Cuphea llavea (Bat-faced Cuphea)

Native to Mexico, this plant is an evergreen perennial subshrub. It has reddish green stems and opposite, hairy, dark green leaves with pointed tips. The flowers arise in the leaf axils and have a hairy, dark purple tube about one inch long, topped by two upward-facing red petals. This combination gives the flower its bat-like appearance. Plants can reach two to three feet tall in their native habitat. In cooler climates, the species is grown as an annual or container plant and blooms from late spring until frost. Its flowers attract hummingbirds and other pollinators. Photographed in Florida.