1
DRIPPING SPRINGS CENTURY-NEWS, DRIPPING SPRINGS, TX, THURSDAY, JULY 23 2020 - Page 3 Te last few years, Vermil- lionaire Cuphea has become a must have plant for several parts of my landscape. I have actually had hum- mingbirds hitting on them in my driveway as I got them out of the car. Even though it is now late July it is a must have plant for all Central Texas Gardeners. My plants are about 24 inches tall and 36 inches wide and yours will quickly achieve that in your land- scape too. Te orange-red tubular fowers are pro- duced non-stop by the hundreds on each plant. Butterfies and humming- birds will be visiting them all day as if they were the blue plate special. Te bees are there in great numbers too and everyone once in a while appears to challenge a hummingbird. Tis usually ends up with the hummer quickly show- ing who's boss. Te thing that has surprised me most however are the butterfies. Everyday there are Spice- bush Swallowtails, Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, and even Pearl Crescents. Tis is truly a plant for anyone that en- joys the pollinator garden. I have mine intermingled with Rockin Blue Suede Shoes, and Rockin Deep Purple Salvias. Te combi- nation has been very pleas- ing and really successful. My son who I sometimes consider the ‘Adventurous Color Designer,’ uses them in large containers at shop- ping centers with lime green ornamental sweet potatoes, and Supertunia petunias. Can you imagine walking past hummingbirds while going to shop? Botanically speaking, Vermillionaire is a Cuphea Ignea hybrid. It develops into a woody-like plant and as I said bearing hundreds of scarlet orange fowers for months. In zones 8 and 9 it will get knocked to the ground by freezes but normally returns faithfully in the spring provided it doesn’t sit in water during the cold winter. When you locate your Vermillionaire Cuphea, buy at least three. Select a site in full sun and plant in well-drained soil. Set out plants 24 to 36-inches apart, planting at the same depth they are growing in the container. Apply a good layer of mulch, water to get established and then enjoy. Feed in mid-summer and again in early fall with a light application of a bal- anced, slow-release fertilizer. Tese species are drought tolerant, but watering dur- ing prolonged dry periods will pay dividends come fall. Use them informally in the garden rather than lined up like soldiers. Tey work well with other humming- bird plants like the frebush or planted in partnership with luscious lantanas like the Berry Blend, Citrus Blend and my new favorite Luscious Royal Cosmo and Gold Star Esperanza. Te complementary color for these orange fowers is blue and makes for a dreamy marriage in the landscape. Plants like Blue My Mind evolvulus that have some Texas DNA, Whirlwind Blue scaevola and the Unplugged So Blue salvia also with Texas genes, would make incredible partners. A lot of hot weather remains, and Vermillion- aire Cupheas would make a fne addition to your garden. Pick some up at your favorite garden center this weekend. Follow me on Facebook @NormanWin- terTeGardenGuy. Norman Winter Horticulturist, Author, and Speaker Dripping Gardening Hummingbirds flock to the orange scarlet blossoms by the droves. PHOTOS BY NORMAN WINTER SONGWRITERS FROM PG. 1 WIMBERLEY | BOERNE | BULVERDE | SAN ANGELO | SONORA | SONORABANK.COM LOBBY HOURS HOURS M-F 9:00-5:00 DRIVE THRU HOURS HOURS M-F 8:00-5:30 ONLINE BANKING SONORABANK.COM 100 STILLWATER WIMBERLEY, TX 78676 512-842-3316 -Since 1900- When the dust settles we’re still right here Member FDIC Vermillionaire Cuphea: A must-have plant for a summer of blooms, birds, and butterflies going to make us savor and love next year even more.” Unfortunately, we will not be sitting side-by-side at the Dripping Springs Songwrit- ers Festival this year but the Visitors Bureau staf is eager to plan for the 2021 festival. Te Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival was founded in 2014 by Jim and Laurie Halfpenny, and Dave Niemeyer. Dripping Springs Visitors Bureau, the organi- zation devoted to promoting tourism in the Dripping Springs area, acquired the Dripping Springs Songwrit- ers Festival in 2020. Te Dripping Springs Visitors Bureau is a 501 c (3) non-proft organization dedicated to promoting tourism, providing residents with community informa- tion, and supporting the Dripping Springs Chamber of Commerce and the City of Dripping Springs in their missions.
