Japanese mock myrtle, false heather, quiver flower, 6 plants

Japanese mock myrtle, false heather, quiver flower, quiver flower

Botanisch: Cuphea hyssopifolia

This item is a set of 6 plants

Plant not suitable for consumption!

Product data sheet

General information about the Japanese mock myrtle

The Japanese false myrtle, also known as false heather, is only distantly related to the myrtle and its country of origin is also not Japan. Originating from Central and South America, it is classified as a caddisflower, of which there are around 300 species. 

With its rather low growth, the mock myrtle finds a place, for example, at the edge of the garden bed. However, since both the leaves and the numerous flowers in white, pink and purple are very delicate and delicate, it is best displayed in a container on the terrace or balcony, where the viewer can get closer to the beauty. If you want to keep the false heather for several years, planting it in a container makes even more sense, as it can be overwintered - because the ornamental plant cannot tolerate frost! 

With a flowering period that can extend from spring to October, the Japanese mock myrtle is not only a real eye-catcher, but also an important and reliable source of food for bees and other pollinators. 

The ideal location

The false heather feels comfortable in a bright location in a sunny to slightly partially shaded location. The basic rule is: the more sun the better, although it should be protected from direct midday sun. Protection from constant wind is also advisable because the Japanese mock myrtle is sensitive to it. The more protected the plant is from frost, the better!

It looks great in rock gardens and also impresses with its delicate plant parts on terraces and balconies. Planted in groups, Japanese mock myrtles can form a wonderful, flat carpet of plants. This means that the delicate plant also finds a place on sunny slopes and banks. 

Planting false heather correctly

Once you have found a location with the right lighting conditions, planting in this location is anything but laborious. The best thing to do is to wait for the ice saints to arrive so that there can be no more late frosts. Depending on your experience in your region, mid-May to the end of May can be specified as specific times.

Regardless of the planting location you choose, you should always remove the culture pot shortly after purchase. The pot ball is usually well rooted and the plant cannot develop ideally in the small planter. Make sure that the substrate is nutrient-rich, permeable and loose.

The compact, wide-growing Cuphea combines brilliantly with hanging balcony plants such as Geraniums Large-flowered ornamental plants such as the Petunia "Sweetunia" create wonderful contrasts. Structural plants also offer a beautiful picture when combined with the Japanese false myrtle, as their flowers are so numerous and long-lasting. 

Japanese mock myrtle on a balcony or terrace

The false heather is particularly often given a place in the planter on the terrace or balcony. It is particularly practical that the plant can be planted before the Ice Saints if there is enough space in the house to protect the containers from late frost. Regardless of whether you want to plant the Cuphea in a pot, balcony box or hanging basket, there should be drainage holes to prevent waterlogging. Prepare the new home for your Japanese mock myrtle as follows:

• Create drainage with a layer of clay shards or expanded clay
• Cover drainage with water-permeable fleece
• Fill the container with suitable substrate
• The plants can be planted a little closer than in the bed, but still leave some space
• The pot ball should be flush with the top layer of soil

In the pot, you should provide the Japanese mock myrtle with a substrate that has a low peat content and has good permeability and structural stability with sand, gravel and lava granules. 

The heather in the garden bed

When planted in the garden, the Japanese mock myrtle finds a suitable habitat in various places. Whether accentuated in stone beds, perennial beds, and borders or planted as a ground cover on flat surfaces as well as on slopes or walls, the delicate plant achieves a wonderful effect, especially when planted in groups.   

The planting holes can be slightly larger than the pot ball of the plant. Make sure there is a distance of at least 40 centimeters so that the false heather can develop well. The upper edge of the pot ball should later be flush with the soil again, just as the plant was in the culture pot. If the soil is not permeable enough, you can improve it with sand, gravel or granules. A long-term fertilizer can also be incorporated when planting. If the plants are in the ground, water the soil properly and thoroughly, this will encourage the roots to spread in all directions, especially deeper into the ground.

Properly care for the false heather

If you have chosen the location correctly and prepared the soil properly, the Japanese mock myrtle is very easy to care for. Watering should still be carried out very regularly in summer. However, the surface soil should be allowed to dry completely between waterings to prevent waterlogging! Early morning and evening are best for watering; pay particular attention to not watering on the plant parts but directly on the soil - this will prevent drops of water on the plant from causing rot. 

If you mixed a fertilizer into the soil when planting, this will cover the increased nutrient requirements during the very long flowering period, which can extend from March to October. After about one to two months, you can then regularly add liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water. 

Pruning is recommended for false heather after flowering or in spring if the plant is to be kept for several years and therefore overwintered. It is best to cut the plant back by half or at least a third in spring, after overwintering, so that the shoots can still be used to generate energy in winter. After flowering, a maximum of light topiary pruning should be carried out. Without pruning, the cuphea becomes woody and bald quite quickly in the new year. 

The quarters in winter should be bright and cool, but absolutely frost-free. A cold house, winter garden or even a slightly heated hallway or stairwell without direct drafts are suitable, although the temperature here is ideally around 10 degrees Celsius. You do not use fertilizer during the entire hibernation period and watering is limited to what is absolutely necessary. After the Ice Saints next year, first place the plants in light shade so that the plants can get used to the direct sun again.