leaves holes that are slow to close.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is sold as tube stock and in packs of ten 140mm plants. Tube stock is the economical way to plant a long border and fills out within a season. The 140mm plants arrive already bushy and give a finished edge sooner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSmall tough plants like this travel well. Water them in on the day they arrive, then expect them to touch at 40cm spacing within two to three months of warm weather. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRead our guide to \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-perfect-edging-plants-landscape-your-perfect-garden\"\u003echoosing edging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse companions in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/rockery-plants\"\u003erockery plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuild a nectar garden with more \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/bee-and-butterfly-plants\"\u003ebee and butterfly plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCompare other easy options in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/low-maintenance-shrubs\"\u003elow maintenance shrubs\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow far apart should I plant it for a border?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eForty centimetres apart in a single row. That is close enough for the mounds to meet into an unbroken line without crowding each other into bare stems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes it really flower all year?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn tropical and subtropical gardens it comes close, with only brief gaps. In warm temperate gardens it pauses through the coldest weeks and starts again as the soil warms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWill frost kill it?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLight frost burns the tips rather than killing the plant, and a spring trim clears the damage. Heavy or repeated frost is another matter, and those gardens are better off potting it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I grow it in a pot?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, and it is a good filler for a mixed pot. Use 300mm or wider with a free draining mix, feed in spring, and refresh the mix every second year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":51640344150335,"sku":"CUP-HYS-AUR-tube","price":14.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10) (Backorder)","offer_id":54140066988351,"sku":"CUP-HYS-AUR-140MM-P10","price":239.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Aurea-False-Heather-Cuphea-hyssopifolia-Aurea.png?v=1794662345"},{"product_id":"mauve-compact-mexican-heather-cuphea-hyssopifolia-mauve-compact","title":"Mauve Compact Mexican Heather - Cuphea hyssopifolia 'Mauve Compact'","description":"\u003cp\u003eMauve Compact Mexican Heather (\u003cem\u003eCuphea hyssopifolia\u003c\/em\u003e 'Mauve Compact') is a low, tidy plant that flowers for most of the year. It stays around 20cm tall and spreads about 45cm, its fine leaves layered in a fountain shape and dotted with tiny pink-purple flowers. It is made for stepover hedges, borders and pots in frost-free gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowers most of the year.\u003c\/strong\u003e Tiny pink-purple flowers keep coming through the seasons, giving low, effortless colour.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStays low on its own.\u003c\/strong\u003e At around 20cm it needs little shaping, which keeps the pruning to a minimum.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGood for pollinators.\u003c\/strong\u003e The flowers attract beneficial pollinators to the garden.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVersatile.\u003c\/strong\u003e Use it for stepover hedges, borders, rockeries, mass underplanting, pots and baskets.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eForgiving about soil.\u003c\/strong\u003e It prefers free-draining soil rich in organic matter but copes with poor, dry soils.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStepover hedges and borders.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 30cm apart in a row to make a low, flowering edge along a path, bed or driveway. At that spacing the layered mounds merge into a continuous line.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMass underplanting.\u003c\/strong\u003e It carpets the ground beneath taller shrubs, bringing a long season of colour to the base of a planting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots, baskets and rockeries.\u003c\/strong\u003e Compact enough for a patio pot or hanging basket, and neat when tucked among rocks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Mauve Compact Mexican Heather in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun to part shade. It is a frost-free plant, so it suits tropical, subtropical and frost-free warm temperate gardens. Where frost is likely, grow it in a pot and keep it under cover through winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Free-draining soil rich in organic matter gives the best results, though it is forgiving of poor, dry soils.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Mulch and water well. Fertilise with a slow release fertiliser twice a year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Prune to encourage new growth and maintain shape. This variety stays so low that it often needs very little.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe sell Mauve Compact Mexican Heather as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. Tubes are the economical way to plant a long stepover hedge or cover a bed. Expect a small, leafy plant on arrival that fills out and starts flowering as the weather warms. Plants travel upright in their tubes and settle quickly once watered in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/groundcover\"\u003eMore groundcover plants for Australian gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003ePlants that thrive in pots\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/bee-and-butterfly-plants\"\u003eBee and butterfly friendly plants\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/low-hedge-plants-under-1-metre-australia\"\u003eLow hedge plants under 1 metre\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow far apart should I plant it for a stepover hedge?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant 30cm apart in a single row. The layered mounds merge into a continuous low line.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes it need pruning?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery little. This is a compact form, so a light trim to maintain shape and encourage new growth is usually enough.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill frost damage it?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. It suits frost-free gardens. In frosty areas, grow it in a pot and keep it under cover in winter.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":67787204854079,"sku":"CUP-HYS-MAUVEC-tube","price":14.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/mauve-compact-mexican-heather-cuphea-hyssopifolia-mauve-compact.jpg?v=1792152010"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/collections\/Mauve-False-Heather-Cuphea-hyssopifolia-Mauve.jpg?v=1794696401","url":"https:\/\/nurserynearme.com.au\/collections\/false-heather.oembed","provider":"Nursery Near Me","version":"1.0","type":"link"}