Firebush (Hamelia patens): Hummingbird Magnet with Red-Orange Tubules

Firebush (Hamelia patens), also called firecracker shrub, Mexican firebush, scarlet bush, or hummingbird bush, is a fast-growing, semi-evergreen shrub with whorls of tubular, red-orange flowers (yellow-tipped) from spring to frost. The foliage turns reddish in cool weather.

Habit

Grows 6–12 feet tall and wide in tropics; 3–5 feet as an annual in cooler zones. The leaves are elliptical, with a reddish midrib. It is a premier nectar plant for hummingbirds and butterflies.

Culture

Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil. Drought-tolerant once established. Prune in late winter. Perennial in zones 9–11; root-hardy to zone 8. Excellent in containers.

Taxonomy

• Family: Rubiaceae
• Genus: Hamelia
• Species: patens
• Synonyms: Hamelia coccinea, Hamelia erecta