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Firecracker Plant

Firecracker Plant

Russelia equisetiformis

Item #6969 USDA Hardiness Zone: 9 - 11

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Plant Description

Clusters of scarlet tubular flowers resembling small firecrackers provide reliable color from spring through fall. Slender, rush-like stems start out erect, then fall over into long, showy cascades. Great for training on a trellis, accenting a border, or spilling out of a container. Semi-evergreen.

  • Overview
    Light Needs:
    Partial shade to full sun
    Watering Needs:
    Water regularly - weekly, or more often in extreme heat or containers.
    Average Landscape Size:
    Fast growing; reaches 3 to 5 ft. tall and wide.
    Key Feature:
    Showy, Tubular Flowers
    Blooms:
    Spring through Fall
    Landscape Uses:
    Border, Container, Hanging Basket, Houseplant, Mass Planting, Poolside, Rock Garden
  • Detail
    Botanical Pronunciation:russ-EL-ee-uh
    Plant type:Perennial
    Deciduous/evergreen:Semi-evergreen
    Growth habit:Weeping
    Growth rate:Fast
    Average landscape size:Fast growing; reaches 3 to 5 ft. tall and wide.
    Special features:Easy Care, Fast Growing, Gift Plant
    Foliage color:Green
    Blooms:Spring through Fall
    Flower color:Red
    Flower attributesLong Bloom Season, Showy Flowers
    Garden styleRustic, Tropical
    Companion PlantsLantana (Lantana); Hibiscus (Hibiscus); Princess Flower (Tibouchina); Cordyline (Cordyline); Purple Fountain Grass (Pennisetum)
  • Care
    Care Information
    Provide average, well-drained soil; shelter from harsh, drying winds. Benefits from part shade in hot summer regions. Water deeply, regularly during the first growing season to establish an extensive root system. Once established, prefers regular moisture, but tolerates dry spells. Fertilize regularly. Prune in late winter or early spring.
    Light Needs:
    <strong>Partial Sun / Partial Shade</strong>: These two terms are often used interchangeably to mean 3-6 (or 4-6) hours of sunlight each day. However, there is a difference. <strong>Partial shade</strong> typically means the plants will appreciate a more gentle exposure such as the weaker morning or early afternoon sun, with the emphasis on providing the minimum needed shade and sheltering from intense late afternoon sun. <strong>Partial sun</strong> typically means the plants <u>need</u> some direct sun, so the emphasis is on meeting the required minimum hours of sunlight, with filtered sunlight or shade the balance of the day. Both are best with shelter from the harshest late afternoon sun. This shade could be provided by a structure, a wall, larger plants or tree(s).
    Partial shade to full sun
    Watering Needs:
    Water needs: Moderate
    Water regularly - weekly, or more often in extreme heat or containers.