Firecracker Plant
Firecracker plant can have an explosive impact in your garden, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies.
Firecracker plant (Russelia equisetiformis) is a weeping shrub with slender, tubular flowers that appear throughout the year. Clustered in long sprays, the red blossoms resemble little firecrackers. Yellow and salmon forms are also available.
Its narrow, soft “leaves” are actually bracts, giving the plant a lacey effect and providing interesting texture in the landscape. Its reed-like stems grow erect at first then eventually bend down in graceful arches, the “firecrackers” hanging like bells. The flowers attract pollinators and are irresistible to hummingbirds.
Firecracker plant can reach three to four feet tall and six or more feet wide, so be sure to give it room to sprawl. It can be used as an informal hedge if there is enough space to accommodate its spreading habit. While it is an aggressive grower, firecracker plant is not invasive. Its weeping nature makes it ideal for containers, large hanging baskets and is especially attractive when cascading over a wall. It can even be trained on a trellis.
You can plant firecracker plant year-round in zones 9-11. It grows in a range of soils as long as they are well drained, and is moderately salt tolerant as well. For best flowering and fullest growth, plant your shrub in full sun. Native to Mexico, it is a tender plant, so be sure to cover it when cold weather strikes. Propagation is by simple layers and stem cuttings.
Perfect for pollinator and hummingbird gardens, this Florida-Friendly plant is relatively pest free and somewhat drought tolerant, although it will flower better with regular irrigation.
For questions about firecracker plant and other ornamentals, contact your county Extension office.