IPOMOPSIS rubra (Standing Cypress, Texas Plume, Spanish Larkspur, Scarlet Gilia, Flame Flower, Red Texas Star)

IPOMOPSIS rubra (Standing Cypress) is a vibrant biennial wildflower native to the southeastern United States. This species thrives in sunny, well-drained locations and is admired for its tall, spiky inflorescences covered with dazzling bright red, tubular flowers, which bloom from summer through fall and are especially attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies.  

Physical Description Standing Cypress features a dense, elongated terminal spike of long, scarlet red flowers, each having five-lobed calyces and corollas. Its leaves are pinnate, fern-like or needle-like in appearance, and alternately arranged along the stem. The first year, it develops a low basal rosette of foliage; in the second year, it sends up an erect leafy stem, which grows between 2 and 6 feet tall depending on soil and moisture conditions. Stems are pubescent, and seeds form in capsules after flowering.  

Habitat and Cultivation Standing Cypress is native from North Carolina, Florida, and west to Texas, and prefers sandhills, coastal strands, beach dunes, and ruderal areas. It is drought and deer tolerant, growing in soils ranging from sandy and chalky to richer bottom lands. The plant is easy to establish from seed, blooming in its second year. After flowering, it dies, but reseeds readily to sustain future populations.  

Ecological Value and Uses This wildflower is a pollinator magnet, highly favored by hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Its striking vertical structure and bold color make it popular in native plant gardens, mass plantings, informal cottage styles, and as a cut flower—where blooms can last a week or more. It is largely free of pest and disease problems.  

Other Names Standing Cypress is also sometimes known as Texas Plume, Spanish Larkspur, Scarlet Gilia, Flame Flower, and Red Texas Star. Despite its name, it is not related to cypress trees, but its leaves bear a resemblance to cypress needles.