Firecracker plant

Sun

Full sun for the most flowers; tolerates light partial shade.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, then let the soil surface dry between thorough waterings. Established plants tolerate short dry spells, but flower better with occasional deep watering.

Soil

Well-drained sandy or loamy soil; tolerates relatively poor soil but struggles in waterlogged ground. Use a free-draining potting mix in containers.

Height

3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m)

Spread

3-6 ft (0.9-1.8 m)

Flowers

Clusters of narrow, tubular scarlet-red flowers from late spring through autumn; potentially year-round in frost-free climates.

Foliage

Evergreen. Fine, green, rush-like stems carry tiny scale-like leaves; more obvious narrow leaves may appear on young growth.

Growth

Fast in warm weather.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   2.3 ft (0.72 m)

3. After 2 years

   3 ft (0.93 m)

4. After 3 years

   4 ft (1.1 m)

5. After 5 years

   4 ft (1.2 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Invasive in

Australia

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Fast

• Water deeply during the first growing season, allowing the surface soil to dry between waterings.
• Check containers frequently in hot weather; never leave pots standing in water.
• Apply a light dose of balanced fertiliser in spring; avoid heavy feeding that encourages stems at the expense of flowers.
• Mulch around garden plants to conserve moisture, keeping mulch clear of the crown.
• Move containers into bright, frost-free shelter before the first frost and water sparingly through winter.

Pruning. In spring, remove dead or frost-damaged stems and shorten overlong growth to a healthy shoot. Thin older stems at the base rather than shearing the whole plant into a tight mound, which spoils its arching shape.

Early spring

Check for winter damage and remove dead stems once the risk of severe frost has passed.

Spring

Feed lightly and repot container plants if roots have filled the pot.

Late spring

Plant outdoors or move overwintered pots outside after frost, gradually acclimatising them to direct sun.

Summer

Water containers as needed and trim stems that obstruct paths or trail onto neighbouring plants.

Late summer

Take stem cuttings if you want replacement plants for the following year.

Autumn

Bring pots under frost-free cover before frost; in frost-free gardens, remove unwanted rooted stems.

Winter

Keep sheltered plants in bright light and water only enough to prevent the root ball drying out completely.

• Plant above a retaining wall so the flowering stems cascade over the edge.
• Use a large raised container beside a sunny terrace, allowing room for its fountain-shaped growth.
• Combine with blue-flowered salvias and agapanthus for contrasting flower colour and form.
• Place among aloes and other bold-leaved plants to provide a fine-textured contrast in a warm, well-drained border.

Garden styles it suits: Mediterranean, Modern tropical, Modern courtyard, Coastal, Pollinator garden and Hot border.

Plant it with: Salvia, Agapanthus, Aloe, Society garlic and Rosemary.

Wildlife: The tubular flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds where they occur and attract butterflies and some other nectar-feeding insects.

• Frost damage: stems blacken or die back after freezing. Shelter container plants before frost and wait until spring to assess and cut back damaged growth.
• Root rot: yellowing and collapse can follow prolonged wet soil. Improve drainage, reduce watering and avoid water-filled saucers.
• Spider mites: fine webbing and dull or stippled growth are most likely in hot, dry conditions or under cover. Rinse stems thoroughly and use insecticidal soap labelled for the pest if needed.
• Poor flowering: deep shade or excessive nitrogen encourages leafy growth. Move to a sunnier position and reduce feeding.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. Reliable information on ingestion of specific parts is limited, so do not treat the flowers, leaves or stems as edible.

Where it spreads. Regarded as an environmental weed in parts of Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. Arching stems can root where they touch soil and form spreading clumps; avoid planting near bushland in affected areas and check local guidance.

• Cigar plant (Cuphea ignea)

  Also has small tubular orange-red flowers, but these usually have pale, dark-tipped mouths. Its stems carry obvious oval leaves rather than the firecracker plant's largely bare, rush-like growth.

• Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense)

  Has distinctly jointed stems and whorls of slender branches, but never produces red flowers. It spreads by underground rhizomes rather than forming a flowering, arching shrub.

The species name equisetiformis means horsetail-shaped, referring to its slender stems, while firecracker plant describes its bright red tubular flowers.

Propagation. Take softwood or semi-ripe stem cuttings during warm weather and root them in a moist, free-draining medium. Rooted layers can also be detached and potted; do not discard living stems in garden waste near natural areas.

Accepted botanical name

Russelia equisetiformis

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states, Pacific Basin, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands.

Native range

Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast and Mexico Southwest.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.