05/17/2026
Native Plant Spotlight:
Ipomopsis rubra (Standing Cypress • Scarlet Gilia)
Ipomopsis rubra, commonly called Standing Cypress, is a striking herbaceous biennial in the Phlox family (Polemoniaceae). It requires two years to complete its life cycle ... spending its first year as a low rosette before sending up a tall flowering stalk in its second year.
This species is found in the southern half of Alabama, where it grows on thin, well-drained soils of limestone prairies and sandy uplands (sandhills). When it blooms, it produces tall spikes of brilliant red, tubular flowers that rise above surrounding vegetation like a vertical flame in the summer landscape.
Globally, this species is considered imperiled due to habitat loss and fragmentation of the specialized prairie and sandhill ecosystems it depends on.
🌿 Wildlife & Ecological Value:
~ Highly attractive to hummingbirds, which are primary pollinators.
~Also visited by butterflies and long-tongued native bees.
~ Supports pollinator networks in prairie and sandhill ecosystems.
~ Indicator of intact, nutrient-poor, high-light native habitats.
🌿 Landscape Value:
~Tall, dramatic flowering spikes reaching 3–6 feet in bloom.
~ Brilliant red tubular flowers create strong visual impact in summer gardens.
~ Best suited for full sun and very well-drained soils.
~ Excellent for native prairie plantings and dry meadow restoration.
~ Adds vertical structure and bold color to naturalistic landscapes.
🌱 Gardening & Conservation Notes:
~ Biennial life cycle, so must be allowed to grow through two seasons to flower and reseed.
~ Requires full sun and lean, well-drained soil; does poorly in rich or wet conditions.
~ Can self-seed in suitable habitats, maintaining populations over time.
~ Do not collect from wild populations due to its conservation concern and habitat sensitivity.
~ Protect prairie and sandhill habitats, which are among Alabama’s most threatened ecosystems.
📸: Stephanie Brundage - Wildflower Center Digital Library
