The common name says it all. The candy corn blooms look very similar to the candy we all enjoy in the fall. Although candy corn is grown as an evergreen shrub in warmer climates, in cooler areas it can be grown as an annual. Depending on the temperatures, it can be evergreen or die back in the winter. When it dies back in the cooler areas of its growing zone, it will not flower again until the next fall. Typically they will die back naturally when temperatures drop into the 20's and will start to recover in late March as temperatures rise. Growing in full sun will provide the most blooms. New plants will have a better survival rate when planted in the spring, allowing the young plant time to become established. Water young plants regularly. Once established, Candy Corn is more drought-tolerant. Cutting back the plant in late winter will encourage a new flush of growth in the spring. This variety is the cold-hardiest in the Cuphea genus. Use in a pollinator, cottage or cutting garden. It also can be grown in a container. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. Watch for aphids.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.