Cigar flower

Cigar flower (Cuphea ignea) is a small, shrubby plant in the family Lythraceae, native to Mexico and the Caribbean islands, particularly Jamaica. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental garden plant in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The plant produces distinctive tubular flowers in brilliant orange-red with a dark tip ringed in white and purple, giving the appearance of a glowing cigar—hence its common name. The flowers are highly attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies, making cigar flower a popular addition to wildlife gardens and containers. It grows as a compact perennial subshrub, typically reaching 30–60 centimeters in height, and flowers prolifically throughout the growing season. In temperate regions it is usually grown as an annual or overwintered indoors. Cuphea ignea prefers well-drained soils with full sun to partial shade. The species is not formally assessed by the IUCN. In its native Mexican and Caribbean range, it grows in open rocky slopes, forest margins, and disturbed habitats. The genus Cuphea comprises hundreds of species and is under investigation for the seed oil content of some members, which contains medium-chain fatty acids of potential industrial interest. Cigar flower has naturalized in parts of Florida and other warm regions outside its native range.