Fire Bush, Hamelia Patens

Max Height: 4m Spread: 2m

Origin: Florida Family: Rubiaceae

Common Name: Firecracker Shrub, Mexican Firebush, Scarlet Bush, Hummingbird Bush Flower Colour: Red

Drought Tolerance: Low Salinity Tolerance: Medium

Sun Tolerance: Medium Wind Tolerance: Medium

Water Requirement: Low PH Level: Basic

Pest Tolerance: High Disease Tolerance: High

Growth Rate: Fast Fragrance: No

***50-70cm

Common names include firebush, hummingbird bush, scarlet bush, and redhead. It flowers best in full sun and does best in high heat similar to its native tropical range. Hamelia patens, Fire bush is a showy, fast-growing, semi-woody evergreen shrub that can get up to 15 ft (4.6 m) tall under ideal conditions, but usually stays much smaller. It has whorled leaves, usually with three but occasionally as many as seven at each node. The leaves are elliptic to oval, about 6 in (15 cm) long, and gray-pubescent underneath with reddish veins and petioles. They are reflexed upward from the midvein. Throughout the year, firebush produces showy terminal clusters (cymes) of bright reddish-orange or scarlet tubular flowers, each about 0.75 in (1.9 cm), long.

Coloradillo, Fire Bush, Firecracker Bush, Hamelia patens, Hummingbird bush, Outdoor Plants, Scarlet Bush, Shrubs