Identification: Tiny purple flowers (now with photo)

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by lisafremont, Oct 3, 2005.

  1. lisafremont

    lisafremont Member

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    TIA for any help in ID'ing this plant. I will do my best to describe it with words.

    I bought it from a bonsai seller for $7.00 and now suspect it is what is known as "pre-bonsai" which is fine, I plan to educate myself. I have always wanted a bonsai plant.

    The stems of this plant are woody. The leaves are long and narrow and grow in pairs on opposite sides of the stem.

    The flowers are a beautiful pinkish purple (not dark), maybe more a lavender. That is pretty close to the color.

    The flowers are very small, from tip of petal to petal about a half inch across. The way it blooms is similar to a petunia or a morning glory. There is a tube-like bloom with colorful, crumpled edge which grows and opens to a 90 degree angle to the tube part.

    There are six petals which have a darker vein down the middle.

    And the flowers appear at the end of the stem and there are clusters of blooms, reminiscent of aescananthus (lipstick plant).

    The bonsai seller's English wasn't great and he said it was "heather" but it doesn't look like heather to me.

    It's a beautiful little plant and doing well in the short time I've had it. I want to do right by it and have it thrive. Thanks for your help!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 20, 2005
  2. lisafremont

    lisafremont Member

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    tiny purple flowers-- Photo!

    Please help me care for this plant by supplying the identity. I described it in words in a thread titled TINY PURPLE FLOWERS. Flummoxed all. So maybe if I succeed in getting the photo I took imbedded....?

    [​IMG]

    Okay, well, I didn't succeed in imbedding it, but I did link successfully to a photo. TIA!
     
  3. Dee M.

    Dee M. Active Member 10 Years

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    I think it is a Cuphea hyssopifolia. It's common name is Mexican or False heather. It might make a good bonsai.
     

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