Flowering plantsEasy CarePet Safe
Firebush
Hamelia patens
Firebush is a hardy shrub with clusters of tubular orange-red flowers almost all year, loved by butterflies and sunbirds. It thrives in heat, needs little care and suits informal hedges and borders.
Botanical FamilyRubiaceae
Native RegionTropical Americas
Growth RateFast
Mature Size1.5–3 m tall
Bloom PeriodMost of the year
Common NamesHummingbird bush, Scarlet bush
Photo: Alejandro Bayer Tamayo from Armenia, Colombia · CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Full sun, Partial sun
Watering
Moderate
Water regularly when young; established plants are drought tolerant.
Soil
Most well-drained soils; pH 6.0–8.0.
Temperature and humidity
5–42 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
Light feeding twice a year.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by stem cuttings, seed
Cut back in late winter to keep it compact.
Not known to be toxic.
Top Cultivation Tips
Plant in a butterfly garden.
Leaves turn reddish in cooler weather.
Tolerates poor soil.
Prune to keep it bushy.
