Why is the flower ‘standing cypress’ called that? It’s obviously not a cypress (as in the tree). I am just curious about this great plant that brings all the hummingbirds and butterflies into my garden.
Ipomopsis rubra goes by several other common names (Texas plume, red gilia, red Texas star, Spanish larkspur, and more). The common name you are wondering about may be derived from an impression of the feathery leaves echoing the foliage of true cypress (Cupressus) trees, though they more closely resemble Taxodium (bald or swamp cypress). ‘Standing’ is also puzzling, since these biennial flowers stand much less tall than a cypress tree. Maybe it is because when grown from seed, Ipomopsis forms a basal rosette the first year, and it doesn’t ‘stand up’ and grow a tall spike until its second year.