Plant Library

Other Names:  Coral Plant, Coral Fountain, Coralblow

Description:

This sub-shrub is a weeping variety with very fine, grassy foliage, producing tall spikes of striking red-orange tubular flowers all season; prefers full sun and is drought tolerant once established; great for containers, and baskets; overwinter indoors

Ornamental Features

Firecracker Plant features dainty spikes of scarlet tubular flowers with orange overtones rising above the foliage from late winter to late fall. Its attractive grassy leaves remain light green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Firecracker Plant is a multi-stemmed annual with a shapely form and gracefully arching foliage. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting hummingbirds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Firecracker Plant is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Firecracker Plant will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. Although it's not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America.

Firecracker Plant is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.