Pollinator plant

Bat-faced cuphea

Cuphea llavea

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Common names

13 names · 9 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Bat Flower[1]
  • Bat-faced cuphea[1]
  • Cuphea[1]
+2 more namesShow fewer names
  • False Heather[1]
  • Red Cuphea[1]
Other languages (8)
Dutch
  • Cuphea
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 朱红萼距花[3]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 朱紅萼距花[3]
Finnish
  • purppuratulitorvi[3]
Hebrew
  • גבנון מקסיקני 'טורפדו'[3]
Russian
  • Куфея Льяве[3]
Slovak
  • kufea Llaveho[3]
Spanish
Sources & name notes (3)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Cuphea llavea — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Bat-faced Cuphea — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Cuphea llavea.
  • Bat Flower — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Cuphea llavea.
  • Cuphea — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Cuphea llavea.
  • False Heather — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(4); heading: Common Name(s):; Cuphea llavea.
  • Red Cuphea — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(5); heading: Common Name(s):; Cuphea llavea.
[2] Cuphea llavea — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • hierba de San Pedro — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 273878; Cuphea llavea.
[3] Cuphea llavea — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • hierba de San Pedro — results[29].names[1]; taxon id 273878; Cuphea llavea.
  • 朱红萼距花 — results[29].names[2]; taxon id 273878; Cuphea llavea.
  • 朱紅萼距花 — results[29].names[3]; taxon id 273878; Cuphea llavea.
  • Куфея Льяве — results[29].names[4]; taxon id 273878; Cuphea llavea.
  • גבנון מקסיקני 'טורפדו' — results[29].names[5]; taxon id 273878; Cuphea llavea.
  • purppuratulitorvi — results[29].names[6]; taxon id 273878; Cuphea llavea.
  • kufea Llaveho — results[29].names[7]; taxon id 273878; Cuphea llavea.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Botanical family
Lythraceae

Genus-level classification for Cuphea; this does not confirm the complete catalogue name.

Sources [1]
Taxonomy
NC State Extension publishes a profile under Cuphea llavea.

Profile-name match; no accepted-name status is asserted.

Sources [2]
Mature height
0.46–0.76 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
0.61–0.91 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Mounding; Multi-stemmed; Rounded

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Annual; Perennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Medium

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Moist

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Autumn; Spring; Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: butterflies, hummingbirds, pollinators.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Native range
Mexico.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [3]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Medium suitability
Nectar value Medium
Pollen value Unknown
Plant profile

About this plant

Bat-faced cuphea (Cuphea llavea) is a shrub. It flowers from August to October.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Cuphea — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: Botanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 1891701; ID 62Q24; rank genus; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Cuphea llavea — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: TaxonomyMature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleGrowth rateFoliageLightMoisture and drainageFlowering seasonReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Main botanical heading (h1)
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Cuphea llavea — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 33262; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 1310703, 1310704, 1310705, 1310706

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.